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Global Invasive Species Team listserve digest #130
Fri Oct 15 2004 - 14:22:55 PDT
--CONTENTS--
1. Web updates (Global, Planet Earth)
2. Information needed on Salicornia bigelovii (California, USA)
3. Bad signs from Silphium perfoliatum? (New York, USA)
4. US Legislation update (Nationwide, USA)
5. Big opportunity vs. invasives in China (China)
6. Invasives job opportunity (Global, Planet Earth)
7. Online invasive plant course (Global, Planet Earth
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1. Web updates (Global, Planet Earth)
From: Barry Rice (bamrice(at)ucdavis.edu)
Recent updates to our web site include additions to our "meetings" page,
updates to our well-received Gallery of pests, images, and more. If you
haven't visited recently, now is the time!
http://tncinvasives.ucdavis.edu/
And during these times of heavy virus email traffic, remember that this
listserve never includes attachments.
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2. Information needed on Salicornia bigelovii (California, USA)
From: Andrea Pickart (andrea_pickart(at)r1.fws.gov)
We have found this plant growing at very high densities and over large areas
on our high elevation salt marshes in the same habitat as two rare salt
marsh annuals.
At this point we know nothing about its potential to outcompete the native
species, we haven't surveyed all of the bay, but in a slough we've found it
only at the highest elevations on islands, not mainland salt marshes. It may
be possible for us to mount a rapid response before this year's seed set. I
discovered on the web that Salicornia bigelovii has been reported from
Sonoma and Marin counties and San Francisco Bay, but I have no information
on its extent there and would like more information.
Its tips are apparently harvested in Mexico as a food crop and were
evaluated as an import into US. Of course, ballast, etc., are other
potential vectors. If anyone has any information on this species, please
email me as soon as possible.
A photograph is on-line at the ISI web site:
http://tncinvasives.ucdavis.edu/esadocs/salibige.html
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3. Bad signs from Silphium perfoliatum? (New York, USA)
From: Steven Flint (sflint(at)tnc.org)
Indian cup-plant (Silphium perfoliatum) is absolutely exploding through the
East Branch Au Sable River's riparian corridors in the northeast corner of
the Adirondack Park. After some gumshoeing I discovered that a local
musician/harp player planted it in her yard some four years ago in the Town
of Keene. Her backyard is mere paces from the ordinary high water mark of
the East Branch Au Sable River. To date I've documented well over five dozen
populations within the watershed and I am still counting. Our Adirondack
Park Agency continues to scratch their collective heads as this species is
way out of its native, tallgrass prairie range, e.g. North Dakota, Texas,
Minnesota, etc. Should I be concerned?
**Note from list moderator---On-line resources
(http://invasives.eeb.uconn.edu/ipane/, http://plants.usda.gov/) suggest
that Silphium perfoliatum may be native in NY (it has threatened status in
Michigan!). Does anyone have more information for Steven on the nativity of
this plant in NY? Is it something Steven should be concerned about?---Barry
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4. US Legislation update (Nationwide, USA)
From: Elizabeth Sklad (esklad(at)tnc.org)
Congress just put in a long working holiday weekend and a few invasive
species bill that we have been working on have passed and have been sent to
President Bush for signature. (They are not quite public law yet.) Please
note: While funding has now been authorized for these important efforts, we
will still have to work to get the money appropriated.
S. 144 "Noxious Weed Control Act of 2003", Sponsor: Sen. Larry Craig (ID)
As passed, S. 144 will establish a program in the Office of the Secretary of
Agriculture to provide assistance to eligible weed-management entities for
noxious weed control projects. As originally written, S. 144 had the
potential to address the invasive weeds crisis nationwide and would have
authorized up to $100 million/year. A House Resources Committee amendment
made some significant changes, including a much lower authorization ($15
million/year) and limits Federal land involvement to BLM and Forest Service
lands (i.e. mostly Western U.S.). But, on the positive side, the amendment
language allows the funds to be used for aquatic weed management and
includes a rapid response program.
While we preferred Sen. Craig's original bill language and funding level, we
consider passage of any invasive species legislation in this Congress a huge
victory, and are looking forward to making sure that all $15 million is
appropriated. In the next few years, we'll be working to expand this bill to
be more useful to Eastern states and to get additional funds. Kudos to
Chelsea Maxwell (WO-Government Relations) and Will Whelan and Bas Hargrove
(TNC-Idaho), who spent lots of time with Sen. Craig's staff making sure that
this bill kept moving!
