[APWG] NEWS: Invasive Plants Encourage Wildfires

[Wayne Tyson]

All:

I'm glad to hear that this point is being emphasized, but the news media 
persist to insist upon referring to all fires as "brush" fires, leading the 
public to believe that indigenous vegetation is 100% at fault and caused the 
burning of their homes.

And thanks to Olivia for including the links to both the news item and the 
academic publication.

WT

PS: I wonder if anyone covered the effects of alien species on soil moisture 
regimes and groundwater recharge, including the multitudinous effects on 
other aspects of ecosystems?


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Olivia Kwong" <plant at plantconservation.org>
To: <apwg at lists.plantconservation.org>
Sent: Friday, September 16, 2011 6:55 AM
Subject: [APWG] NEWS: Invasive Plants Encourage Wildfires


> http://www.newswise.com/articles/invasive-plants-encourage-wildfires-with-negative-human-and-ecological-consequences
>
> Invasive Plants Encourage Wildfires, with Negative Human and Ecological 
> Consequences
> Released: 9/15/2011 2:30 PM EDT
> Source: Allen Press Publishing Services
>
> Newswise -- The past decade has seen 77,951 fires burn about 6.7 million 
> acres in the United States. One condition that facilitates the spread of 
> wildfires is invasive plant species. Nonnative weeds can modify the 
> vegetation of a landscape and provide a source of fuel that did not 
> previously exist.
>
> See the link above for the full article text.  Full text of the Fire and 
> Invasive Plants Special Feature, "Economic and Social Impacts of Wildfires 
> and Invasive Plants in American Deserts: Lessons From the Great Basin," 
> Rangeland Ecology & Management, Vol. 64, No. 5, September 2011, is 
> available at http://www.srmjournals.org/toc/rama/64/5
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> PCA's Alien Plant Working Group mailing list
> APWG at lists.plantconservation.org
> http://lists.plantconservation.org/mailman/listinfo/apwg_lists.plantconservation.org
>
> Disclaimer
> Any requests, advice or opinions posted to this list reflect ONLY the 
> opinion of the individual posting the message.
>
>
> -----
> No virus found in this message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 10.0.1410 / Virus Database: 1520/3898 - Release Date: 09/15/11
>