<font face="Arial">"But until ecologists and other biologists collect,
store, and model data on the ranges of limitations and requirements that
characterize organisms, they will be consigned to guesswork, based on anecdotal
observations of cause and effect, often forgetting that correlation is not
always causation, and certainly is not the whole picture."<br><br>I am sorry, but this seems like <font><font><font><font><font>building up straw men and kno<font>cking them down for fun.</font></font></font></font></font></font></font><div>
<font face="Arial"><font><font><font><font><font><font><br></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font>After all, precisely which "ecologists and other biologists" "often fo<font>r<font>get </font>that correlation is not always causation" Can you think of <font>ANY actual<font> people <font>in the field who this applies to? Even <font>one</font></font></font>?</font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font> <br>
<br><font><font>For man<font>y invasive species,<font> ecologists and other biologists have <font>moved well<font> past guesswork and anecdotal ob<font>servation. There is <font>a whole lot of data already collected<font> and stored and models buil<font>t. <font>Are you reading the scientific literature on invasive species? <font>I think you might be surprised tha<font>t those you paint with your broad brush are actually making <font>good progress</font><font><font><font><font>.</font></font></font></font></font><font><font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font><font><font></font></font> <br>
<br><br><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Feb 12, 2013 at 11:46 PM, Wayne Tyson <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:landrest@cox.net" target="_blank">landrest@cox.net</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<u></u>
<div bgcolor="#ffffff">
<div><font face="Arial">Marc and APWG:</font></div>
<div><font face="Arial"></font> </div>
<div><font face="Arial">I share your yearnings for a silver bullet/bug, but
as long as the kinds of disturbances that tip site conditions in favor of (say)
cheatgrass are allowed to continue (e.g., livestock operations), cheatgrass and
other organisms favored by disturbed-site conditions will persist. A healthy
ecosystem (assemblages of organisms that evolved in the place in question) is
the best and cheapest way to cheat cheatgrass. After all, the indigenous species
which evolved under the slings and arrows of outrageous Nature on any given site
are still, by definition, the best-suited to the site conditions that will
eventually return to "normal" once the change agents have been withdrawn.
</font></div>
<div><font face="Arial"></font> </div>
<div><font face="Arial">Other invasive aliens which have evolved under
similar conditions on other continents do sometimes find undisturbed indigenous
habitats so congenial to their own requirements that they will feel right at
home in some healthy ecosystems--organisms do what they can, when they can,
where they can. Ultimately, though, Nature bats last and best--whether we like
it or not. </font></div>
<div><font face="Arial"></font> </div>
<div><font face="Arial">But until ecologists and other biologists collect,
store, and model data on the ranges of limitations and requirements that
characterize organisms, they will be consigned to guesswork, based on anecdotal
observations of cause and effect, often forgetting that correlation is not
always causation, and certainly is not the whole picture. </font></div>
<div><font face="Arial"></font> </div>
<div><font face="Arial">For the most part, "we don' need no stinkin' silver
bullets." What we need is in integrated understanding of dynamic wholes. A tough
task, for sure, but not one that any scientist should shrink from in
terror--nay, one to be embraced with gusto and determination. </font></div>
<div><font face="Arial"></font> </div>
<div><font face="Arial">WT</font></div>
<div><font face="Arial"></font> </div>
<div><font face="Arial">PS: Don't forget that many a "biological control"
has backfired, and that "nine-tenths of the hell being raised in the world is
well-intentioned."</font></div>
<blockquote dir="ltr" style="PADDING-RIGHT:0px;PADDING-LEFT:5px;MARGIN-LEFT:5px;BORDER-LEFT:#000000 2px solid;MARGIN-RIGHT:0px">
<div style="FONT:10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </div>
