Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health

10 Ways to Observe NISAW - National Invasive Species Awareness Week

noreply@blogger.com (Karan Rawlins) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:44:00 +0000

Ten Ways to Observe National Invasive Species Awareness Week

Do some research
Join in an eradication effort
Become a citizen scientist
Visit a garden, park or nature center
Read a book
Donate
Start a garden
Legislate
Take the invasive species challenge
Spread awareness

Grassroots Session at NISAW: Webcast

noreply@blogger.com (Karan Rawlins) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:27:00 +0000

The 2nd Grassroots Invasive Species Forum and Webcast will be held on March 1, 2012 during National Invasive Species Awareness Week (NISAW) in Washington, DC.

Ban on Import or Transport of Four Giant Snakes that Threaten the Everglades

noreply@blogger.com (Karan Rawlins) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 02:14:00 +0000

"The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has finalized a rule that would ban the importation and interstate transportation of four nonnative constrictor snakes that threaten the Everglades and other sensitive ecosystems across the United States, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced today."
Read the Press release from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Burmese python
image by Bob DeGross, National Park Service, Bugwood.org

New Years Resolutions: Simple Measures to Stop Invasive Species

noreply@blogger.com (Karan Rawlins) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

A great idea in the Maui News today suggest ways we can each make a difference in the fight against invasive species each month. The article focuses on what to can be done on Maui but the suggestions can easily be adapted for any part of the United States.

January-check your backyard and remove any invasives
February-National Invasive Species Awareness Week: learn about the invasives in your area
March-buy local: using locally grown products including firewood reduces the chance of moving pests to a new area
April-clean your gear: hunting, fishing, hiking, biking, four wheeling, boating, diving
May-volunteer: contact local parks, Master Gardeners or Department of Natural Resources
June-survey your trees for invasive pest damage
July-travel smart: check twice and have proper inspections for produce and wood
August-take a hike but survey along the way for invasive plants and report them
September-be neighborly: a neighborhood group working towards controlling invasives will be much more effective than one person alone
October-go native in your yard: plant some of the many beautiful native species
November-eat an invasive: feral hogs, lionfish, Asian carp are just a few of the many edible invasive species
December-use an invasive tree as a Christmas tree or as a yule-tide log in your fireplace

To read the original article by Lissa Strohecker in the Maui News.

More People Power with AmeriCorp Teams

noreply@blogger.com (Karan Rawlins) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 14:57:00 +0000

AmeriCorp's National Civilian Conservation Corps (NCCC) team of a dozen young people volunteered at Shaw Nature Reserve from mid-November to mid-December. This is the fourth year the 2,400-acre Nature Reserve has had an AmeriCorps team volunteer.
Read the article in emissourian.com about the work accomplished by the AmeriCorps team as they whacked bush honeysuckle and invasive privet shrubs at Shaw Nature Reserve.

Felt Soled Boot Restrictions in the United States

noreply@blogger.com (Karan Rawlins) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 13:37:00 +0000

As of January 1st, 2012 Alaska, Maryland, Rhode Island and Vermont will have statewide restrictions on the use of felt soled boots and waders. These felt soled boots are popular with fishermen because they help to prevent slipping on the bottom of slippery freshwater streams and rivers. Banning the felt soled boots can help prevent the spread of the invasive diatom, Didymosphenia geminata or didymo commonly found in streams and rivers across North America. See the links below to learn more.

Information on Didymosphenia geminata
Status of Felt Restrictions in the United States
Clean Angling Coalition - Protect our waters from Invaders

National Invasive Species Awareness Week

noreply@blogger.com (Karan Rawlins) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 15:40:00 +0000

33,000 Giant African Land Snails Captured In Miami

noreply@blogger.com (Karan Rawlins) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 13:38:00 +0000

If you have any doubts about how big the invasive species problem is read the article in the Huff Post, 33,000 Giant African Land Snails Captured In Miami . The 33,000 snails were caught in just four months thanks to citizens reporting any sightings of the giant snail. USDA and Florida Department of Agriculture have created a public awareness campaign to spread the word about the voracious and health threatening snail.

