Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Week of July 27, 2009

Two New York communities take very different approaches to tackling invasive milfoil

By John Stith / The Post Standard

diversCazenovia and Skaneateles face the same problem -- an infestation of Eurasian milfoil, an invasive species that roots in shallow water and causes problems for boaters and swimmers.

Like many communities across the state, Cazenovia and Skaneateles had to decide how to get rid of the weedy plant. They could pull it out by hand, zap it with chemicals, bring in bugs or fish that eat it or put down mats that keep it from growing.

Cazenovia hit it with a herbicide. Skaneateles is pulling it out, one plant at a time.

Why the different approaches?

Cazenovia Lake is one-eighth the size of Skaneateles Lake, but the extent of its milfoil infestation is eight times larger. Hand-pulling would have cost an estimated $17 million. The herbicide treatment started this summer will cost about $450,000.

Skaneateles' effort to yank the weeds by hand is labor-intensive -- six boats and 30 divers are involved in the effort -- and expensive, costing about $1.2 million. But weeding by hand ensures that the plants are removed completely.

Both communities decided against mechanical harvesting, which uses blades to cut the milfoil off 4 to 5 feet below the surface. The process chops the weed into small pieces, which can drift off, root in the lake bottom and grow anew. Cazenovia in the past depended on mechanical harvesting.

The two communities are not alone in battling milfoil, according to state environmental officials.

In New York, milfoil has been found in the Hudson River, Lake Champlain and lakes in the Adirondacks and the Finger Lakes region. It's found in 17 states, largely along the Great Lakes and the West Coast, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

"It's big, and it's widespread," said Leslie Surprenant, invasive species management coordinator for the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

The weed, which forms dense mats on the water surface, makes swimming and boating difficult or impossible and upsets the lake ecology, interfering with natural siltation and raising the nutrient level of the water, which encourages the growth of algae.

In 2006 and 2007, the state awarded $2.4 million in grants to municipalities and not-for-profit organizations for aquatic eradication projects, with about half of that money going to milfoil projects. The grant program has been suspended this year while the state grapples with its fiscal crisis.

Cazenovia Lake


The milfoil infestation in Cazenovia Lake was far worse than in Skaneateles Lake. The relatively shallow waters of Cazenovia Lake proved ideal for milfoil, and decades of mechanical harvesting had done little to control the weed.

"There were a number of us who believe the harvesting program was doing more harm than good," said Preston Gilbert, president of the Cazenovia Lake Association. The association is made up of residents from across the community, he said, and is not just a lake property owners group.

Last fall, a summit of sorts brought town and village officials, residents and experts together to look at alternatives. They chose to go with a herbicide, which would eliminate the milfoil without harming native plants and fish and other water animals, Gilbert said.

He said the town took on the task of getting approval from the state. The village committed to a monitoring program to inspect every boat entering the lake. Residents of the communities responded with donations to cover the cost.

"Everybody just committed to doing something," he said.

Within seven months, the town received state permission to use the herbicide, and the week of June 8 the lake was treated with Triclopyr.

"It's gone exceptionally well," Gilbert said.

Swimming was prohibited immediately after the application but has since been allowed, and a ban on drinking lake water ended earlier this month.

About half of the 234 acres infestation were treated. The remainder will be done next year, with spot treatments in 2011.

Skaneateles Lake

Skaneateles is in the third year of what will probably be a four-year effort to rid about 30 acres of milfoil. So far, about 20 acres have been weeded by hand.

"It's the only way to ensure that you permanently get something out," said John Menapace, project manager for the milfoil eradication project, which is doing the actual weeding for the Tri-County Skaneateles Lake Pure Water Association.

"You can visually see what's going on," he said. "You can grab the plant. You know you've taken it away."

The project started in 2006 with a small test patch, Menapace said, and the technique showed promise. Herbicides were not the answer for Skaneateles, since the lake is a public water supply for several communities, including Syracuse.

"We looked at all the different methods before we started this project and decided this would be the best for Skaneateles Lake," he said.

The full-fledged effort started in 2007 and continued in 2008 and again this year.

"There isn't any regrowth on anything that we've done," Menapace said. "There are some odds and ends that we missed that we will go back over."

Some areas of the lake bottom were too rocky to be weeded. Instead, divers laid down a mat, similar to landscaping fabric, to stifle growth.

The project needs about $200,000 to $300,000 to complete the job, and the Tri-County Association is in the midst of a fund-raising drive.

Long-term solution

Once the milfoil is brought under control, both lakes will need annual maintenance to keep the weed in check.

"We feel for a long-term project like that it should be institutionalized," said Bob Werner of Skaneateles, a retired professor from the State University of Environmental Science and Forestry and treasurer of the Tri-County Association. "That is to say there would be a commitment from the county, the city of Syracuse -- because it's their water supply -- the towns that surround the lake. Whatever entities are appropriate."

Gilbert said the recently formed Cazenovia Lake Watershed Council will take a lead role in safeguarding the lake in the future through monitoring, introducing biological controls like moths and weevils, and, in some case, hand-pulling.

"We're not done just because we've got milfoil out of the lake," Gilbert said.

The village will continue its boat inspection program, Gilbert said, at a cost of about $30,000 a year. The Lake Association was spending about $50,000 annually on mechanical harvesting, he said, and some of money would be available to pay for monitoring.

The town spent $40,000 this year on the herbicide treatment and plans to spend another $40,000 next year. Gilbert said he expects the town to budget money each year for monitoring.

He said any long-term monitoring will keep watch for other invasive species to check them before they become established in the lake.

"One of the things that's a major concern to Cazenovia Lake and all the other lakes in Upstate New York is there are some 130 invasive plants out there," he said.

Photo by . Liam Wilson, of Skaneateles, dives into Skaneateles Lake while diver Carrie Harkins of Baldwinsville monitors the equipment. Divers are digging up milfoil by hand. The divers rotate in one and a half hour intervals. The crews on each of the three boats cover about 1,000 square feet a day. The removal program is expected to take four years.

---------------------------------------------------------

New York implements quarantine to prevent spread of emerald ash borer

NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets

New York State is implementing a quarantine to prevent the spread of the invasive Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), a tree-killing beetle. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Department of Agriculture and Markets (DAM) are establishing a quarantine encompassing Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties that will restrict the movement of ash trees, ash products, and firewood from all wood species in order to limit the potential introduction of EAB to other areas of the state.