<div style="BACKGROUND:#e4e4e4;FONT:10pt arial"><b>From:</b>
<a title="ialm@erols.com" href="mailto:ialm@erols.com" target="_blank">Marc Imlay</a> </div>
<div style="FONT:10pt arial"><b>To:</b> <a title="ficmnew@mail.afpmb.org" href="mailto:ficmnew@mail.afpmb.org" target="_blank">ficmnew@mail.afpmb.org</a> ; <a title="apwg@lists.plantconservation.org" href="mailto:apwg@lists.plantconservation.org" target="_blank">apwg@lists.plantconservation.org</a>
; <a title="aliens-l@list.auckland.ac.nz" href="mailto:aliens-l@list.auckland.ac.nz" target="_blank">aliens-l@list.auckland.ac.nz</a>
</div>
<div style="FONT:10pt arial"><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, February 12, 2013 3:35
AM</div>
<div style="FONT:10pt arial"><b>Subject:</b> [APWG] FW: host specific
biological controls of Japanese Stiltgrassand other non-native invasive
species.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial"><span><b><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="4">Here is an example of the need for research for biocontrols; Let's do
the same for our invasive Japanese Stiltgrass.: Cheatgrass "has fuelled almost
80% of the largest fires in the west over the last ten years. Researchers are
looking at a range of solutions including using a fungus to attack the grass
seed. " </font></b></span></font></div>
<div><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial"><span></span></font><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial"><span> </span></font></div>
<div><br><span><b><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial">
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><font color="#0000ff" size="3"><span><span><span><b><span style="font-family:'Arial','sans-serif'">Marc Imlay,
PhD,</span></b><b><span style="COLOR:blue;FONT-FAMILY:'Arial','sans-serif'"><br></span></b><b><span style="font-family:'Arial','sans-serif'">Conservation
biologist, Park Ranger
Office</span></b></span></span></span></font></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><font color="#0000ff" size="3"><span><span><span><b><span style="font-family:'Arial','sans-serif'"></span></b><b><span style="font-family:'Arial','sans-serif'"><span><font color="#0000ff"><b><span>Non-native </span>I<span>nvasive Plant Control
coordinator. </span><br></b></font></span><b><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Arial','sans-serif'"><a title="blocked::blocked::blocked::blocked::blocked::tel:(301) 442-5657
blocked::blocked::blocked::blocked::tel:(301) 442-5657
blocked::blocked::blocked::tel:(301) 442-5657
blocked::blocked::tel:(301) 442-5657
blocked::tel:(301) 442-5657"><font title="blocked::blocked::blocked::blocked::blocked::tel:(301) 442-5657
blocked::blocked::blocked::blocked::tel:(301) 442-5657
blocked::blocked::blocked::tel:(301) 442-5657
blocked::blocked::tel:(301) 442-5657" color="#0000ff">(301) 442-5657</font></a>
cell </span></b><b><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Arial','sans-serif'"> </span></b></span></b><b><span style="FONT-WEIGHT:normal;COLOR:blue;FONT-FAMILY:'Arial','sans-serif'"><a title="blocked::blocked::blocked::blocked::blocked::mailto:ialm@erols.com
blocked::blocked::blocked::blocked::mailto:ialm@erols.com
blocked::blocked::blocked::mailto:ialm@erols.com
blocked::blocked::mailto:ialm@erols.com
blocked::mailto:ialm@erols.com" href="mailto:ialm@erols.com" target="_blank"><font title="blocked::blocked::blocked::blocked::blocked::mailto:ialm@erols.com
blocked::blocked::blocked::blocked::mailto:ialm@erols.com
blocked::blocked::blocked::mailto:ialm@erols.com
blocked::blocked::mailto:ialm@erols.com" color="#0000ff">ialm@erols.com</font></a></span></b><b><span style="COLOR:blue;FONT-FAMILY:'Arial','sans-serif'"><br></span></b><b><span style="font-family:'Arial','sans-serif'">Natural and Historical
Resources Division</span></b><b><span style="font-family:'Arial','sans-serif'"><br><b><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Arial','sans-serif'">The
Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning
Commission</span></b><br></span></b><b><span style="FONT-WEIGHT:normal;COLOR:blue;FONT-FAMILY:'Arial','sans-serif'"><a title="blocked::blocked::blocked::blocked::http://www.pgparks.com/
blocked::blocked::blocked::http://www.pgparks.com/
blocked::blocked::http://www.pgparks.com/
blocked::http://www.pgparks.com/"><font title="blocked::blocked::blocked::blocked::http://www.pgparks.com/