Flooding Worsened by Invasive Weeds

noreply@blogger.com (Karan Rawlins) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 13:35:00 +0000

From a press release in Weed Science Society of America: Flooding Along Our Nation's Rivers Worsened by Invasive Weeds. "This year flooding has ravaged thousands of homes and businesses in communities across the U.S. And scientists say the prevalence of invasive weeds is one of the factors that may be contributing to the damage."
Timothy Prather, University of Idaho said, "Reclaiming riparian areas and restoring native species can be vital to flood control, water quality and even wildlife habitat. It is important that we focus on early identification of invasive weeds, understand their growth patterns and how they spread, and establish an effective management plan before it’s too late."
Read the article for the explanation of how the presence of invasive plants can increase the damage caused by flooding.

Coordination at an International Level to Reduce the Spread of Invasives

noreply@blogger.com (Karan Rawlins) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 19:43:00 +0000

Reuben P. Keller and Charles Perrings, authors of a recent article in BioOne suggest that coordination and cooperation at an international level is necessary to reduce the spread of invasive species. They recommend that these efforts should be modeled on the already existing international agreements which help to reduce the spread of diseases around the world. Keller and Perrings foresee that it will take several years to reach a working solution and suggest intermediate steps to slow the spread of invasive species until an agreement can be reached in the international community. One of these suggestions is the widespread adoption of existing risk assessments and importation standards already in use in many areas. Read the article: International Policy Options for Reducing the Environmental Impacts of Invasive Species. BioScience Dec 2011, Vol. 61, No. 12: 994-1004.

Illegal Animals Turned in Under Amnesty Program in Hawaii

noreply@blogger.com (Karan Rawlins) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 21:56:00 +0000

The State of Hawaii's Amnesty Program allows illegal animals to be turned in with no questions asked, immunity from prosecution and no fines. Animals turned in under amnesty will not be euthanized. These animals are not native to Hawaii and would pose a serious risk to native fauna if they were released or escaped into the wild. The HDOA Office, Honolulu Zoo, Panaewa Zoo in Hilo or any Humane Society will take in illegal animals. Anyone finding or with information on illegal animals should call the PEST HOTLINE at 643-PEST (7378). Read the News release from Hawaii Department of Agriculture.

Python molurus ssp. bivittatus
photo by Skip Snow, National Park Service, Bugwood.org

National Forest System Invasive Species Management Policy

noreply@blogger.com (Karan Rawlins) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 14:32:00 +0000

National Forest System Invasive Species Management Policy: "The Forest Service has finalized the development of an internal directive to Forest Service Manual (FSM) 2900 for invasive species management. This final invasive species management directive will provide foundational comprehensive guidance for the management of invasive species on aquatic and terrestrial areas of the National Forest System (NFS). This directive articulates broad objectives, policies, responsibilities, and
definitions for Forest Service employees and partners to more effectively communicate NFS invasive species management requirements at the local, regional, and national levels."
The objectives and goals begin on page 2, with policy and principles beginning on page 3. They are set forth in a clear and easily understood manner. It is stated that many invasive species management activities are already being carried out and indeed have been for some time. The purpose of this policy is to bring those efforts together for a more coordinated management plan.

The Unneccessary Extinction of the Redbay Tree

noreply@blogger.com (Karan Rawlins) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:18:00 +0000

'An Undefended Buffet: The Unnecessary Extinction of the Redbay, a Defining Southern Tree' is an excellent article written for The Nature Conservancy by writer and naturalist Susan Cerulean. Ms. Cerulean lives in Tallahassee, Florida, where she keeps watch over the still-healthy redbays along the Wakulla and St. Marks Rivers. Through interviews with Chip Bates, Georgia Forestry Commission, and other experts she tells of the threat to redbay trees across the its range in the Southeastern United States.

Sign of a redbay tree infected with the redbay ambrosia beetle
photo by James Johnson, Georgia Forestry Commission, Bugwood.org

Bugwood Images now has 150,000 images available!

noreply@blogger.com (Joseph LaForest) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 22:02:00 +0000

The Bugwood Image Database has officially crossed the 150,000 image mark! Since coming online in 2001, we've had steady growth thanks to the efforts of the 1,800 photographers that have posted images in the system. We have also been very fortunate to have great users that let us know what they would like to see in the future and how the system can be improved. All of us at the Center wish to thank you for your help in building a useful and dynamic resource!

Teaching Kids About Invasive Plants

noreply@blogger.com (Karan Rawlins) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:37:00 +0000

Some great resources have been created to help teach children about the problems caused by invasive species. Listed here are a few sources. If you know about other resources please send us the information so we can share it with everyone.