The state’s quarantine order will require restrictions on the intrastate movement of certain “regulated articles” – for instance, ash trees, certain wood products, and the Emerald Ash Borer. The order specifically defines regulated articles as:

· Entire ash trees of any size, inclusive of nursery stock.

· Any part of ash trees, including leaves, bark, stumps, limbs, branches, and roots.

· Ash lumber or ash logs of any length.

· Any item made from or containing ash wood.

· Any article, product or means of conveyance determined by APHIS, NYSDAM or the Department to present a risk of spreading the EAB infestation.

· Firewood from any tree species.

· Wood chips and bark mulch from any tree species, larger than 1 inch in two dimensions, whether composted or uncomposted.

New York’s order prohibits the movement of regulated articles within and beyond Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties without certification or compliance agreements issued by DAM. The state order also restricts the movement of the regulated wood products into or through the quarantine district by requiring several provisions including, but not limited to documentation listing the origin and destination of shipments, and prohibiting transporters from unnecessarily stopping while traveling through the quarantine district. The full order will be posted at http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/47761.html on the DEC website.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will issue a parallel quarantine. Currently, federal EAB quarantine areas restricting the interstate movement of regulated articles are in 12 states: Illinois; Indiana; Kentucky; Maryland; Michigan; Minnesota; Missouri; Ohio; Pennsylvania; Virginia; West Virginia; and Wisconsin. Federally regulated articles (which differ slightly from New York’s list above) include ash nursery stock and green lumber, any other ash material including logs, stumps, roots, branches, as well as composted and uncomposted wood chips. Due to the difficulty in distinguishing between species of hardwood firewood, all hardwood firewood, including ash, oak, maple and hickory are federally regulated articles. [...]

DEC is continuing to enforce regulations that govern the movement of firewood. There is a state ban on untreated firewood entering New York and a restriction covering intrastate movement of untreated firewood to no more than a 50-mile radius from its source. This was enacted in 2008 as a precaution against the introduction and spread of EAB and other invasive species because of the documented risk of transmission by moving firewood. More information can be found at http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/28722.html on the DEC website. [...]

For more information, visit the following web pages: www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/emerald_ash_b/index.shtml http://www.agmkt.state.ny.us/CAPS/pdf/Emerald%20Ash%20Borer%20Poster.pdf

http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7253.html

---------------------------------------------------------

NJ strike team declares war on invasive plants

By Veronica Slaght/For The Star-Ledger

The strike team's mission: search and destroy.

The target: invasive plants.

New Jersey is under attack. Flowers, shrubs and weeds brought here from foreign shores are pushing out native plants and damaging delicate ecosystems.

Invasive species are the number two threat to biodiversity worldwide, second only to outright habitat destruction, according to Melissa Almendinger, invasive species coordinator at the Upper Raritan Watershed Association.

"There are some native plants that are just lost," Almendinger said. "On a global level, we're creating a monoculture."

However, not all exotic plants are invasive, Almendinger said, only those that grow densely and exclude other species over large areas. But, she added, all non-native plants have that potential.

Of the 1,000 foreign plants that have been introduced to the state, 30 are classified as "widespread" invasives, including the familiar shrubs multiflora rose and Japanese barberry.
Another 71 have been identified as "emerging" invasives. And, the rate of new plant introductions continues to rise, Almendinger said.

The recently formed Central Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team is searching for and identifying these new invasives in Hunterdon, Morris, Mercer and Somerset counties. Their job is to eliminate them before they spread out of control, Almendinger said.

She is leading the effort, with URWA staff and volunteers from the Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space in Mercer County. The team has 37 other partners that include their land in the project and contribute labor.

The strike team's method is called early detection and rapid response.

First, volunteers head into a field armed with GPS units, plant identification books and cameras. They collect data and enter it onto a map. Then, Almendinger or volunteers return and cut down the plant. She said she sometimes places herbicide directly onto the stump to ensure its destruction.

The strike team faces an especially big job this fall right in its own backyard. Members plan to eradicate 2,000 linden viburnum -- a landscaping plant with white flowers and red berries -- that have overtaken its Bedminster heaadquarters' driveway.

The team's mission has been lauded by Kathleen Salisbury, president of the Native Plant Society of New Jersey.

"I think the work they're doing is especially significant because they're trying to identify the up-and-coming invasive plants," Salisbury said. Instead of hacking away at things that are already out of control, "they're trying to nip it in the bud," she said. "There's nobody else in the state that I know of that's doing anything like that." [...]

Some people are surprised that an organization committed to environmental conservation supports deer hunting, Almendinger said. She said she responds by saying that supporting deer hunting is actually saving the lives of other animals.

After the state's deer herd is cut back, "the hope is that eventually native plants will be able to fight back on their own," she added.

Anyone interested in volunteering with the strike team or learning more about invasive plants
can contact Almendinger at (908) 234-1852 or visit www.cjisst.org.

Read the full story at link

--------------------------------------------------------

Oxford University Press releases new books on invasive species


The new books are Bioeconomics of Invasive Species edited by Reuben P. Keller, David M. Lodge, Mark A. Lewis and Jason F. Shogren and Invasion Biology by Mark Davis.

“Bioeconomics… promises great benefits for policy and management because, currently, bioeconomic methods are not well developed. This book also reviews available methods, and includes many of the advances made by the group of authors.”

“Invasion Biology was written fifty years after the publication of Elton's pioneering monograph on the subject and provides a comprehensive and up-to-date review of the science of biological invasions while also offering new insights and perspectives relating to the processes of introduction, establishment, and spread.”

---------------------------------------------------

Friday, July 24, 2009

Week of July 20, 2009

New York Implements Quarantine to Prevent Spread of Emerald Ash Borer

ALBANY, NY (07/24/2009)(readMedia)-- New York State is implementing a quarantine to prevent the spread of the invasive Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), a tree-killing beetle. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Department of Agriculture and Markets (DAM) are establishing a quarantine encompassing Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties that will restrict the movement of ash trees, ash products, and firewood from all wood species in order to limit the potential introduction of EAB to other areas of the state.

