Fri Mar 04 2005 - 13:36:25 PST

Contents
1. Remote sensing tutorial on line! (Global, Planet Earth)
2. WIMS resources available for TNC staff! (Global; TNC staff only)
3. Moisture probes (California, USA)
4. Company seeks site to test fish barrier (WA, OR, USA)
5. New insect pest found in upstate New York (New York, USA)
6. Pests added to ISI Gallery (North America, USA)
7. A bad idea (Global, Planet Earth)

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1. Remote sensing tutorial on line! (Global, Planet Earth)
From: Barry Rice (bamrice(at)ucdavis.edu)

I am pleased to announce that the Invasive Species Initiative web site now
has a section on remote sensing, with a focus on the remote sensing of
invasive plants. This section is intended to be an introduction to remote
sensing, and its purpose is to help land managers and planners decide if
remote sensing could be a useful tool for them in their conservation work.
There is a great deal of hype about remote sensing; simultaneously there are
some vocal critics of remote sensing. This primer should at least expose you
to the basic principles of the discipline.

See: http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/remotesensing.html

This section of the web site has many opportunities for further growth: if
you are doing remote sensing work, or have a favorite set of papers, or see
some errors or oversights, contact me and I will incorporate your input!


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2. WIMS resources available for TNC staff! (Global; TNC staff only)
From: Mandy Tu (imtu(at)tnc.org)

Now that WIMS (TNC's Weed Info Mgmt System) is widely available to all on
our website, did you know that there are several WIMS-related resources that
are available only for TNC staff? These resources, tailored to TNC staff,
include:

A. Personalized technical assistance at the Enterprise Help Desk,
B. In-person and/or WebEx training on how to use WIMS,
C. Assistance in obtaining an ArcPad license for your own use, and
D. Perhaps some financial assistance for handheld hardware!

We have several "WIMS Trainers" situated around the U.S. to guide in-person
trainings, and WebEx sessions are tentatively scheduled for April 26th & May
2nd, and on May 27th & June 3rd. Sign-ups for WebEx sessions will be
available on CoRAL within the next few weeks.

The WIMS information is on line at:
http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/wims.html

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3. Moisture probes (California, USA)
From: Becky Waegell (bwaegell(at)tnc.org)

I am looking for any advice on the purchase of a relatively inexpensive
($500 range) moisture meter. I will be using it to determine soil moisture
at the time of application of herbicides to see how changes in soil moisture
affect the effectiveness of the application. I don't think I need to be
extremely accurate, but would like it to provide good relative information.

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4. Company seeks site to test fish barrier (WA, OR, USA)
From: Brent Foster (brentfoster(at)gorge.net)

I work with a company called Smith-Root that makes electro-fishing equipment
and has just built an exotic fish barrier project in the Great Lakes. We're
developing technology to use our electro fishing technology for exotic fish
removal as an alternative to rotenone and other piscicides. We are looking
for potential areas that have aquatic fish invasions that need to be
addressed--specifically we're looking for a relatively small, shallow lake
ideally in Washington or Oregon.

For more information: http://www.smith-root.com

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5. New insect pest found in upstate New York (New York, USA)
From: John Randall (jarandall(at)ucdavis.edu)

A European wood wasp (Sirex noctilio) was found in an an "early warning"
forest pest trap in Fulton County, NY recently. The trap was collected last
September but the insect was only recently identified, as I understand it,
by Richard Hoebeke (Senior Extension Associate, Cornell). Forest Service
staff believe that this species could be a very damaging to North American
conifers if allowed to establish and spread.
 
This species had been found in a trap in Bloomington, Indiana in 2002, but
as of last summer no other individuals had been detected there despite
active trapping and searching. Folks from APHIS and the Forest Service are
meeting to determine how to address the new detection.

For more information on this species see the Invasive Species Initiative's
profile on the pest:
http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/products/gallery/sirno1.html
or the Canadian Food Inspection Agency site
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/sci/surv/data/sirnoce.shtml

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6. Pests added to ISI Gallery (North America, USA)
From: Barry Rice (bamrice(at)ucdavis.edu)

Faith Campbell has written a new insect pest profile on the spruce aphid
(Elatobium abietinum) attacking spruce in the Rocky Mountains, and Pacific
Northwest. See:
http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/products/gallery/elaab1.html

She has also provided new information on the Mediterranean Pine Engraver
Beetle (Orthotomicus erosus), which unfortunately has been moved in the
Gallery from the "Potential Exotic Pest Threats" to "Established Exotic
Insects." Populations of this pest are still small, so perhaps this
classification can be revised back...
http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/products/gallery/orter1.html

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7. A bad idea (Global, Planet Earth)
From: Barry Rice (bamrice(at)ucdavis.edu)

For a Friday laugh, I present to you a web site with a unique and new way to
spread plants of unknown nativity:
http://www.enviro-roll.com/