Type: report

Article abstract: The San Elijo Lagoon Conservancy began this project in 2017 aiming to eradicate perennial veldt grass, Ehrharta calycina (veldt grass), from San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve (Reserve). At the start of the project this highly invasive, non-native grass occurred in Diegan coastal sage scrub, southern maritime chaparral, and southern riparian scrub, covering a total of 7 acres (although additional populations were found during the project period). During the project additional occurrences were found in the Reserve, bringing the total to 8.5 acres. At the end of this project percent cover of veldt grass was at less than 1 or 0 percent across all sites, meeting all success criteria. Each site had been treated at least twice per growing season (veldt grass goes dormant during the summer and fall and does not respond to herbicide treatment.) With that said, successful invasive species eradication takes many years to complete. It is likely that a veldt grass seed bank still exists in these sites, so there is a need for continued management going forward.