The state's quarantine order will require restrictions on the intrastate movement of certain "regulated articles" - for instance, ash trees, certain wood products, and the Emerald Ash Borer. The order specifically defines regulated articles as:

  • Entire ash trees of any size, inclusive of nursery stock.
  • Any part of ash trees, including leaves, bark, stumps, limbs, branches, and roots.
  • Ash lumber or ash logs of any length.
  • Any item made from or containing ash wood.
  • Any article, product or means of conveyance determined by APHIS, NYSDAM or the Department to present a risk of spreading the EAB infestation.
  • Firewood from any tree species.
  • Wood chips and bark mulch from any tree species, larger than 1 inch in two dimensions, whether composted or uncomposted.

New York's order prohibits the movement of regulated articles within and beyond Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties without certification or compliance agreements issued by DAM. The state order also restricts the movement of the regulated wood products into or through the quarantine district by requiring several provisions including, but not limited to documentation listing the origin and destination of shipments, and prohibiting transporters from unnecessarily stopping while traveling through the quarantine district. The full order will be posted at http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/47761.html on the DEC website.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will issue a parallel quarantine. Currently, federal EAB quarantine areas restricting the interstate movement of regulated articles are in 12 states: Illinois; Indiana; Kentucky; Maryland; Michigan; Minnesota; Missouri; Ohio; Pennsylvania; Virginia; West Virginia; and Wisconsin. Federally regulated articles (which differ slightly from New York's list above) include ash nursery stock and green lumber, any other ash material including logs, stumps, roots, branches, as well as composted and uncomposted wood chips. Due to the difficulty in distinguishing between species of hardwood firewood, all hardwood firewood, including ash, oak, maple and hickory are federally regulated articles.

The state's quarantine order and emergency regulations were developed after extensive outreach and consultation with groups representing forest product manufacturers and harvesters, nurseries/landscapers, arborists, forest land owners and others potentially impacted by the decision, as well as officials from other states where quarantines have been enacted to halt the EAB's spread. A public meeting was held in Randolph on July 14 to provide information and receive feedback from the community.

"After assessing the current infestation and consulting with national experts, businesses, and other stakeholders, the state determined that establishing a quarantine area was the best way to protect the more than 900 million ash trees here in New York," DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis said. "We must take aggressive steps -- already EAB has infested and/or killed millions of ash trees across 13 states, as well as in southern Canada. We will continue to work closely with our partners in these efforts and to develop any further appropriate responses that could be needed as we learn more about the EAB's presence in New York."

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker said, "We will be working closely with both our federal and state cooperators in the implementation and oversight of the regulations and order regarding this pest, however, our success in slowing the spread of this destructive pest will be dependent upon the cooperation and assistance of the regulated industries and the general public. The cooperation we have received thus far from stakeholders in the area has been extremely encouraging and appreciated."

Yvonne DeMarino, APHIS's State Plant Health Director in New York, said, "Cooperation and collaboration is the cornerstone of the EAB Program. We all need to work together to support detection and control, and prevent the human-assisted spread of EAB."

Mike Bohne, Forest Health Group Leader for the U.S. Forest Service, said, "The Emerald Ash Borer is one of the most devastating pests that are moved by firewood. The quarantine is a very important step in protecting the ash resource in New York and New England."

Kevin S. King, President and CEO of the Empire State Forest Products Association, said, "White ash trees are an important part of our forest and source of lumber for baseball bats, furniture, flooring and implement handles. The health of our forests is of great concern to the men and women whose livelihoods depend on them. The Association and its members are impressed with the efforts taken by our State agencies in response to the Randolph outbreak. We are committed to working with the various State and Federal agencies to minimize the impact of the Emerald Ash Borer and slow its spread."

Initial EAB Detection in New York

Since the first EAB detection in Randolph on June 15, 2009, New York State and federal partners have identified a 10-acre infestation area that included 39 trees, all of which have since been cut and chipped. The exact cause of the Randolph infestation remains under investigation.

A multi-agency team has been installing more than 1,300 traps on private and public lands in a seven-mile radius around Randolph. Those traps will be checked in August to determine if the infestation has expanded beyond the initial detection site. Ongoing monitoring is also taking place throughout the state as part of the 6,000-trap deployment (http://www.dec.ny.gov/press/55178.html) scheduled prior to the Randolph detection. No other EAB infestations have been reported to date.

State Ban on Movement of Untreated Firewood

DEC is continuing to enforce regulations that govern the movement of firewood. There is a state ban on untreated firewood entering New York and a restriction covering intrastate movement of untreated firewood to no more than a 50-mile radius from its source. This was enacted in 2008 as a precaution against the introduction and spread of EAB and other invasive species because of the documented risk of transmission by moving firewood. More information can be found at http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/28722.html on the DEC website.

Read the complete news release at link.

---------------------------------------------------------

Monday, July 13, 2009

Week of July 13, 2009

Updated July 17
--------------------------------------------------------

Nassau County teams with environmentalists to thwart invasive species

By Phil Spadanuta, Long Island Press

Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi and Nassau County Legis. Dave Denenberg (D-Merrick) worked with volunteers from the Nature Conservancy to remove the invasive plant species, the water chestnut, from Mill Pond Park in Wantagh on Tuesday. [...]

water_chestnut “The best time of the year to remove this harmful plant is in late spring or early summer before it sets seed,” said Kathy Schwager, Invasive Species Ecologist for The Nature Conservancy. “The seeds are viable for up to 10 years so control efforts must be conducted for many years, but luckily this plant has only been found in two locations on Long Island.” The water chestnut is invading Oyster Bay too. But through early detection and rapid response, the water chestnut plants invasion can be curtailed before more damage to the environment occurs. [...]

As Suozzi waded into the pond to remove water chestnut plants by hand, Denenberg followed closely behind him while holding a trash bag for Suozzi to put the plants in. The effort to remove plants by hand complements $20 million worth of pond improvement projects that the county has implemented at south shore ponds over the last few years.

“They not only damage the lands and waters that native plants and animals need to survive, they hurt economies and threaten human well-being,” Suozzi said.

In addition to removing the plants, Schwager hopes to get plants that are considered invasive species banned worldwide by the Horticultural Industry so they cannot be sold anymore or spread to other areas.

Special areas of land that are protected from invasive species completely, called invasive species prevention zones, have also been created by members of The Nature Conservancy to help combat the problem. According to Schwager, about 12 zones exist right now covering around 33,000 acres of land.

In addition to ridding Mill Pond Park of water chestnuts, Nassau is involved with at least eight other projects involving the improvement of other bodies of water in the county through dredging and adding vegetation. The parks projects include work at Camman’s Pond in Merrick, Milburn Pond in Freeport, Tanglewood Park and Preserve in Lakeview, Lofts Pond and Silver Lake in Baldwin, Roosevelt Pond and Massapequa Preserve. [...]

