[APWG] Fw: [NIWAWlist] FW: News Release--National Invasive Weed Awareness Week
Jil_Swearingen at nps.gov
Jil_Swearingen at nps.gov
Fri Feb 18 12:11:44 CST 2005
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"Bob Parsons"
<parsonsb at wir.net To: "Niwawlist" <niwawlist at tctwest.net>
> cc: (bcc: Jil Swearingen/NCR/NPS)
Sent by: Subject: [NIWAWlist] FW: News Release--National Invasive Weed Awareness Week
niwawlist-admin at t
ctwest.net
02/18/2005 09:18
AM MST
From: Hansen, Sheri [mailto:SHansen at PSBPR.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2005 10:04 AM
To: kuhing at co.adams.co.us
Subject: News Release--National Invasive Weed Awareness Week
Hello,
This is the latest news from the National Invasive Weed Awareness Week
Planning Committee. Please contact Andrea Cuff at acuff at psbpr.com or
612-455-1705 for further information.
Best Regards,
Sheri Hansen
_________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release
(Embedded image moved to file: pic18756.jpg)Picture (Metafile)
Invasive Weeds Awareness Coalition (IWAC)
CONTACT:
Gina Ramos Rob Hedberg
(202) 452-5084 (202) 408-5388
Bureau of Land Management Weed Science Society of America
New Law Strengthens Fight Against Invasive and Noxious Weeds
Noxious Weed Control Act a Highlight of Conference to Protect Native Plant
Species
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Feb. 16, 2005 – A recently enacted law is expected to
significantly strengthen the fight against invasive weeds in the United
States, helping restore native plants and ecosystems nationwide. Signed
last October by President Bush, the Noxious Weed Control Act enables the
Secretary of Agriculture’s office to assist eligible weed management
agencies in responding to noxious weed problems on public and private
lands.
Passage of the Act will be noted throughout the 6th Annual National
Invasive Weeds Awareness Week Conference in Washington, D.C., Feb. 27
through March 4. The conference spotlights problems caused by invasive
weeds and other types of invasive vegetation, and highlights the successes
of hundreds of projects designed to curb the spread of invasives.
“With invasive plant species infesting an estimated 100 million acres
across the United States, the Noxious Weed Control Act is a strong step in
the right direction,” said Rob Hedberg, director of science policy, Weed
Science Society of America. “It will provide funding for planning
initiatives to control invasive vegetation, which is what we really need in
this country. Early detection and rapid response are the first lines of
defense against noxious and invasive weeds – which are a growing threat to
our nation’s native ecosystems.”
In the United States alone, invasive plant species displace native species
by a rate of eight to 20 percent each year, often causing serious
environmental problems. For example, thirsty invasive brush such as
saltcedar can threaten vital water supplies. A single plant is capable of
consuming as much as 300 gallons of water a day – or about 6,000 gallons
per month. In comparison, the average American household uses about 8,000
gallons of water per month.
During National Invasive Weeds Awareness Week, representatives of weed
management agencies will host a conference to increase the understanding of
invasive plant management issues in the United States. The conference is
sponsored and hosted by the Invasive Weeds Awareness Coalition (IWAC), a
Washington, D.C.-based coalition dedicated to increasing awareness of
invasive weed problems and associated research and management needs.
The U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C., will showcase displays
designed by state and federal agencies that demonstrate how to identify
harmful invasive plants and highlight successful partnership projects that
are controlling and managing invasive plants and restoring ecosystems. The
public is invited and encouraged to visit the displays, which will include
information exhibits on menacing invasive weeds, including:
Saltcedar: This aggressive colonizer (also called tamarisk) often
forms single-species, or monotypic, stands that replace willows,
cottonwoods and other native vegetation in communities nationwide. A
single plant can consume 300 gallons of water a day, lowering
groundwater levels and threatening water sources for communities and
wildlife alike.
Giant Hogweed: Grows mostly in the Northeast and contains sap that
can cause long-lasting swelling and blisters in people and animals,
and may cause temporary or permanent blindness in certain cases.
Kudzu: A highly invasive weed, kudzu currently infests approximately
seven million acres throughout the southern United States. The weed
creates a safety hazard by reducing visibility on highways and
causing transmission failures on power lines, while choking trees and
any other plant in its way.
Salvinia: An aquatic weed notorious for dominating slow-moving or
quiet freshwaters, its rapid growth, vegetative reproduction and
tolerance to environmental stress make it an aggressive, competitive
species that negatively affects aquatic environments, boating and
other recreational uses, and economies of nearby communities.
About IWAC
IWAC works to educate individuals and organizations on steps they can take
to protect land, such as learning more about invasive weeds, recognizing
plants that are out of place, and alerting appropriate local agencies to
their presence. IWAC also hopes to teach people how to responsibly select
noninvasive plants for landscaping and prevent inadvertent transportation
of invasive plant species or their seeds to new areas.
IWAC works cooperatively the Federal Interagency Committee for the
Management of Noxious and Exotic Weeds (FICMNEW), a partnership of the EPA
and 15 federal agencies from the Departments of Agriculture, Interior,
Defense, Energy and Transportation.
IWAC also works closely with industry, other federal and state agencies,
and nongovernment organizations such as the Weed Science Society of America
and The Nature Conservancy.
# # #
________________________________________________________________________
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