Agmt 2006 State Coastal Conservancy

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e ,e install signage ,at all treatment sites. These activities were funded using the . remaining funds in' the two CALFED grants and new funds provided through a Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) grant to the Conservancy for the San Francisco Bay (a portion of a $40 million grant approved in November 2004). 2004/2005 Proiect Accomplishments Three significant events occurred in 2004 to inform adaptive management of the ISP Control Program strategy for 2005. In 2004 ISP 1) successfully coordinated the treatment of demonstration sites consisting of 435 acres of invasive Spartina; 2) sponsored the Third International Invasive Spartina Conference at which international and regional scientists and managers, recommended an aggressive full-scale treatment in the San Francisco Estuary; and 3) completed the ISP Monitoring Report, which found that the non-native Spartina's average rate of increase ~n area covered by all non~native species was 244%' with hybrids spreading at ~ 17%. These lessons learned in 2004 informed the decision to apply an aggressive treatment strategy for 2005 thi-ough 2006 as the only way . . to keep ahead of the spread and ultimately succeed, in full eradication. ' In June 2005 the Conservancy considered an Addendum to the FEISIR. It analyzed the possible impacts of the addition of the herbicide imazapyr to the Control Pro'gram. The 'Conservancy found its use would not' give rise to new significant environmental effects not considered in the FEISIR, nor to a substantial increase in the severity, of the significant effects previously identified in the FEIS/R. (See Exhibit 2) The Addendum described the lower toxicity of imazapyr and the surfactants to be used 'with it, the rapid . degradation of imazapyr, and its need for fewer applications, supporting the conclusion that it will reduce the environmental effects of treatment compared to the herbicide glyphosate that was previously used to. treat invasive Spartina. The aggressive strategy for the 200512006 Control Program is possible in part because ISP partners are able to utilize the new herbicide imazapyr, registered for use in California only days before treatment began last fall. Substantially more acreage can be treated in the short time frame available. Imazapyr can' be applied by helicopters and requires fewer applications due. to its greater efficacy than the glyphosate. During the 2005 treatment season the use of imazapyr resulted in a decrease in time in the marsh during application by an estimated 1/3 compared to time in the marsh for application of glyphosate. . ' For the 2005 treatment season, ISP coordinated preparation of 23 site-specific plans covering 134 smaller sites around the Bay. In the fall ISP worked hand in hand with grantees to impl~ment the first year of full-scale treatment. Consistent with the Section 7 consultation with United States Fish and Wildlife Service and with the FEIS/R, the short treatment season did not begin until after the California clapper rail nesting arid breeding season. On a few sites it was also necessary to phase treatment over two to three years to protect the rail. From September 7 through October 19 grantees treated 67% of the infestation, or 1,010 acres ofthe total 1,500 acres of invasive Spartina. The efficacy of treatment applied in fall 2005 will not be known until late spring when ISP monitoring will identify the percentage of plants killed out of those treated. It cannot . ~