blocked::blocked::blocked::http://www.pgparks.com/
blocked::blocked::http://www.pgparks.com/
blocked::http://www.pgparks.com/" color="#0000ff">www.pgparks.com</font></a></span></b></span></span></span></font></div></font></b></span><br><br><br></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left">
<hr>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><font face="Tahoma"><b>From:</b> Marc Imlay
[mailto:<a href="mailto:ialm@erols.com" target="_blank">ialm@erols.com</a>] <br><b>Sent:</b> Monday, February 11, 2013 10:32
PM<br><b>To:</b> '<a href="mailto:FriendsOfSligoCreek@yahoogroups.com" target="_blank">FriendsOfSligoCreek@yahoogroups.com</a>'<br><b>Subject:</b> host
specific biological controls of Japanese Stiltgrass and other non-native
invasive species.<br></font><br></div>
<div></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial"></font> </div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left" lang="en-us"><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial"><span lang="EN">-----Original Message-----</span></font></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left">
<p>From: Sierra Club Maryland Chapter,Alien Invasive [<a href="mailto:MD-CONS-INVASIVES@LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG" target="_blank"><u><font color="#0000ff"><font color="#0000ff"><span lang="EN">mailto:MD-CONS-INVASIVES@LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG</span></font></font></u></a><font><span lang="EN">] On Behalf Of Alex Binck, Stewardship Outings Intern,
Marc Imlay</span></font></p>
<p>Sent: Monday, February 11, 2013 4:00 PM</p>
<p>To: <a href="mailto:MD-CONS-INVASIVES@LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG" target="_blank">MD-CONS-INVASIVES@LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG</a></p>
<p>Subject: [MD-CONS-INVASIVES] Japanese Stiltgrass Send Out To State Senators
and Representatives</p><br>
<hr>
</div>
<div class="gmail_quote">
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="PADDING-LEFT:1ex;MARGIN:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;BORDER-LEFT:#ccc 1px solid">
<div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left">
<div></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#ff0000" size="4"><b>Please send a
request to your Senators and Representatives to restore and expand research
by the Federal goverment, including the US Department of Agriculture, on
host specific biological controls of Japanese Stiltgrass and other
non-native invasive species. The following <span>sample letter,
</span>legislative contact information<span>
and</span> background <span>information </span>can be used to
prepare your request.</b><span><font color="#0000ff"> <b><font color="#ff0000" size="4"> </font></b> </font></span></font></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff"><span></span></font></span> </div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff"><span>
<div dir="ltr" align="left" lang="en-us"><font color="#0000ff"></font> </div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><font size="3"><font color="#ff0000"><span><span><span><span style="FONT-FAMILY:garamond,times,serif"><span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT:bold"><span style="FONT-FAMILY:Arial"><span style="FONT-SIZE:small;COLOR:#0000ff;FONT-FAMILY:Arial"><span style="FONT-SIZE:11pt;COLOR:#1f497d;FONT-FAMILY:'Calibri','sans-serif'"><span><span style="FONT-SIZE:medium"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT:bold"><span><span><span lang="EN"><span style="FONT-SIZE:medium;FONT-FAMILY:Arial"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT:bold"><span><span><font color="#0000ff" size="3">Dear sir.
The Maryland <span> Chapter of the Sierra
Club </span>requests restoration and expansion of research by
the Federal goverment,
</font></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span style="FONT-FAMILY:garamond,times,serif"><span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT:bold"><span style="FONT-FAMILY:Arial"><span style="FONT-SIZE:small;COLOR:#0000ff;FONT-FAMILY:Arial"><span style="FONT-SIZE:11pt;COLOR:#1f497d;FONT-FAMILY:'Calibri','sans-serif'"><span><span style="FONT-SIZE:medium"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT:bold"><span><span><span lang="EN"><span style="FONT-SIZE:medium;FONT-FAMILY:Arial"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT:bold"><span><span><font color="#0000ff" size="3">including
