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<br />or other seedbed preparation. Only native plant species should be considered for establishment <br />since these are best adapted to region's climate and floodplain conditions. Species such as <br />saltgrass, alkali sacaton, vine mesquite, and sunflower would be suitable along the Arkaasas <br />River. Additional, more palatable grass species may be included where grazing is planned. <br />Local Natural Resources Conservation Service or Soil Conservation District offices can make <br />recommendations on erosion control and suitable plant species (Sutherland et al. 1990). <br />Fertilization may be required if rapid establishment and growth is desired. Supplemental <br />irrigation may be necessary if reseeding is attempted during dry periods. Mulching is m.ually <br />recommended to retain moisture and protect the seeds and seedbed from wind erosion. <br />Crimped hay mulch has commonly been used in Albuquerque District groundcover planting <br />efforts. Costs for grass and herbaceous plantings range from $500 to $900 per acre depending <br />on site preparation needs. <br /> <br />Salt Cedar Removal <br /> <br />While salt cedar carmot be entirely eradicated from Southwestern riparian systems, <br />local stands can be significantly reduced and replaced with native plant species. Several <br />mechanical and herbicidal removal methods have been successfully applied; however, specific <br />tec1miques to be employed depend largely on site-specific conditions such as stand stem <br />density, stand size, species composition, and location relative to sensitive areas. The following <br />summary of salt cedar removal methods is taken primarily from Sisneros (1994). <br /> <br />Root plowing. Mechanical removal of large, moderately to very dense stands of salt <br />cedar can be accomplished through the root plowing method. An optional first step may be to <br />burn an existing stand to reduce the amount of woody material requiring removal. Above- <br />ground stems are removed by bulldozing. Because the growing meristem of salt cedar is <br />located in the root crown just below the soil surface, the crowns must be removed to prevent <br />resprouting. Root plowing draws a blade through the soil at a depth of 10 to l6 inches and <br />removes the crown from the roo stock. Because even severed root crowns will resprout, they <br />are collected for disposal with a root rake. Herbicidal hand-spraying of salt cedar sprouts is a <br />common follow-up practice in the second growing season after root plowing. <br /> <br />Mechanical removal is especially suitable for stands adjacent to waterways where the <br />use of herbicides is restricted or undesirable. Patches of desirable vegetation within a target <br />salt cedar stand can easily be avoided and left intact during clearing. The root plowing method <br />does disturb the entire soil surface and, therefore, often requires reseeding of grasses and <br />groundcover for soil stability and vegetation restoration. A large quantity of woody deblis is <br />generated by this removal method. In various projects, this material has been hauled from the <br />work site and disposed in landfills, or piled and burned in place. Costs are estimated to range <br />from $500 to $l ,000 per acre depending on tree size and density. <br /> <br />Brush hog. Brush hogs, or brush choppers, are large backhoe attachments used to shred <br />aboveground woody stems. Their use in the Southwest for salt cedar and Russian olive <br />removal is relatively new and results are still being evaluated. Although, perhaps, best suited <br />for removal of small stands or strips of vegetation, it has been used for removal of Russian <br /> <br />42 <br />