Guest Article - Be a Hero - Transport Zero Campaign

Illinois is full of dedicated people and innovative ideas for addressing invasive species. From time to time, this blog is going to host guest articles in which the stories about some of these people, projects, or ideas are told. The next article in this series comes from Sarah Zack, with Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant and the Illinois Natural History Survey.  Sarah writes here about the Be a Hero-Transport Zero campaign.  All of the guest articles can be viewed HERE.

Be a hero – help prevent the spread of invaders in Illinois!

by Sarah Zack, Aquatic Invasive Species Specialist

Some of Illinois’ greatest natural treasures are Lake Michigan and the many inland lakes and rivers.  These waters are home for hundreds of fish, invertebrate, waterfowl and plant species, and they provide recreational opportunities and beautiful natural vistas for the people of Illinois to enjoy.  Illinois’ waters also provide a significant boost to our economy, since aquatic recreation is a favorite pastime of people all over the state.  Most people are probably already aware that invasive species – non-native plants, animals, or pathogens that cause harm to natural areas – have long been recognized as a serious economic and environmental threat.  Aquatic invasive species (AIS) can severely impede some of our favorite outdoor activities – Asian carp in the Illinois River can make waterskiing impossible, Eurasian watermilfoil infestations can choke waterways and make swimming difficult, round gobies can decimate smallmouth bass and crappie recruitment; the list goes on and on. In general, people are well aware of the potential negative impacts of AIS in their waterways, but what people don’t always know is that they can make a real difference in the fight against these aquatic invaders. 

Figure 1: Recreational water user equipment can easily transport aquatic invasive species such as zebra mussels.

In collaboration with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant and the Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) launched Be a Hero-Transport Zero™, a statewide outreach campaign designed to raise awareness of AIS prevention.  

Figure 2: The campaign logo for Be a Hero-Transport Zero™.

The target of this campaign is recreation­al water users – boaters, anglers, waterfowl hunters, and others who enjoy Illinois’ waters – who might unknow­ingly spread these species from one body of water to another. When people trailer their boats or move their gear after a day on the wa­ter, they may be carrying AIS that could acciden­tally be introduced into a new waterbody.  The campaign message emphasizes three simple actions to help pre­vent this from happening—remove plants, animals, and mud from all equipment, drain all water from your boat and gear, and dry everything thoroughly with a towel. 

Figure 3: Television commercial promoting the Be A Hero-Transport Zero™ campaign.

Since its widespread release in May 2013, Be a Hero-Transport Zero™ has reached an impressive number of people in Illinois:

• Via in-person events like talks to fishing clubs, booths at boat shows, and the Clean Boats Crew program, over 11,000 recreational water users have been exposed to AIS issues and the ways in which they can prevent the introduction and spread of AIS.
• Television commercials, print ads in Outdoor Illinois News, radio spots statewide on WGN and CBS radio, and online advertising on the Chicago Tribune, NBCSports, and WGN websites resulted in over 150 million exposures to the campaign message.
• The campaign website had over 7,000 visitors, which tells us that many people are motivated to learn more about how they can help prevent the spread of AIS.

A recent survey conducted by INHS’s Human Dimensions Research Program indicated that the Be A Hero-Transport Zero™ campaign is effective.  Nearly 90% of those surveyed could correctly interpret the AIS prevention message represented by the logo.  Even more promising is the fact that people who had previously seen or heard the campaign message were significantly more likely to always remove and drain.  These data are very encouraging, and indicate that the public is getting the message that their actions are important in the fight against AIS.

This campaign is designed to address the spread of invasive species on land as well.  The Be a Hero-Transport Zero™ logo has also been adapted for terrestrial invasive plants (such as garlic mustard) and forest pests (such as the emerald ash borer).  Ultimately, Be A Hero-Transport Zero™ will convey a unify­ing message to anyone who boats, hikes, camps, fishes, or hunts in Illinois that invasive species aren’t good for Illinois’ economy or environment and that their actions can and do make a difference.  As the campaign pro­gresses, look for the Be A Hero-Transport Zero™ mes­sage at trailheads, on signage, and in hunting guides and pamphlets at natural areas throughout the state.

Figure 4: The complete set of “Be a Hero” AIS prevention campaign logos.  From left to right: aquatic transport. terrestrial transport, and release.