For more information about The Nature Conservancy go to www.nature.org/longisland

Read the full story at link.

Photo above: Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi, Legis. Dave Denenberg (D-Merrick) and Kathy Schwager of The Nature Conservancy at Mill Pond in Wantagh.

---------------------------------------------------------

Vermont officials ban out-of-state firewood

By John Dillon, Vermont Public Radio

State and federal officials hope to control the spread of two forest insect pests by banning out-of-state firewood at campgrounds.

The two insects of concern are the Emerald Ash Borer and the Asian Long Horned beetle. Both are non-native species and they pose a serious threat to the hardwood trees.

Steven Sinclair is the Vermont state forester.

(Sinclair) "They bore into the tree, then it gets cut up as firewood so they can be sleeping so to speak in the tree. And then when temperatures are right in the spring, they emerge, they can live in dead wood, so they'll emerge and potentially spread to other locations. So moving firewood is a hidden danger where the general public may not even know what they're doing."

(Host) The U.S. Forest Service wants only kiln-dried, packaged firewood used in campgrounds in the Green Mountain National Forest.

Wood from local sources is still permitted. But starting July 17th, visitors could face a $5,000 fine if they're caught transporting untreated wood from out-of-state into the national forest.
Vermont is taking a less punitive approach.

Sinclair said that although only local firewood is allowed at state campgrounds, visitors can exchange their out-of-state wood for a local supply from the state park.

(Sinclair) "If a camper came to one of our state parks and was bringing with them firewood that originated from 50 miles away from the radius of the state park - and was more than what we thought they could burn in the evening - we would confiscate that wood and reimburse the camper with some free wood from the state park."

(Host) State and federal officials are concerned because the emerald ash borer has spread rapidly to 13 states and two Canadian provinces.

And the Asian Long Horned Beetle was discovered last year near Worcester, Massachusetts, just 50 miles from the Vermont border.

---------------------------------------------------------

N.H., Maine on alert for two nasty bugs

By Deborah McDermott, SeaCoastOnline.com

Forestry officials in Maine and New Hampshire are sending out an all-points bulletin to out-of-state campers and to residents who buy unfinished furniture or even some bagged mulch: beware two nasty, exotic bugs that have the potential to devastate both states' forests.

And in New Hampshire, the city of Portsmouth in particular has been identified as a potential site for infestation.

Entomologists say the Asian longhorned beetle and the emerald ash borer are now confined to other states, many on the Eastern Seaboard and as close as Worcester, Mass., where more than 22,000 trees infested with the longhorned beetle have been cut down and destroyed. [...]

New Hampshire officials are so concerned they have banned from state parks all firewood brought in by out-of-state campers this summer, and have strongly suggested private campgrounds also comply. [...]

In Maine, the most heavily forested state in the nation, with more than 17 million acres of forests, both insects have the potential of destroying many acres of woodlands and affecting its wood products, tourism and maple sugar industries, said state entomologist Colleen Teerling. [...]

Although Maine has not banned out-of-state firewood as the Granite State has, Teerling said her office is working with state and private campgrounds to spread the word. They're going to campground association shows, putting up posters, sending out fliers and the like.

Read the full story at link.

-------------------------------------------------------

New Hampshire 0fficials have banned out-of-state firewood in state and White Mountain National Forest campgrounds

By Elaine Grant, New Hampshire Public Radio

Bring firewood across state lines into state and national forest campgrounds, and you’ll get a warning or even a fine of up to two thousand dollars.

Wood brought in from out of state could be infested with the invasive Asian longhorned beetle or the emerald ash borer.

Both the state and the U.S. Forest Service are trying to avoid what could be devastating damage from the insects. [...]

Read the full story at link.

---------------------------------------------------------

ALB "Train-the-Trainer" sesions in Boston and Springfield, Mass.

NEW! Don't miss the opportunity to join upcoming ALB "Train-the-Trainer" sessions in Boston and Springfield. We will provide you with the tools and skills you need to teach others how to recognize ALB and to survey trees for ALB damage.

Boston sessions:
- July 28th, 8:30am-10:30am (http://bit.ly/albBoston1)
- August 11th, 6pm-8pm (http://bit.ly/albBoston2)

Springfield sessions:
- July 30th, 8:30am-10:30am (http://bit.ly/albSpring1)
- August 13th, 6pm-8pm (http://bit.ly/albSpring2)

Breakfast and dinner (pizza) will be provided. Sign up via links above, or email jennifer.forman-orth AT state.ma.us, or call 617-626-1735.

--------------------------------------------------------

Power plants? Invasive weeds might produce electricity

WEST BRIDPORT, VT —Electricity just might be wrung from these otherwise discarded weeds.
Elegant in theory, the experiment in its early stages is loud and ugly.

The bright-orange harvester looks out of place in Lake Champlain. Part riding mower, part paddle-wheeler and front-end loader, the graceless watercraft the length of three mid-sized sedans that tops out (in reverse) at 3 and a half mph. It’s even slower when it travels forward, cutting through underwater thickets of Eurasian watermilfoil that choke the lake’s shallows near East Bridport.

But the harvester belongs. The milfoil, an aggressive newcomer, doesn’t.
While no one believes the weed will ever be eradicated, a handful of visionaries believe in its potential to generate electricity. [...]

Read the full article, with photos and video of weed harvesting, at link.

----------------------------------------------------------

Weevils unleashed in northwest Greenwich to fight mile-a-minute vine

GreenwichTime.com

beetlesAbout 500 tiny weevils were unleashed at Audubon Greenwich's Gimbel Sanctuary on Friday morning in a bid to reverse the damage an invasive vine has inflicted on native plant species. The weevils are being used in an experiment to fight the growth of the mile-a-minute vine.

The vine is believed to have arrived in the country mixed in with a delivery of holly seeds from Japan to a now-defunct nursery outside of York, Pa., in the 1930s. It was first identified positively as being in northwest Greenwich in 2000.

The weevils, brought over from China after it was discovered they were effective against the vine in laboratory experiments, are raised at the New Jersey Department of Agriculture's Phillip Alampi Beneficial Insect Laboratory in West Trenton, N.J. They have been used since 2004 in other areas of the country, including Delaware and New Jersey.