the US Department of Agriculture, on host specific biological controls of
Japanese Stiltgrass and other non-native invasive species. The field
trip hikers of the <span>Sierra Club </span>remember how bad
it was this year on our outings events.</font> <font color="#0000ff"><span><font size="+0"> <font size="3">We </font></font></span><font size="3">request that the Budget
Control Act</font><font size="3"><span>s </span>of <span> 2012
and </span>201<span>3</span> not reduce the annual federal funding of
Federal R & D for biological Control research. (<a href="http://www.aaas.org/spp/rd" target="_blank">www.aaas.org/spp/rd</a>
) </font></font><font size="4"><span><font color="#0000ff"><font color="#000000" size="4"><font color="#0000ff"><font size="3"><span>Please</span>
include research for Lyme Disease <span>and Deer Tick
</span>control.</font></font> <span><font color="#0000ff"> </font></span></font></font></span></font></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></font></font></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><font size="3"><font color="#ff0000"><span><span><span><span style="FONT-FAMILY:garamond,times,serif"><span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT:bold"><span style="FONT-FAMILY:Arial"><span style="FONT-SIZE:small;COLOR:#0000ff;FONT-FAMILY:Arial"><span style="FONT-SIZE:11pt;COLOR:#1f497d;FONT-FAMILY:'Calibri','sans-serif'"><span><span style="FONT-SIZE:medium"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT:bold"><span><span><span lang="EN"><span style="FONT-SIZE:medium;FONT-FAMILY:Arial"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT:bold"><span><span><font size="4"><span><font color="#0000ff"><font color="#000000" size="4"><span> </span></font> </font></span><br>
</font></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></font></font></div></span></font></span>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><font size="3"><font color="#ff0000"><span><span><span><span style="FONT-FAMILY:garamond,times,serif"><span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT:bold"><span style="FONT-FAMILY:Arial"><span style="FONT-SIZE:small;COLOR:#0000ff;FONT-FAMILY:Arial"><span style="FONT-SIZE:11pt;COLOR:#1f497d;FONT-FAMILY:'Calibri','sans-serif'"><span><span style="FONT-SIZE:medium"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT:bold"><span><span><span lang="EN"><span style="FONT-SIZE:medium;FONT-FAMILY:Arial"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT:bold"><span><span><font size="4"><font color="#ff0000"><font size="3">BENJAMIN L. CARDIN (Democrat), <i>U.S. Senator from Maryland</i>
</font>
<p><i>Capitol Hill:</i><br>509 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC
20510<br><a href="tel:%28202%29%20224-4524" value="+12022244524" target="_blank">(202) 224-4524</a>; fax: <a href="tel:%28202%29%20224-1651" value="+12022241651" target="_blank">(202)
224-1651</a><br>web: <a href="http://www.cardin.senate.gov/" target="_blank">www.cardin.senate.gov</a> </p>
<p></p>BARBARA A. MIKULSKI (Democrat), <i>U.S. Senator from Maryland</i>
<p><i>Capitol Hill:</i><br>Hart Senate Office Building, Suite 503,
Washington, DC 20510 - 2003<br><a href="tel:%28202%29%20224-4654" value="+12022244654" target="_blank">(202) 224-4654</a>; fax: <a href="tel:%28202%29%20224-8858" value="+12022248858" target="_blank">(202) 224-8858</a>; tdd:
<a href="tel:%28202%29%20224-5223" value="+12022245223" target="_blank">(202) 224-5223</a><br>web: <a href="http://www.mikulski.senate.gov/" target="_blank">www.mikulski.senate.gov</a> </p>ANDREW P. HARRIS, M.D.
(Republican), <i>U.S. Representative, 1st Congressional District</i> (Cecil,
Kent, Queen Anne's, Caroline, Talbot, Dorchester, Wicomico, Worcester &
Somerset counties; & parts of Anne Arundel, Baltimore & Harford
counties), Maryland
<p><i>Capitol Hill:</i><br>506 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC
20515<br><a href="tel:%28202%29%20225-5311" value="+12022255311" target="_blank">(202) 225-5311</a>; fax: <a href="tel:%28202%29%20225-0254" value="+12022250254" target="_blank">(202) 225-0254</a><br>web: <a href="http://harris.house.gov/" target="_blank">http://harris.house.gov</a>
</p>C. A. DUTCH RUPPERSBERGER III (Democrat), <i>U.S. Representative, 2nd
Congressional District</i> (parts of Anne Arundel, Baltimore & Harford
counties, & Baltimore City), Maryland.
