Neophyte Control Tumas

On behalf of the forestry office of the municipality of Domat/Ems, a week of operations was carried out with the nature network from July 11th to 15th, 2022 on the Tumas and in the Val Parghera retention basin.

"Tumas" is the name given to the distinctive and landscape-defining earth embankments in the area around Domat/Ems in the Chur Rhine Valley in Graubünden. It is highly likely that the twelve tumas were created by the energy of the Flims landslide, which transported entire packages of rock. Today, the tumas are beautiful and valuable dry sites. Unfortunately, various types of invasive neophytes on the black list are also spreading there. Since they are mainly found on the edges of the tumas, there is a good chance of successfully combating them.

In a well-considered approach, we first tackled the annual fleabane ( Erigeron annuus ) and the American goldenrod ( Solidago ) on the Tuma Padrusa. This enabled the forestry department to use a special machine to tackle larger sumacs ( Rhus typhina ) without the risk of spreading the disease.

Next, we dug up the smaller specimens of sumac and Buddleia ( Buddleja davidii ) with their roots. It was clear that some specimens had already been controlled by cutting back, but they had sprouted again. In order to work as cleanly as possible, we cut off the roots and flowers and transported them away in bags.

At the foot of the Tuma Carpusa (picture below) a single stand of Japanese knotweed ( Fallopia japonica ) is spreading. It was growing in the middle of bushes and was completely overgrown with Armenian blackberries ( Rubus armeniacus ). In order to prevent this very difficult to control neophyte from spreading further, we set ourselves the task of working particularly carefully. By first cutting the Armenian blackberries, cutting them up and pulling them out of the bushes, we created space to get to the knotweed. Then we dug it out along with the roots, as well as the roots of the blackberries. With this tactic we made progress bit by bit and were able to work cleanly. All the knotweed material was transported away in closed bags.

The Tuma "Tschelle" was the least affected by neophytes, only a small patch with about 10-20 small sumac trees could be seen in a bushy section. Part of the group took care of this collection by digging up the sumac trees with their roots.

The Val Paghera retention basin is a large area that was built as a protective measure following a mudslide in 2013. It was extensively planted with native plants, but various types of invasive neophytes also found their way onto the site and spread: for example, narrow-leaved ragwort ( Senecio inaequidens ), butterfly bush, American goldenrod and annual fleabane. The limited time meant that we had to hurry to clear the area indicated by the forester of the above-mentioned neophytes in two days.

We had lovely weather all week and were able to do some worthwhile work outside in the sun and fresh air on the beautiful Tumas. That motivated us to do well.