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The Global Invasive Species Team | |
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Global Invasive Species Team listserve digest #109 Wed Oct 16 2002 - 12:32:33 PDT --CONTENTS-- 1. Pulling Together Initiative Proposals Sought (Nationwide, USA) 2. About Rubus phoenicolasius (Maryland, USA) 3. New features on WIST web site (Global) 4. Water hyacinth in Wisconsin! (Wisconsin, USA) 5. A new look to RJ/KOSE grants (Global) 6. Vinegar as herbicide (Global) 7. Letters-to-the-editor regarding invasives (California, USA) 8. Your literature reviews would be valued (Global) --------------------------------------- 1. Pulling Together Initiative Proposals Sought (Nationwide, USA) From: Rob Hedberg (robhedberg(at)erols.com) The Pulling Together Initiative is seeking weed management project proposals by November 6, 2002 for grants that will be awarded early next year. The Pulling Together Initiative (PTI) is a federally funded program designed to build partnerships between federal state and local agencies, private landowners and interested groups to develop long term weed management projects. The goals of this program, which is administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), are 1)to prevent, manage, or eradicate invasive and noxious plants through a coordinated program of public/private partnerships; and 2)to increase public awareness of the adverse impacts of invasive and noxious plants. Most successful projects are oriented to on-the-ground management of existing weed problems and have significant partnership, conservation and education components. Although these are not intended to be research funds, the participation of weed science researchers and educators as partners could improve many of the projects. Specific information on this grant program can be found at www.nfwf.org, or you may request an electronic copy in Rich Text Format by emailing Jackie.Burson(at)nfwf.org and placing "PTI RFP2003" in the subject field. --------------------------------------- 2. About Rubus phoenicolasius (Maryland, USA) From: Marc Imlay (ialm(at)erols.com) Good news about wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius) which is highly invasive here at Chapman Forest and Swann Park in Southern Maryland. On July 4, 1999, eight of us pulled over one acre by the roots in very wet soil gently using 4 prong spading forks to first loosen the roots. Almost none came back next year or the following year. As much as thirty percent came back elsewhere with dry soil. We made a pile but pruned and bagged the few branches with berries. For more information: http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/ruph1.htm --------------------------------------- 3. New features on WIST web site (global) From: Barry Rice (bamrice(at)ucdavis.edu) Illustrations for a heartwarming story of successful weed management in Montana, written by Mandy Tu, have been added by WIST staffer Tunyalee Martin. See: http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/success/mt001.html --------------------------------------- 4. Water hyacinth in Wisconsin! (Wisconsin, USA) From: Kelly Kearns (kelly.kearns(at)dnr.state.wi.us) I thought you all might be interested to hear of our newest invasive member to Wisconsin's flora. A few weeks ago Jim Hansen, a DNR staffer, was out inspecting a wastewater treatment plant in Fifield (just south of Park Falls, Price Co.) when he discovered a healthy population of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes)! The people running the facility thought that it had been there for at least two years. When the leaves die back during the winter, a growing bud is maintained about 1 inch below the water surface. They can survive at least 2 inches of ice formation. The Florida hyacinth specialist consulted doesn't believe there is any risk of hyacinth surviving in the wild in Wisconsin. It is present as far north as the Virginia-North Carolina border and plants are observed to regularly die off during the winter at the northern fringe of their range. However, it is likely that these plants have survived at least one winter and it is clear they have multiplied readily. The plants will be removed and disposed of safely in the next few weeks. DNR folks will be monitoring the site closely to see what type of survival and reproduction will occur. This case reminds us that just because a plant is "not supposed to" survive this far north doesn't mean it won't! If you see a plant that you don't recognize and it looks invasive, collect a specimen or take a photo and get it identified. Then let others know if it is a new invader to the area. --------------------------------------- 5. A new look to RJ/KOSE grants (global) From: Barry Rice (bamrice(at)ucdavis.edu) A "Pre-proposal" document is available for those interested in applying for RJ/KOSE grants this year. This document describes how the RJ/KOSE program is being significantly changed. In essence, only about 2-5 grants will be awarded this year, and they will be for larger amounts ($50,000 to $150,000). The due date for pre-proposals is 1 December 2002. The "pre-proposal" instructional document can be downloaded here: http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/newsnotes.html --------------------------------------- 6. Vinegar as herbicide (Global) From: Barry Rice (bamrice(at)ucdavis.edu) Following the publication of a USDA study, various people have emailed us about the use of vinegar (acetic acid) as an herbicide. For an overview of the study, and the effectiveness of vinegar, follow the link provided below. Perhaps one of the most important messages in the article is the following clause: "...the use of acetic acid, unless the material is specifically labeled as a herbicide, is illegal and a violation of FIFRA." (FIFRA is the EPA Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act.) So don't use vinegar as an herbicide if you do not have a permit for this use! http://www.ent.iastate.edu/ipm/icm/2002/7-15-2002/vinegar.html --------------------------------------- 7. Letters-to-the-editor regarding invasives (California, USA) From: Doug Johnson (dwjohnson(at)caleppc.org) I have recently had a couple of letters-to-the-editor published in the San Francisco Chronicle's Home & Garden section regarding articles that have shown disregard for the issue of invasive plants. For example, see the second letter at: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2002/10/02/HO125760.DTL If you can't paste that together correctly, try this alternate url: http://tinyurl.com/20e0 I encourage you (and any gardener friends of yours) to keep a close eye on what your local newspaper publishes on gardening topics. We need to make gardeners and nurseries our close allies, and writing letters to the editor is one easy way to have an impact on public awareness. The more of us doing it the better (we don't want readers thinking it is only one person--especially since I live in Berkeley!) --------------------------------------- 8. Your literature reviews would be valued (Global) From: Barry Rice (bamrice(at)ucdavis.edu) The other day, my esteemed boss John Randall lamented that he was the only person who ever submitted reviews of interesting invasive species articles to the listserve. So this is a call to all would-be reviewers---if you would like to review some article on the listserve, contact John at jarandall(at)ucdavis.edu to develop a review! |
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