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The Global Invasive Species Team | |
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Global Invasive Species Team listserve digest #110 Thu Oct 31 2002 - 13:58:47 PST (The scary, halloween edition...mwa ha ha HA HA!) --CONTENTS-- 1. Arundo donax in Florida (Florida, USA) 2. One-day workshop on fire and invasives (New Hampshire, USA) 3. 4th annual national invasive weed awareness week (Nationwide, USA) 4. Herbicide applicator replacement tips (Ohio, USA) 5. Aquatic nuisance species coordinator job (Vermont, USA) 6. 14th Annual USDA meeting on invasives (nationwide, USA) 7. News regarding the herbicide Atrazine (Global) 8. Feral hogs (Texas, USA) 9. More northern water hyacinth! (Massachusetts, USA) --------------------------------------- 1. Arundo donax in Florida (Florida, USA) From: Barry Rice (bamrice(at)ucdavis.edu) Gather round, children, and listen to this scary news from Peter Hujik (TNC California, phujik(at)tnc.org). Peter sent me a story from the 16 October edition of the Wall Street Journal, entitled "Arundo Has Two Lives: A Pest In California, a Boon to Florida." Essentially, an industry may shortly launch in Florida which would result in the planting of this well known invader as a source of power and pulp. This invasive plant is even being touted as a "green" solution to environmental problems: "With the blessing of the Northern Florida Sierra Club and Lung Association chapters, Mr. Sharpe has secured a contract to supply Jacksonville's city-owned utility, JEA, with as much as $250 million in Arundo-fueled "green" power over the next 15 years. He plans to plant 8,000 acres of Arundo next spring on leased land near the Florida Everglades." --------------------------------------- 2. One-day workshop on fire and invasives (New Hampshire, USA) From: Alison Dibble (adibble(at)fs.fed.us) A one day workship called, "Using fire to control invasive plants-- what's new, and what works in the Northeast" will be held 24 January 2003, 8am-4pm, at the Urban Forestry Center, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Get caught up on the latest research results, hear from fire managers whose observations might not have been summarized elsewhere, and add your comments to invigorating discussions. The registration fee is $45. For further program information please contact Alison Dibble, adibble(at)fs.fed.us (put "F/I Workshop" in subject line), to register contact Karen Bennett, UNH Cooperative Extension, Durham, NH, karen.bennett(at)unh.edu. We are still getting set up and expect to begin taking registrations on 11 Nov 2002. **When more registration material is made available, it will be posted on the WIST web site (http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/meetings.html)--Barry --------------------------------------- 3. 4th annual national invasive weed awareness week (Nationwide, USA) From Alison Dalsimer (Alison.Dalsimer(at)osd.mil) Come and join the activities of the National Invasive Weed Awareness Week (NIWAW) in Washington DC, 24-28 February 2003. Visit with fellow weed fighters, state and federal agency resource managers, and policy-makers who are dealing with harmful, invasive vegetation issues across the country. The week will include meetings, hosted receptions, and opportunities to talk with key agency managers from the USDA and USDI about their National plans and priorities for helping in the war on weeds. Meetings with key congressional members and their staff can also be scheduled so you can let your congressional representative know how important their help can be in this effort. Watch for further information from your state Weed or Vegetation Management Association leadership. Remember: You Can Make A Difference! National Invasive Weed Awareness Week events are sponsored by the Invasive Weed Awareness Coalition (IWAC) and its many partners. http://www.denix.osd.mil/niwaw http://www.nawma.org/ (click NIWAW link) --------------------------------------- 4. Herbicide applicator replacement tips (Ohio, USA) From: Jennifer Hillmer (jhillmer(at)tnc.org) I use Nalgene brand Unitary lab wash bottles for cut stump treatment and some basal bark applications. They work very well, but the nozzle tips have a way of disappearing in the field. Lab Safety Supply (Janesville, WI 1-800-356-0783) can order new tips in packages of 100 for $52.85. I do not need 100 tips, but I would be glad to split an order several ways. To view the bottles, see http://www.labsafety.com and search for item 2BW-12097. The tips fit all the sizes they offer. --------------------------------------- 5. Aquatic nuisance species coordinator job (Vermont, USA) From: Mary Droege (mdroege(at)tnc.org) **Apply by November 4th, 2002** Opportunity for bright, energetic, environmentally astute person with excellent communication and teamwork skills, to work at the Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) Office in Grand Isle, Vermont. Work with the LCBP staff to coordinate overall implementation of the Lake Champlain Basin Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Management Plan. Serve as liaison with technical and professional staff working on ANS issues in NY, VT, and Quebec. Requires three years related experience with BS degree in Environmental Science or related field. Job description available from LCBP at 802-372-3213 or NEIWPCC at (978) 323-7929. Apply by November 4th, 2002. Resume and short writing sample to NEIWPCC, Boott Mills South, 100 Foot of John Street, Lowell, MA 01852 or sbrown(at)neiwpcc.org. www.neiwpcc.org. Equal Opportunity Employer. --------------------------------------- 6. 14th Annual USDA meeting on invasives (nationwide, USA) From: Barry Rice (bamrice(at)ucdavis.edu) We have posted on the WIST web site information about the 14th Annual USDA Interagency Research Forum on Gypsy Moth and Other Invasive Species, to be held 14-17 January 2003, in Annapolis, Maryland. The meeting will have presentations on many invasive arthropods and pathogens, including emerald ash borer, brown spruce beetle, sudden oak death, Siberian moth, and painted apple moth. Two of the keynote presentations are entitled, "New Strategies and Opportunities in Pest Detection" and "The Role of Invasive Species in the Demise of the US Forests" so this meeting looks very promising. An Invasive Plant Session is scheduled to take place Wednesday January 15, 1:00 -3:00 pm. For more information: http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/meetings.html http://www.fs.fed.us/ne/morgantown/4557/forum2003/ --------------------------------------- 7. News regarding the herbicide Atrazine (Global) From: Mandy Tu (imtu(at)tnc.org) A new report in the journal Nature shows that the herbicide atrazine has caused male leopard frogs (Rana pipiens) to develop sexual abnormalities. The researchers have already demonstrated similar abnormalities with the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) in laboratory conditions earlier this year. Atrazine is a commonly used herbicide in agriculture, namely in corn, sorghum, sugarcane fields, and in christmas tree plantations. Atrazine is, however, rarely (if at all) applied in natural areas. It is also already a restricted-use herbicide, meaning that it is not available to the general public (e.g. Home Depot), and can only be applied by licensed applicators. It is already known that it may contaminate ground and surface water supplies, and is highly persistent in soil. For additional info, see: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/10/021031074404.htm http://ace.orst.edu/info/extoxnet/pips/atrazine.htm --------------------------------------- 8. Feral hogs (Texas, USA) From: Suzanne Tuttle (suzanne.tuttle(at)fortworthgov.org) We are about to embark on a feral hog control program. Our plan is to live trap and shoot the animals. If any of you have prior experience and would like to offer advice, please do so. If any of you are interested in following our progress (and learning from our mistakes!), let me know and I will post updates periodically on this site. --------------------------------------- 9. More northern water hyacinth! (Massachusetts, USA) From: Cynthia Boettner (cynthia_boettner(at)fws.gov) Yesterday, Paul Somers was telling about a few populations of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) in Massachusetts, at least one of which may be overwintering, judging from the size of the population (that is, it seems too large for somebody to have planted it in the spring of the year). |
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