<p><i>Capitol Hill:</i><br>2453 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington,
DC 20515 - 2002<br><a href="tel:%28202%29%20225-3061" value="+12022253061" target="_blank">(202) 225-3061</a>, toll free: <a href="tel:1-800-877-8339" value="+18008778339" target="_blank">1-800-877-8339</a> (voice/tty);
fax: <a href="tel:%28202%29%20225-3094" value="+12022253094" target="_blank">(202) 225-3094</a><br>web: <a href="http://dutch.house.gov/" target="_blank">http://dutch.house.gov</a> <br></p>
<p>JOHN P. SARBANES (Democrat), <i>U.S. Representative, 3rd Congressional
District</i> (parts of Anne Arundel, Baltimore & Howard counties, &
Baltimore City), Maryland </p>
<p><i>Capitol Hill:</i><br>2444 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington,
DC 20515<br><a href="tel:%28202%29%20225-4016" value="+12022254016" target="_blank">(202) 225-4016</a>; fax: <a href="tel:%28202%29%20225-9219" value="+12022259219" target="_blank">(202) 225-9219</a><br>web: <a href="http://sarbanes.house.gov/" target="_blank">http://sarbanes.house.gov</a></p>
<p><br>DONNA F. EDWARDS (Democrat)<br><i>U.S. Representative, 4th
Congressional District</i> (parts of Prince George's & Montgomery
counties), Maryland </p>
<p><i>Capitol Hill:</i><br>318 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC
20515<br><a href="tel:%28202%29%20225-8699" value="+12022258699" target="_blank">(202) 225-8699</a>; fax: <a href="tel:%28202%29%20225-8714" value="+12022258714" target="_blank">(202) 225-8714</a><br>web: <a href="http://donnaedwards.house.gov/" target="_blank">http://donnaedwards.house.gov/</a></p>
<p><br>STENY H. HOYER (Democrat), <i>U.S. Representative, 5th Congressional
District</i> (Calvert, Charles & St. Mary's counties, & parts of
Anne Arundel & Prince George's counties), Maryland. </p>
<p><i>Capitol Hill:</i><br>1705 Longworth House Office Building, Washington,
DC 20515<br><a href="tel:%28202%29%20225-4131" value="+12022254131" target="_blank">(202) 225-4131</a>; fax: <a href="tel:%28202%29%20225-4300" value="+12022254300" target="_blank">(202) 225-4300</a><br>web: <a href="http://hoyer.house.gov/" target="_blank">http://hoyer.house.gov</a></p>
<p><br>JOHN K. DELANEY (Democrat), <i>U.S. Representative, 6th Congressional
District</i> (Allegany, Garrett & Washington counties, & parts of
Frederick & Montgomery counties), Maryland. </p>
<p><i>Capitol Hill:</i><br></p>
<p>1632 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 - 2006<br></p>
<p><a href="tel:%28202%29%20225-2721" value="+12022252721" target="_blank">(202) 225-2721</a>; fax: <a href="tel:%28202%29%20225-2193" value="+12022252193" target="_blank">(202) 225-2193</a><br></p>
<p>web: <a href="http://delaney.house.gov/" target="_blank">http://delaney.house.gov</a></p>
<p>ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS (Democrat), <i>U.S. Representative, 7th Congressional
District</i> (parts of Baltimore City, & Baltimore & Howard
counties), Maryland </p>
<p><i>Capitol Hill:</i><br>2235 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington,
DC 20515<br><a href="tel:%28202%29%20225-4741" value="+12022254741" target="_blank">(202) 225-4741</a>; fax: <a href="tel:%28202%29%20225-3178" value="+12022253178" target="_blank">(202) 225-3178</a><br>web: <a href="http://www.house.gov/cummings/" target="_blank">www.house.gov/cummings/</a></p>
<p><br>CHRISTOPHER VAN HOLLEN, JR. (Democrat), <i>U.S. Representative, 8th
Congressional District</i> (parts of Montgomery & Prince George's
counties), Maryland. </p>
<p><i>Capitol Hill:</i><br>1707 Longworth House Office Building, Washington,
DC 20515<br><a href="tel:%28202%29%20225-5341" value="+12022255341" target="_blank">(202) 225-5341</a>; fax: <a href="tel:%28202%29%20225-0375" value="+12022250375" target="_blank">(202) 225-0375</a><br>web: <a href="http://vanhollen.house.gov/" target="_blank">http://vanhollen.house.gov</a>
</p></font></font></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></font></font><b><font color="#0000ff"></font></b><b><font color="#0000ff"></font></b><b><font color="#0000ff"></font></b><b><font color="#0000ff"></font></b><br>
<font size="4"><b>Let's facilitate restoration and expansion of research by the
Federal goverment, including US Department of Agriculture, on host specific
biological controls of Japanese Stiltgrass and other non-native invasive
species. </b><font color="#1f497d"><b>The field trip hikers of
the </b><span><font color="#0000ff"><b><font color="#1f497d" size="4">Sierra
Club</font></b> </font></span><b>remember how bad it was this year
on our outings events. </b></font></font><font size="4"><b>Now is a good
time to request that the Budget Control Act</b><span><font color="#0000ff"><font color="#000000" size="4"><b>s</b></font> </font></span><b>of </b><span><font color="#0000ff"> <b><font color="#000000" size="4">2012 and
</font></b></font></span><b>201<span><font color="#0000ff"><font color="#000000" size="4">3</font></font></span> not reduce the annual federal funding of
Federal R & D for biological Control research. (<a href="http://www.aaas.org/spp/rd" target="_blank">www.aaas.org/spp/rd</a>
) </b></font><font size="4"><span><font color="#0000ff"> <b><font color="#000000" size="4"> </font></b> </font></span><br><br><br><b>Japanese
Stiltgrass has destroyed 10% of our natural environment in our region