The weevils were released first in North Haven on July 2. Thursday, they were spread at two locations in Newtown. Though destructive to the mile-a-minute vine, weevils are not harmful to other plants.

-- Frank MacEachern

--------------------------------------------------------

Mass. combats invasive zebra mussels

By Associated Press

LEE — The Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game is taking emergency action to combat the spread of invasive zebra mussels.

The department on Friday authorized local officials in Berkshire County to bar the use of boat ramps that have been on Laurel Lake within the last 30 days, unless they have been subjected to vigorous cleaning and disinfection. [...]

Read the full story at link.

---------------------------------------------------------

Bill seeks to limit unwelcome carp

By Todd Spangler • FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

U.S. Sen. Carl Levin is moving to put the invasive bighead carp species of Asian carp on a list of creatures prohibited from importation into the United States.

It may be too late, however, for some waters; the fish, which can grow as big as 110 pounds, have spread from catfish farms in Louisiana in the 1970s up the Mississippi River and are only kept out of the Great Lakes by an electric barrier in a canal.

By adding the species to prohibited wildlife under the Lacey Act, Levin and cosponsors hope to prevent any intentional introduction of the bighead carp to yet-untouched American waters.

Read the story at link.

---------------------------------------------------------

Mighty moth may become Everglades' new weed eater

BY CURTIS MORGAN, MiamiHerald.com

Compared to kudzu, the infamous vine that ate The South, Old World climbing fern may be an obscure pest plant. But they're a lot alike.

The fern just has a slightly smaller appetite. It's only eating South Florida.

It's been doing it at an alarming pace, smothering more than 130,000 acres from cypress forests to Everglades tree islands to coastal mangroves in dense cloaks of death -- despite millions spent trying to halt it with sprays, spades and machetes.

But a new weapon -- in development for a dozen years by federal researchers in Fort Lauderdale -- shows significant promise to beat back an invader so aggressive it would cover a third of the wetlands between Orlando and Naples if left unchecked.

It's a nondescript moth, a ''bio-control'' dubbed ''Neo,'' a nickname considerably catchier than Neomusotima conspurcatalis.

Discovered near Hong Kong in 1997 by Bob Pemberton, an entomologist with the U.S. Agricultural Research Service, Neo has produced millions of hungry larvae that have chewed through thick fern blankets with stunning gusto in three field tests.

''I have never, in all my career, seen a biological control that looks as promising as this one,'' said Dan Thayer, who directs invasive-plant control for the South Florida Water Management District. ''My jaw dropped,'' he said, when he saw how Neo colonies in Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Martin County stripped ferns naked.

Though they stress it's still early, Pemberton and fellow entomologist Anthony Boughton, both based at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Invasive Plant Research Laboratory in Fort Lauderdale, agree Neo is a ray of hope for what seemed an almost impossible task: stopping an exotic fern, formally known as Lygodium microphyllium, considered among the most serious threats to the Everglades. [...]

In a soon-to-be-published research paper, the scientists reported Neo numbers rocketing from 31,091 releases to 1.6 million to 8.2 million larvae at site. Neo had stripped some 3.5 acres of fern and expanded its range, moving to adjacent areas a third of a mile away.

Now, researchers are working with state and federal park and land managers to expand releases, starting in fern-choked Loxahatchee.

They don't expect Neo alone to defeat the fern. They already have other candidates in the pipeline, such as stem-boring moths.

But, if Neo keeps it up, there may well be much less need for herbicides and hand tools. Ted Center, director of the Fort Lauderdale lab, called the impact ``incredible.''

''If that becomes the way this agent works, then we have really introduced a very helpful tool in the fight,'' he said.

Read the full story at link.

----------------------------------------------------------

Cornell scientist to discuss drastic reduction of weed growth in Chautauqua Lake, NY

ObserverToday.com

LAKEWOOD - The Chautauqua Lake Association is sponsoring a symposium entitled the "Chautauqua Lake Aquatic Plant Workshop" led by aquatic scientist Robert L. Johnson, manager of Cornell University's Research Pond Facility, on July 13 at 7 p.m. at the Chautauqua Suites in Mayville. A second workshop is scheduled for July 14 at 7 p.m. at The Casino in Bemus Point. The events are free to the public.

The workshops will give the community an opportunity to see, identify and learn about the different plant and insect species residing in the lake. Topics include the dramatic reduction in weed growth in Chautauqua Lake this year and the methods Johnson and the CLA used to curb infestation. [...]

Chautauqua Lake is experiencing a drastic reduction in weed growth this year according to Johnson. Areas like Burtis Bay are virtually weed free. "The milfoil problem that reaped so much publicity is missing from the Bay this summer," Johnson said. "The CLA has been instrumental in supporting natural remedies to control weed growth like the introduction of moth larvae and monitoring of other insects that feed on and control the milfoil problem."

The CLA, an organization that maintains the health and beauty of the lake, supports a "green" approach to controlling nuisance vegetation like Eurasian milfoil.

"The CLA fought to have the Cornell studies continue," Association President Chris Yates said. "We are firm believers in keeping up with the science of the lake. We hope events like these symposiums will serve to educate the public on the overall benefits of good science."

Read the full story at link.

---------------------------------------------------------

Zebra mussels clog Berkshire lake

By Beth Daley, The Boston Globe

zebra_musselLEE, Mass. - State aquatic ecologist Tom Flannery poked his face out of Laurel Lake yesterday morning, adjusted his scuba mask, and glumly shook his head at dam owner Roger Scheurer, standing on the concrete structure above.

In between Flannery’s thumb and forefinger was a zebra mussel, an invasive freshwater species that has clogged pipes, fouled water supplies, and endangered wildlife across the Great Lakes.
“They are everywhere,’’ said Flannery, bobbing in the water. “You can’t go a . . . foot without seeing them.’’

Scheurer sagged. In the week since Massachusetts’s first zebra mussel was confirmed in this popular 175-acre Berkshire lake, it has dawned on business people, boaters, and others just what a disaster the mollusks’ spread could turn out to be. Divers found rocks with clinging mussels virtually everywhere they looked yesterday in Laurel Lake, and fears are growing that the nearby Housatonic River is also contaminated.

In an attempt to slow the mussels’ spread, local officials have shut down boat ramps in at least five popular Berkshire lakes; they hope to stop the mussels, which can invade boat machinery and attach to hulls, from being inadvertently transported from lake to lake.

