Miscanthus sinensis threatens restoration efforts of the Southern Appalachian flora
Armin will talk to us about how how the invasive grass Miscanthus sinensis spreads with prescribed fire to protect past successes in woodland fire management. Here is a quote from the NC Invasive Plant Council: “Chinese silvergrass was introduced as an ornamental grass and escaped cultivation. It now has invaded habitats all over the United States and in western North Carolina. Besides being an aggressive competitor with native species, it is also a problem because it poses a fire risk. ” It is a Rank 1 listed invasive plant species in North Carolina.
Armin Weise lives in Asheville, NC, where he first moved to earn a bachelor’s degree from Warren Wilson College. Following his undergraduate studies, Armin worked extensively in the Southern Appalachian Mountains, implementing forest management, consulting forest landowners, and advocating for the reintroduction of fire to natural communities. This hands-on experience deepened his passion for studying local flora and fungal diversity, with a special interest in grassy woodlands, savannas, and wetlands.
His subsequent masters research at Clemson University focused on longleaf pine restoration in South Carolina’s Sandhills Wiregrass Gap to enhance understanding of how silviculture and harvesting methods support the reestablishment of critical understory herbaceous vegetation. Currently, Armin is working as a Ph.D. student with Dr. Donald Hagan at Clemson University, where he studies oak-pine woodland restoration in the Southern Appalachians. His research focuses on 24 years of prescribed fire effects, examining compositional and structural changes, treatment impacts across ecological zones, herbaceous layer restoration success, the role of ericoid mycorrhizal shrubs in mesophication, and woodland resilience to Hurricane Helene’s wind-induced disturbance. This work builds on the long-running Green River Fire and Fire Surrogate Study. He is also investigating how the invasive grass Miscanthus sinensis spreads with prescribed fire to protect past successes in woodland fire management.