according to the surveys done by the National Park Service several years
ago. We have been removing it at many of our preservation sites so that
native plants, and the animals that depend on them, can recolonize in
infested areas once a native or host specific non-native biological control
arrives. Unfortunately, climate change has made routine control of Japanese
Stiltgrass several times more difficult this year. Normally we remove it in
late July and come back in late August for late emergents and it takes
10-20% of the effort for the second treatment by hand pulling or spraying of
monocultures. Now an equal amount of stiltgrass comes back to treat
because of the long hot Summers. Stiltgrass has been observed to cover
much</b><span><font color="#0000ff"><b><font color="#000000" size="4">,</font></b> </font></span><b> much more than 10% of our
habitats in our region. <br><br><br> Our tool kit for
successful control of non-native invasive plants includes preventing new
invasive species from coming in from Europe, Asia, and other continents,
manual removal, the use of carefully targeted herbicides, and host specific
biological controls. <br><br>Non-native invasive plants are covering
all our natural areas in the region. The quantity of native plants and
animals replaced by competition with non-native species is greater than that
lost from all other causes except direct development in our terrestrial
habitats and water pollution in our aquatic habitats.<br><br>Non-native
invasive species of plants such as English Ivy, Japanese Stiltgrass and
Kudzu are covering the natural areas that we in the conservation movement
have worked so hard to protect from habitat destruction, erosion and water
pollution. Just as we are making progress on wetlands, stream bank
stabilization, and endangered species, these plants from other parts of the
world have typically covered 20-90% of the surface area of our forests,
streams and meadows. Many of us feel demoralized and powerless to combat
these invaders that have few natural herbivores or other controls. A typical
park is 50-500 acres and has over a hundred species of native plants let
alone the hundreds of native species of insects, mushrooms, snails,
reptiles, mammals and birds that depend upon the plants prior to being
covered by monocultures of 5-10 alien species.<br><br><br>One of our most
productive</b><span><font color="#0000ff"> </font></span><b>activities to
save our natural areas is to facilitate research that will make host
specific biological controls available. Insects that consume the non-native
invasive plant species can substitute for the controls where the species
came from in the world. Of the 15 top non-native invasive plant species in
the mid-Atlantic region three (Purple Loosestrife, Mile-a-minute and Garlic
Mustard) now have one or two non-native insects or fungi that feed on them
although the permit request for garlic mustard has not been approved yet.
They were brought over after being tested for host specificity in Eurasia
and then tested in quarantine conditions in the United States. Typically,
about 50 such bio-control agents control these species in their native
countries so if one or two can control them here that is amazing. In
actuality, bio-controls work about half the time reducing the invasive
species to about 10% of its former abundance. The problem of bio-controls
harming non-target organisms is only about 3% as frequent as before the new
rules of proving host specificity went into affect about 20 years ago.
Native and indigenous biocontrols are also searched for in the range of the
non-native invasive species in America. <br><br>Success stories include
a native viral pathogen (rose-rosette disease), which is spread by a tiny
native mite, Rose-rosette disease, native to the western
U.S.,</b><span><font color="#0000ff"> <font color="#000000" size="4"><b>that
</b></font></font></span><b>has been spreading eastwardly at a slow pace and
is thought to hold the potential for eliminating multiflora rose in areas
where it grows in dense patches. Tree of Heaven is an invasive non-native
plant and is considered one of the top ten weeds in North America for about
200 years. A law passed in the 19th centuary makes it illegal to plant it in
Washington</b><span><font color="#0000ff"><b><font color="#000000" size="4">,</font></b></font></span><b> DC. A mixture of field and laboratory
research shows that native and indigenous biocontrols from the new Southern
part of the range are available. The insects consist of Aculops
ailanthii and Atteva punctella with various fusarium fungi
co-hosts. </b></font><br><br clear="all"><br>--
<br></div></div></div></div></blockquote></div>
<p>
</p><hr>
<p></p><br>_______________________________________________<br>PCA's Alien
Plant Working Group mailing
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requests, advice or opinions posted to this list reflect ONLY the opinion of
the individual posting the message.
<p>
</p><hr>
<p></p><a></a>
<p color="#000000" align="left">No virus found in this
message.<br>Checked by AVG - <a href="http://www.avg.com" target="_blank">www.avg.com</a><br>Version: 10.0.1430 / Virus
Database: 2639/5599 - Release Date: 02/12/13</p><p></p><p></p></blockquote></div>
</blockquote></div><br>
</div>