Responsibilities and Interests:

I am responsible for implementing and management of the Pennsylvania Noxious Weed Control Program including weed management and control relative to invasive and noxious weeds of the commonwealth. Responsibilities included surveying for new and existing weed pests, directing eradication programs, and overseeing control and management program for some exotic species already known to occur in Pennsylvania.

• Giant Hogweed Eradication Program: As the interim Giant Hogweed Program Coordinator, I provide technical expertise and collect data and manage data for the Federal Noxious Weed Giant Hogweed Eradication Program in Pennsylvania and surrounding states.
• Pennsylvania Invasive Species Council: As the interim coordinator for the Pennsylvania Invasive Species Council, I am Chair of the Terrestrial Work Group and provide staffing and administrative support to the Governor’s Council which is tasked with developing a comprehensive state invasive species management plan.
• Pilot Kudzu Eradication Program: Our newest noxious weed eradiation program involves surveying, controlling and conducting herbicide research trials on selected Kudzu populations in Pennsylvania.

Education:

• M. S. Agronomy (Weed Science). Penn State University, University Park, PA. August 2002.
• B. S. Large Animal Science. Del Val College of Science and Agriculture. Doylestown, PA. May 1991.
  Certified Crop Advisor — Pennsylvania (current)

Professional Background:

• Agronomist. Orange County, NY, Sussex County, NJ, Delaware Water Gap, PA / NJ. Responsible for agronomic recommendations, seed and chemical sales and delivery of these products and Scouted @3,000 acres biweekly for New Jersey IPM/EQIP clients. Crop Production Services. Goshen, NY. May 2003 — September 2004
• Invasive Plant Assessment and Inventory Technician. Biological Science Technician (Plants). National Park Service. Temporary Appointment. Responsible for the assessment and inventory of the sites invasive vegetation. Surveyed 800 acre site for the presence of 120 non native exotic plant species. Roosevelt -Vanderbilt National Historic Sites. Hyde Park, NY. May 2002 — September 2002
• Crop and Farm Management Advisor. Independent Consultant. Consulted and assisted supervisor on the day to day planting and harvesting of crops, pesticide and fertility management and application of crop inputs. Managed product inventory, ordering and application for 600 acres processing sweet corn, 200 acres field corn, 300 acres small grains, 600 acres forage crops and 400 acres christmas trees. Wending Creek Farms. Coudersport, PA. May 1999 — December 2001
• Crop Advisor. Independently scouted and managed 5,000 to 9,000 crop production acres in five PA counties. Provided biweekly field-specific scouting and recommendations in all areas of crop selection, crop planting, weed management, field mapping, fertility, pesticide selection and timing. Developed CropMD reports on pre-plant and post harvest inputs. West Branch Crop Management Association. Jersey Shore, PA. May 1993 — December 1997
• Farm Manager. Family angus/simmental cow and feeder calf operation (60 head). Two hundred purebred/ mixed breed sheep and 5 acre stocked fee fishing farm from 1969-1992. Meadow Lake Farm, Wellsboro, PA. May 1993 — June 2001

Selected Publications:

1. Bravo, M.A. 2007. Goatsrue Weed Alert for Mckean And Potter Counties. PA Dept. of Agric. Harrisburg.
2. Bravo, M.A. 2006. Terrestrial Component of the Pennsylvania Invasive Species Management Plan. Editor, PA Dept. of Agric. Harrisburg.
3. Bravo, M.A. 2006. Mile A Minute Weed Alert For Cameron And Potter Counties. PA Dept. of Agric. Harrisburg.
4. Bravo, M.A. 2007. Controlling 40 year old kudzu vines in Pennsylvania. Proc. NEWSS 61:3.
5. Bravo, M.A. 2007. Giant hogweed eradication in Pennsylvania and surrounding states. Proc NEWSS:61:4.
6. Bravo, M.A. and J.C. Fuller. 2006. Giant hogweed eradication in Pennsylvania and surrounding states. Proc. NEWSS:25.
7. Bravo, M. A. and D. J. Hayes. 2003. Exotic species in Roosevelt-Vanderbilt historic sites. Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic Sites, Hyde Park, NY. Proc. NEWSS 56: 61.
8. Bravo, M. A. 2003. Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica Thunb.) fact sheet. Weeds Gone Wild. http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien.
9. Bravo, M. A. 2002. Invasive plant assessment and inventory reports. Bard Rock. Vanderbilt Mansion, Bellefield Estate, Franklin D. Roosevelt Estate, Eleanor Roosevelt Estate. Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic Sites. Hyde Park, NY.
10. Bravo, M. A. 2002. A survey of triazine resistant common lambsquarters on PA farms. Master of Science Thesis in Agronomy. Penn State University, Dept. of Crop and Soil Sciences, University Park, PA. 133 pp.
11. Bravo, M. A. and W. S. Curran. 2002. Directory for invasive weeds of the northeast. http://weeds.cas.psu.edu/invasive plants.html.
12. Bravo, M. A. and W. S. Curran. 1999. The control of common lambsquarters in corn with four soil-applied herbicides. Proc. NEWSS 53:27.
13. Bravo, M. A. and W. S. Curran. 2001. A survey of triazine resistant common lambsquarters on Pennsylvania farms. Proc. NEWSS 55:18.

Penn State | College of Agricultural Sciences | Department of Crop and Soil Sciences
Copyright Information | Site Administrator | Privacy & Legal Statements

© Copyright 1995–2009, The Pennsylvania State University.