Some fishermen and boaters said they are doubtful that closing ramps will stop the spread, because the animals can hitch rides to other bodies of water on geese or other wildlife. Indeed, officials rarely talk about wiping out zebra mussels once they take hold in a region. Their only hope is to slow the spread.

Instead of closing its ramps, Pittsfield is stationing volunteer boat monitors at two popular lakes to ensure that vessels that have been in infested waters in Connecticut and New York - and now Laurel Lake - are properly decontaminated.

“A lot of our boaters are transient; they go from one lake to another,’’ said Pittsfield Harbormaster Jim McGrath. [...]

The mussels are especially feared in the Berkshires because many waterways there are high in calcium and nonacidic, conditions in which the mussels thrive. If microscopic mussel larvae get into boat intake valves or even kayaks, they can hitch a ride to another lake and take hold, many officials fear. The only way to slow their spread is to get boaters and other water users to carefully wash all equipment and gear or let it dry for about a week in sunny weather, which kills the mussels. [...]

Read the full story at link.

Photo: State aquatic ecologist Tom Flannery searched Laurel Lake in Lee for zebra mussels. (Nancy Palmieri for The Boston Globe)

--------------------------------------------------------

Hunts sought to control pythons in Fla. Everglades

By MATT SEDENSKY, Associated Press

MIAMI (AP) — U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson called Tuesday for organized hunts of thousands of pythons believed to be living in the Everglades to kill the snakes and prevent potential attacks.

Nelson requested permission in a letter to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, who got a close-up look at a 15-foot python found in the swampland during a May visit hosted by the senator. The request also comes weeks after a 2-year-old central Florida girl was strangled by an unlicensed pet python that escaped from a terrarium in her home, drawing further scrutiny to the issue.

"They are threatening endangered wildlife there," the Democratic lawmaker wrote to his former Senate colleague, "and, Lord forbid, a visitor in the Everglades ever encounters one."

Also Tuesday, another lawmaker, U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Fla., introduced legislation to allow python hunts in the Everglades.

Nelson has estimated 100,000 pythons are living in the Everglades, an invasive species population believed to be the result at least in part of pets being released into the wild when they grow too big. "They now have become such a problem in the park," said Dan McLaughlin, Nelson's spokesman, "you could spend the next 10 years setting traps."

The senator asked Salazar to approve supervised hunts of the snakes by U.S. Park Service staff, other authorities and volunteers to kill the pythons en masse. The invasive species have been multiplying in the Everglades for years. [...]

Nelson recently introduced a bill to ban imports of the snakes, after years of trying to persuade federal wildlife officials to restrict their entry into the country. [...]

Read the full story at link.

--------------------------------------------------------

New U of Maryland Pest Threats Web Site

The University of Maryland's Pest Threats Web Site is up and running. The new site offers photographic keys to help diagnose and identify exotic pest and disease problems that are a threat to the United States. Some of the pests and disease may be present in limited areas of the country but are in danger of spreading to other parts of the United States and North America.

The objective of this web site is to increase the diagnostic skills of green industry professionals, Cooperative Extension personnel including Master Gardeners, government personnel, and citizens to improve their abilities as first detectors – people able to recognize exotic invasive pests of urban and ornamental plant systems that represent potential threats to our Homeland Security. This web site provides “one stop shopping” for information on the identification, biology, and management of exotic pest threats to the U.S., and how to report a potential exotic pest citing.

Visit the site at http://pestthreats.umd.edu/.

--------------------------------------------------------

Congressional Bills - 111th Congress (2009-2011)

Provides information for invasive species related Congressional bills, including introduction date, sponsor, summary, full bill text, and bill status.

H.R.3173 - Asian Carp Prevention and Control Act

S.1421 - Asian Carp Prevention and Control Act

H.R.1145 - National Water Research and Development Initiative Act of 2009

----------------------------------------------------------

Guilty Plea by first person ever charged under anti-invsive species law

A Philippine citizen, Charles P Posas, the second highest officer onboard the M/V Theotokos, pleaded guilty to two felony counts of lying to the Coast Guard and violating record keeping laws aimed at reducing the risk of marine invasive species. According to the DOJ, Mr Posas is the first individual ever charged under the anti-invasive species law, a law designed to mitigate the introduction of marine invasive species into waters of the United States. Posas, who served as the vessel’s chief officer, pleaded guilty to one count of false statement and one count of violating the Non indigenous Aquatic Nuisance and Prevention Control Act.

The 1984-built, 71,242 dwt vessel is owned by Liberia-based Mirage Navigation Corporation and is managed by Polembros Shipping Limited. Sentencing has been set for 14 October.

Read the full story at link.

--------------------------------------------------------

Work to Eradicate Brazilian Pepper Threat

PONTE VEDRA BEACH – The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTM Research Reserve) is partnering with St. Johns County Environmental Division, the Friends of GTM Reserve, members of the South Anastasia Community Association (SACA) and the northeast Florida Student Conservation Association (SCA) to eradicate Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolia) and other invasive plants that are beginning to displace native vegetation on barrier islands in St. Johns County.

“The GTM Research Reserve and St. Johns County Environmental Division are working aggressively to prevent the spread of the Brazilian pepper plant within the ecosystems of St. Johns County,” said GTM Research Reserve Stewardship Coordinator Forrest Penny. “By partnering with the Friends of GTM Reserve, the SACA and the northeast Florida SCA we are able to work as a team and take the appropriate actions to control the invasive plant by cutting it down and spraying the stump with herbicide." [...]

Read the full story at link.

--------------------------------------------------------

How the invaders got here: "Pandora's Locks"

North Country Public Radio

The Great Lakes - St. Lawrence Seaway’s 50th anniversary has inspired a number of new books about the waterway. One blames the federal government, not the shipping industry, for the invasion of foreign species into the Great Lakes that has cost the region billions of dollars. The Environment Report's Lester Graham talks with author Jeff Alexander about his new book, Pandora's Locks. [...]

Read the full story at link.