Invasive Plant Council of British Columbia: Kid's Corner
Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council: Alien Invaders!
Florida Invasive Plant Education Initiative and Curriculum: Teacher Resource Notebook
Commander Ben in Texas: Teaching Kids About Invasives

Pest Tracker image recruitment

noreply@blogger.com (Joseph LaForest) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:28:00 +0000

Pest Tracker publishes survey maps for pests of agricultural and forest commodities and provides links to pest news and information. They also use images from the Bugwood Image Database to illustrate different organisms. There are currently 120 species that have no images available! There are many more that need more images to better illustrate thier life cycles and management. The list for the recruitment project can be found on the Bugwood Image Recruitment page for Pest Tracker. Here are a few of the species that we need images to illustrate and are pretty common:

sour skin of onion (Burkholderia cepacia)
dogwood anthracnose (Discula destructiva)
brown spot of corn (Physoderma maydis)
glassy-winged sharpshooter (Homalodisca vitripennis)
soybean stem borer (Dectes texanus)
tufted apple bud moth (Platynota idaeusalis)
squash vine borer (Melittia cucurbitae)
black cutworm (Agrotis ipsilon)

IveGot1 - Identify and Report Invasives

noreply@blogger.com (Karan Rawlins) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 19:21:00 +0000

IveGot1 - Identify and Report Invasive

Animals and Plants in Florida

Everglades National Park announces the release of a much expanded mobile app for tracking invasive exotics in Florida. The Park partnered with University of Georgia in the development of the "IveGot1" app for the popular iPhone to identify and report invasive plants and animals spotted in Florida.
Download this free app.

Watch the Interview on the New iPhone App

noreply@blogger.com (Karan Rawlins) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:43:00 +0000

Commander Ben interviews Chuck Bargeron about EDDMapS and

the New iPhone App teamimg up to battle invasive species!

Way to go Commander Ben,

you are setting a great example for all of us.

Invasive Species are a Worldwide Problem

noreply@blogger.com (Karan Rawlins) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:01:00 +0000

Invasive bugs are being imported into Guam on Christmas trees. The author comments that he isn't an expert on invasive species. But all it really takes is to take the time to look around and see the changes happening around us. Kudzu in the south is an example. Although we now have a generation who has grown up seeing Kudzu covering the landscape, there are people who still remember what it was like before. Read the article, 'Invasive insects are a real threat' from Guampdn.com by Frank Ishizaki.

Check us out on Facebook

noreply@blogger.com (Karan Rawlins) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 12:45:00 +0000

Be sure to visit Bugwood on Facebook too.

The Hidden Cost of Trade: Invasive Species

noreply@blogger.com (Karan Rawlins) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 15:22:00 +0000

A very interesting article, by Faith Campbell in ICTSD (International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development, on invasive species, how they move around the world and just what a new invasion can cost. Click to read the article, The hidden cost of trade: Invasive species as a trade “externality”.

2012 Invasive Plant Short Course

noreply@blogger.com (Karan Rawlins) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 14:16:00 +0000

2012 NORTH AMERICAN INVASIVE PLANT ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT SHORT COURSE

A new course on invasive plants has been developed for researchers, land managers, graduate students, and policy makers. The North American Invasive Plant Ecology and Management Short Course (NAIPSC) is three days of intense instruction and learning for those interested in the basics of invasive plant ecology and management. The second annual course will be held June 26-28 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln West Central Research & Extension Center in North Platte, NE. The 2012 NAIPSC will include presentations, hands-on workshops, site visits and instructor-led discussion sessions on the latest in invasive plant ecology and management. CEU and graduate student credit will be available. Click here for more information.

Pesticide Information from the EPA

noreply@blogger.com (Karan Rawlins) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 19:06:00 +0000

Get the most up-to-date information available from the EPA on the pesticides you use.

New - Plant Management in Florida Waters Website

noreply@blogger.com (Karan Rawlins) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:08:00 +0000

Aquatic plants play an integral role in Florida’s aquatic ecosystems, but occasionally some of the vegetation, especially non-native invasive plants, interferes with the use and function of these natural resources. Plant Management in Florida Waters – An Integrated Approach is a newly revised website produced by the UF-IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants in conjunction with the state’s lead agency for aquatic plant management, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Climate change, beetle may doom rugged pine | Seattle Times Newspaper

noreply@blogger.com (New Invaders Watch Program) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 13:32:00 +0000

Local News | Climate change, beetle may doom rugged pine | Seattle Times Newspaper