The Neusiok Trail in the Croatan National Forest. File photo
The National Forest Service is calling for public comment on a proposed plan to control terrestrial and aquatic nonnative invasive plant species on its lands in North Carolina.
The plan for the Uwharrie and Croatan National Forests would use a combination of manual and mechanical, such as hand-pulling and the use of light equipment; cultural, such as the use of mulch, livestock grazing and other agricultural techniques; biological, such as native pathogens and pests; and chemical treatments to control various nonnative species and eastern baccharis or groundsel tree (Baccharis halimifolia). Eastern baccharis is native to marshes and marsh borders on the outer coastal plain in the state but has spread along road corridors to invade disturbed areas in the Piedmont, which is not considered its native habitat.