---------------------------------------------------------

Invasives brochure for the Potomac River watershed

The Nature Conservancy of MD/DC has available many of their new invasives brochure--it features 10 of the worst invaders around the Potomac River watershed (and is applicable to PA, NJ, DE, MD, VA, WV and beyond) and also has a handy insert card with alternatives to invasives for folks planning gardens or heading to their local nurseries. The link is below for download--if you would like hard copies, contact TNC.
They also have recently updated the Good Neighbor Handbook (Tips and Tools for River Friendly Living) and you can download it, or request copies from TNC:
Mary Travaglini
Potomac Gorge Habitat Restoration Manager
The Nature Conservancy of MD/DC

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Monday, July 6, 2009

Week of July 6, 2009

Updated July 11
--------------------------------------------------------

Plant Conservation Alliance general meeting announcement

Wednesday, July 8, 2009
9:30 - 11:30 AM

LOCATION: Conference Room at NatureServe
1101 Wilson Boulevard, 15th Floor
Arlington, VA 22209

The Plant Conservation Alliance (PCA) Bi-Monthly Meeting is an open forum for anyone interested or working in plant conservation. The meeting is held every other month in the Washington DC metropolitan area. There is roundtable for attendees to share relevant events, as well as updates from each of the PCA working groups and committees, including the Alien Plant Working Group. Regular attendees include representatives from the PCA Federal agencies and from cooperating organizations; however anyone is welcome to attend this meeting. Past meeting summaries and selected presentations are available at http://www.nps.gov/plants/meetings/bimonthly/index.htm.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Suffolk County "Do Not Sell" List public hearing on June 23

From the Website of the Suffolk County Water and Land Invasive Species Advisory Board.

Ludwigia pull

Photo by: Laura Stephenson, Peconic Estuary Program. Volunteers pull Ludwigia peploides from the Peconic River.



Suffolk County, NY will have a public hearing on the proposed amendments to the "Do Not Sell" list on June 23, 2009, 2:30pm, at Suffolk County Community College Culinary Arts Center, in Riverhead. In Summer 2009, Suffolk and Nassau counties are amending their invasive species lists, as well as including a new clause that would exempt sterile cultivars of banned species from prohibition. Similar to the current invasive species list, the amendments include phase-out periods which were developed in collaboration with green industry members.

The proposed amendments to the “do-not-sell” list were reached through a series of meetings of the Suffolk County Water and Land Invasive Species Advisory Board, based on work conducted by the Scientific Review Committee (SRC)—a subcommittee of the Long Island Invasive Species Management Area (LIISMA) and in conjunction with the expertise and experience of land managers, horticultural industry professionals, and botanists. Plant assessment results are critically reviewed and approved by the LIISMA SRC. Results of these species’ assessments can be found at http://www.liinvasives.org/. Members of the LIISMA SRC include botanists, horticulture professionals, ecologists, public land managers, and representatives from Cornell Cooperative Extension, the Long Island Farm Bureau, and the Long Island Nursery & Landscape Association.

In 2007, Suffolk and Nassau counties became the first counties in New York State to take a key step in slowing the spread of invasive species by outlawing the sale, transport, distribution, and propagation of 63 invasive plant species. As part of a long-term invasive species management plan, this law is a major move in the fight against the spread of these species into our lands and waters. The ban on 56 of these species became effective January 1, 2009, but of these, only 9 are widely commercially sold (Table 1). The ban includes each plant’s cultivars.

Table 1. Commercially-sold Species on the “Do Not Sell” List Which are in Effect in 2009

Ampelopsis brevipedunculata - Porcelain-berry
Eleagnus umbellata - Autumn olive
Lespedeza cuneata - Chinese lespedeza
Ligustrum obtusifolium - Border privet
Lythrum salicaria - Purple loosestrife
Ranunculus ficaria - Lesser celandine
Rhamnus cathartica - Common buckthorn
Rosa multiflora - Multiflora rose
Rubus phoenicolasias Maxim. - Wineberry

For More Information:

Suffolk County bill 1508:
http://legis.suffolkcountyny.gov/resos2009/i1508-09.pdf

Long Island Invasive Species Management Area:
http://nyis.info/liisma/default.aspx

Species’ invasiveness assessments can be found at http://www.liinvasives.org/.

For more information about the do-not-sell list, invasive plants, non-invasive alternative plants, and the program in general, please contact: enviro@suffolkcountyny.gov

---------------------------------------------------------

Zebra mussels infest Massachusetts' Laurel Lake

By Jack Dew, Berkshire Eagle Staff

LEE, MA. -- An invasive species of mussel has been discovered in Laurel Lake, threatening to dramatically alter the ecosystem and spread to other bodies of water in the Berkshires and across the state.

The state Department of Conservation and Recreation has confirmed that zebra mussels -- a hearty species native to the Caspian and Black Sea -- have been found in Laurel Lake, the first documented case in a Massachusetts body of water. The fingernail-sized mussel inhabits a yellowish brown shell with alternating light and dark bands. The razor-sharp shells are usually an inch long but can grow to 2 inches.

An aquatic ecologist with the state Department of Conservation and Recreation has recommended that the public boat ramp at Laurel Lake be closed to prevent the mussels' spread. That decision, however, will be up to the Public Access Board, which governs access to the state's lakes and so far has taken no action.

On Monday, the boat ramp remained open while a lunchtime crowd of anglers tried their luck for trout.

"I've seen zebra mussels in Lake Champlain, and what they do is horrible," said Keith Williman, one of the fishermen. "They cause real big problems." [...]

Anne Roche, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Conservation and Recreation, said the agency is deploying its rapid response plan, which calls for a public education blitz to urge lake users to take precautions.

"The important part is communication and education to stop it from spreading," Roche said. "Once the species is in a lake, you can't eradicate it."

Read the full article at link.

---------------------------------------------------------

Schumer secures funding to combat ash borer in NY

The Post-Journal

The United States Department of Agriculture has doubled the amount of funding they will provide to New York State through the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer said Monday.

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service coordinates eradication and suppression efforts for emerging plant pests, including both emergency funding and technical assistance to states. With APHIS's assistance, New York's Department of Environmental Conservation will be able to survey the state to determine the extent of the infestation, and create and enact a plan to fight the spread of EAB.

Last week Schumer called for USDA to provide emergency funding to NYS to battle Ash Borer, and today he is announcing that they have responded to his request by doubling the amount of funding available to New York state from $100,000 to $200,000. [...]

APHIS can provide both funding and technical expertise in combating and treating this infestation. They routinely provide manpower, experts and equipment to localities that are experiencing invasive species emergencies. [...]

Schumer last week also called on the US Forest Service to accept NYS DEC's application for stimulus funding to improve education on how to stop the spread of Ash Borer and to enforce the ban on the transportation of firewood. Schumer today said that he will continue working with the USFS to obtain those funds as soon as possible.

