Multi-State Sericea Lespedeza Work Group

Mission Statement

Develop and implement a multi-state partnership to manage and control Sericea Lespedeza in the prairie region. The objectives of the work group are:
--To develop operating protocols for coordinating research, education and other activities among the states.
--To coordinate and develop funding for research and education programs within the states.

Problem Statement

Sericea Lespedeza is an invasive perennial legume that is spreading in the tallgrass prairie region. Though used as a forage crop in the southeastern United States, it is an aggressive invasive weed which threatens the entire ecosystem of native tallgrass prairie including wildlife habitat, livestock grazing, water quality, and economic stability.
A comprehensive multi-state integrated pest management effort is needed to complement costly conventional control methodologies. State, federal and private sector cooperative action is critical to the success of this effort.

Area Of adaptation

Background

Research efforts have been conducted using non-government funding since the early 1980's. Kansas State University, Emporia State University, and Oklahoma State University have conducted research in chemical control, biological control, role of the seed bank, physiology and biology.
Recent state funding has expanded the Kansas research effort and allowed the development of a database to determine the role of current management in sericea lespedeza invasion.
In July l999, a meeting was held at Fort Riley, Kansas, to discuss strategies for curbing the spread of sericea in the tallgrass prairie region. The meeting was organized by Fort Riley's Conservation Division, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Kansas Department of Agriculture.
A second meeting was held July 25-26, 2000, in Topeka with expanded representation from Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Nebraska. A formal organization was developed and a plan of work was initiated. When funding can be obtained, a Director for the group will be identified.

Current States Involved

Organizations and Agencies

Kansas

County Weed Directors of Kansas
Emporia State University
Fort Hays State University
Kansas Association of Conservation Districts
Kansas Audubon
Kansas Biological Survey
Kansas Chapter of The Nature Conservancy
Kansas Department of Agriculture
Kansas Department of Transportation
Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks
Kansas Farm Bureau
Kansas Grazing Lands Coalition
Kansas Livestock Association
Kansas Section, Society for Range Management
Kansas State University
Pittsburg State University
Stream & Prairie Research

Missouri

Missouri Department of Conservation
Missouri Deptartment of Natural Resources
Missouri National Guard
Missouri Prairie Foundation
University of Missouri-Columbia

Nebraska

Nebraska Department of Agriculture
Nebraska Weed Control Association

Oklahoma

Langston University
Oklahoma Cattleman's Association
Oklahoma Chapter of The Nature Conservancy
Oklahoma Department of Agriculture
Oklahoma State University

Federal Agencies

Corps of Engineers; Tulsa and Kansas City Districts
Ft. Riley
National Park Service
USDA-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
USDA-Agricultural Research Service
USDA-Farm Service Agency
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service
US Fish & Wildlife Service

Commercial

Agriliance
Dow-Agrosciences
Dupont Crop

Questions? Contact Webmaster