H.R. 3479 "Brown Tree Snake Control and Eradication Act of 2004", Sponsor:
Rep Bordallo (Guam)
As passed, this bill would require the Secretaries of Agriculture and the
Interior to better coordinate brown tree snake control, interdiction,
research, and eradication efforts. It requires establishment of a
pre-departure quarantine system for cargo shipped from Guam, and creates a
Brown Tree Snake Technical Working Group. Funding is authorized for all of
these activities. This bill will help make sure the "BTS" doesn't make it to
Hawaii or the continental U.S. (Gulf Coast states and Caribbean - you are
also susceptible to the snake's establishment.) Congratulations to Mark Fox
of TNC in Hawaii, who should be given credit for working closely with the
Hawaii delegation to raise this problem to a national priority.
Electric barrier for Asian carp (H.R. 4580, section 345)
Congress approved a bill authorizing the additional funds necessary for the
Army Corps of Engineers to construct the second (backup) electric dispersal
barrier on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. Ideally, the dispersal
barriers will keep Asian carp in the Mississippi River from entering the
Great Lakes and from wreaking havoc on the Great Lakes ecosystem. At this
time, the funds for construction and maintenance of the barrier have not
been appropriated.
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5. Big opportunity vs. invasives in China (China)
From: John Randall (jarandall(at)ucdavis.edu)
I am pleased to bring you news of an exciting new opportunity to address
invasive species threats in China at the national scale. TNC has been
invited to participate in a high-level workshop in Beijing designed to
contribute to development of a national strategy for prevention and
management of invasive species in China.
The November 2-4 workshop is being organized by the Chinese Academy of
Agricultural Sciences with help from CABI (formerly Commonwealth
Agricultural Bureaux International) and support from the National Natural
Science Academy of China and the Chinese Ministries of Agriculture and of
Science & Technology. Its primary output will be a report to the Central
Government of China with recommendations for a national invasive species
strategy which embraces prevention, early detection, on-the-ground
management and information needs and which uses public policy, the creation
of institutional and sectoral linkages and public awareness campaigns.
Tang Letian from our China Program, and Carnet Williams, director of our
Hawaii-based Clean Trade project, will join me as TNC's representatives. In
the coming months, Letian will assume the lead on invasive species issues
for our China program. We were particularly pleased when we realized that
Carnet and I are two of just 10 people from outside China who have been
invited to participate, indicating the respect that TNC has generated in
China and on this issue. Our inclusion at this level is also noteworthy in
enabling us to give a prominent voice to biodiversity concerns because a
majority of the other participants will be from agricultural and industry
sectors.
Following the meeting TNC will continue to work with Chinese officials to
help shape a balanced, effective national invasive species strategy.
China's status as a leader in the Asia-Pacific region means its position on
invasive species issues will influence their neighbors and important trade
practices throughout Asia and the Pacific Rim.
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6. Invasives job opportunity (Global, Planet Earth)
From: Elizabeth Sklad (esklad(at)tnc.org)
In collaboration with Invasive Species Initiative, The Nature Conservancy's
Great Lakes Program has posted the announcement of a new position to direct
the Conservancy's program on preventing the introduction and spread of
aquatic invasive species to the Great Lakes and Upper Mississippi River
ecosystems. The Conservancy is looking for a bright conservation leader to
guide our work in finding solutions to this important problem.
Background on the need for this position and the job description can be
found at
http://nature.org/cgi-bin/zope.pcgi/careers/natureorg/20040921182359.html.
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7. Online invasive plant course (Global, Planet Earth)
From: Barry Rice (bamrice(at)ucdavis.edu)
The Center for Invasive Plant Management invites you to participate in a new
seven-week online course developed for resource professionals who are
involved in invasive plant management. The purpose of this offering is two
fold: First, the course will provide you with an integrated process,
presented by our expert instructors, that guides the development and
prioritization of strategies for managing plant invasions, and, second, the
organizers would like your professional input on the course (this is a
refinement of a pilot course we offered in 2002).
The course is $25, and will take place 7 January-25 February. For more
information, see:
http://tncinvasives.ucdavis.edu/meetings.html