Read the full story at link.

--------------------------------------------------------

Request for Nominations for the Invasive Species Advisory Committee

The U.S. Department of the Interior, on behalf of the interdepartmental National Invasive Species Council, proposes to appoint new members to the Invasive Species Advisory Committee (ISAC). The Secretary of the Interior, acting as administrative lead, is requesting nominations for qualified persons to serve as members of the ISAC.

DATES: Nominations must be postmarked by July 23, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Nominations should be sent to:

Dr. Christopher Dionigi, Acting Executive Director
National Invasive Species Council (OS/NISC)

Regular Mail:
1849 C Street, NW.
Washington, DC 20240

Express Mail:
1201 EyeStreet, NW., 5th Floor
Washington, DC 20005

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Kelsey Brantley, Program Analyst andISAC Coordinator, at (202) 513–7243,fax: (202) 371–1751, or by e-mail at Kelsey_Brantley@ios.doi.gov.

-------------------------------------------------------

Training for Asian long-horned beetle and emerald ash borer

There are a series of trainings in New York coming up over the next few weeks to train people on how to recognize and survey for both Asian long-horned beetle and emerald ash borer. These trainings are scheduled for July 9 (Warrensburg-Adirondacks), July 13 (Albany), July 21 (Woodstock-Catskills), and July 22 (Woodstock-Catskills). All training sessions are scheduled to run from 9am - 4pm. Space is limited and reservations are accepted on a first come / first serve basis. Those interested in identification, survey, and risks of forest pests should consider attending. We hope to provide continuing education credits to certified foresters.

Please contact Troy Weldy at The Nature Conservancy (e-mail: tweldy@tnc.org; phone: 518-690-7841) to reserve your space and also feel free to forward this announcement to any interested parties.

---------------------------------------------------------

Invasive sea squirts in Long Island Sound may indicate climate change

By Andy Bromage, FairfieldWeekly.com

Sea squirts are smothering Connecticut's shellfish industry. [...]

sea squirtsNon-native sea squirts, also known as tunicate or sea pork, are proliferating in Long Island Sound and elsewhere as water temperatures rise. Marine scientists at the University of Connecticut found that warmer winters are causing the invasive invertebrates to explode in population. Sea squirts reproduce rapidly and compete with shellfish for food and space, threatening Connecticut's shellfish industry. [...]

In 2002, UConn scientists studied whether climate change was to blame for the growth of invasive sea squirts in Long Island Sound. The harmless-looking invertebrates outcompete economically vital shellfish like clams, mussels and oysters and smother other organisms. Left unchecked, they could have a devastating impact on shellfishing in the Sound.

And the warmer the water, the worse they get.

Scientists studied native species against invasive ones from 1991 to 2002 at Avery Point near Groton. They found that in the year after the warmest winter (1991), invasive growth was twice that of native squirts. By contrast, after the coldest winter (1994), the native ones outgrew the invasive sea squirts 5-to-1.

Read the full story at link.

--------------------------------------------------------

Volunteers Pull Together To Remove Invasive Plant from Mill Pond, Oyster Bay

From The Nature Conservancy

volunteersCold Spring Harbor, NY — July 8, 2009 — Volunteers gathered today at Mill Pond, Oyster Bay and took to their canoes to remove a harmful invasive plant that is overtaking the waterway, according to The Nature Conservancy, Friends of the Bay and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The plant, water chestnut, is a concern to both people and nature. Over 35 cubic yards of water chestnut have been removed from Mill Pond in the last two years. [...]

“The best time of year to remove this harmful plant is in late spring or early summer before it sets seed. The seeds are viable for up to 10 years so control efforts must be conducted for many years, but luckily this plant has only been found in two locations on Long Island,” said Kathy Schwager, invasive species ecologist for The Nature Conservancy on Long Island. “Pulling this weed is a win-win situation for both the environment and the community.”

“According to Mill Pond neighbors, they first noticed the invasion of this aquatic plant between 2005 and 2007 and were astonished at its prolific expansion each year. Each individual seed can produce 10 to 15 rosettes, and each rosette can produce 15 to 20 seeds. So each seed can produce 300 new seeds in one year! The Refuge confirmed the infestation in June 2008 and acted rapidly to remove as much water chestnut as possible that summer season. If left uncontrolled, it will cover the entire pond within a few years,” remarked Azucena Ponce, refuge biologist for the Long Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex.”

Michelle Williams, refuge manager added, “We would like to thank the Town of Oyster Bay for their generous support in providing a location for the plant material. Additionally, we would like to thank the many volunteers who have worked so hard on making this project a success.”

Invasive species damage the lands and waters that native plants and animals need to survive. They hurt economies and threaten human well-being. The estimated damage from invasive species worldwide totals more than $1.4 trillion – five percent of the global economy.

The Nature Conservancy is working to prevent and control the spread of invasive species in all 50 states and across more than 30 countries around the world. Together with our partners we are focusing on prevention and early detection as the most effective strategies to combat invasive species. [...]

Also joining the event were students from The Nature Conservancy’s Internship Program for City Youth, a unique partnership that couples environmental school learning curricula in urban nature with real world conservation work through paid internships on nature preserves across the Northeast. The program, launched in 1995, is a partnership with the Friends of the High School for Environmental Studies and the Brooklyn Academy of Science and the Environment. This partnership has helped underserved urban youth gain critical life and workplace skills, provided continuous and sustained exposure to both rural and urban nature, and helped a diverse array of students pursue higher education opportunities and career paths in environmental fields.

Read the full story at link.

Photo © Evelyn Chen/TNC


--------------------------------------------------------

Senate hearing focuses on diseases, invasive species threatening native wildlife

By MATTHEW DALY, Associated Press

WASHINGTON - From a mysterious fungus attacking bats in the Northeast to the emergence of Burmese pythons in Florida, native wildlife is facing new threats throughout the country.

Protecting wildlife from new diseases and invasive species is a top challenge facing state and federal officials. Experts and public officials will talk about the threats — and ways to combat them — at a Senate hearing Wednesday.

Two Senate Environment and Public Works subcommittees are conducting the hearing, which will feature testimony by experts from Maryland, Michigan, Rhode Island and Florida.

At least 185 aquatic invasive species have been detected in the Great Lakes, including the zebra mussel and Asian carp, and snakehead fish have been found in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Link

------------------------------------------------------