To round out our efforts, and truly make “Be a Hero” Illinois’ comprehensive invasive species campaign, we’re also gearing up to launch Be a Hero-Release Zero™.  This expansion of the campaign introduces water gardeners, aquarium hobbyists, and others who buy and sell species to safe alternatives to disposing of unwanted plants and animals.  Releasing plants and animals into nearby waterways might seem like a humane way to deal with the goldfish that’s outgrown his tank or the plants that have spread too thickly in your water garden, but this action could be unknowingly spreading invaders from one waterbody into another.  The Be a Hero-Release Zero™ message encourages gardeners and hobbyists to instead bag and place plants in the trash, find a new home for animals (or seek advice on humane disposal), and disinfect or properly dispose of water.

For more information about the Be a Hero-Transport Zero campaign, visit our website at transportzero.org.  Look for information about prevention tips for hikers, campers, and other recreationists, as well as information about the Release Zero campaign coming soon.

Sarah Zack is an aquatic invasive species specialist with Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant and the Illinois Natural History Survey. Please check out the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant website  for information about aquatic invasive species in Illinois, or contact Sarah at szack@illinois.edu for more information

Is Stiltgrass Killing our Toads? Yes, but indirectly.

Japanese stiltgrass infestation

Invasive plant impacts on native plant species and on community structure is well documented.  Invasive plants direct-impacts on native wildlife through reduction in forage availability is also fairly straightforward.  What is less understood is the more complex indirect-impacts on wildlife from invasion by exotic plant species.

We've discussed these types of indirect-impacts to wildlife from invasive plants here on this blog several times.  Buckthorn infestations alter the distribution and movement patterns of predators, contributing to the decline of amphibians in the upper Midwest LINK.  Bush honeysuckle can change the competition balance in amphibians, leading to dominance by one native species, to the detriment of many other species LINK.  Invasive plants of prairies, such as knapweed and leafy spurge, alter the habitat structure in such a way that promotes increased web building by native spiders, leading to a trophic cascade that impacts native flora and fauna by throwing everything out of balance LINK.  In a presentation at this year's Illinois Invasive Species Symposium, Dr. Matt Allender indicated that the reduction in habitat quality from invasive plant species could be contributing to the decline in health and wellness for box turtles, which makes them more susceptible to diseases LINK.

Of course, sometimes our native wildlife can facilitate invasive plants, as is the case with deer and garlic mustard LINK.

A recent article published in the journal Ecology brought to light evidence that Japanes stiltgrass is indirectly leading to increased mortality of young toads.  Worse yet, this indirect impact is greatest felt in forests, a preferred habitat for young toads and traditionally a stronghold for survivorship.  Now habitat that once was a source, could be a sink.

So how and why is this happening?  Basically stiltgrass infestations are superb habitat for wolf spiders and wolf spiders are super predators and they love to eat young toads.  So more stiltgrass = more wolf spiders = less toads.  A press release published in Science Daily (LINK) elaborates:

Spiders are incredible predators, Maerz explained, and they eat everything -- even other spiders. That typically keeps spider populations in check, Maerz said, but Japanese stiltgrass is "kind of like a tall shag carpet," and it provides the cannibalistic spiders refuge from one another. The accumulation of large, predatory spiders in these invaded habitats then results in higher mortality for small toads that have recently emerged from wetlands... spider densities were 33 percent higher and toad survival decreased by 65 percent... with the presence of stiltgrass. The presence of stiltgrass alone, in the absence of spiders, did not affect toad survival.  "Spiders are actually tremendously important and incredibly abundant predators on the forest floor, and they will eat many of the small species that live there, so this effect is unlikely to only influence toads,"

This research made the cover of the journal Ecology and for good reason!  Just to notice and speculate about this type of interaction is impressive enough, but then to design a study that teases out other impacts and clearly demonstrates this important impact and result from invasion is admirable. 

The citation for the research is:

Jayna L. DeVore, John C. Maerz. Grass invasion increases top-down pressure on an amphibian via structurally mediated effects on an intraguild predator. Ecology, 2014; 95 (7): 1724

Amphibians, as a suite of species, are in global decline. This trend holds true here in Illinois as well. Water pollution, climate change, and habitat loss are all contributing to this decline and now we are starting to understand that invasive plants not only impact forage availablity for wildlife but, in addition, can cause much more complex changes to invaded areas that are not as easy to understand or mitigate.  We need more research like this.  We need to understand these impacts, just to allow us to be able to prioritize our control efforts and develop practices and protocols to better manage our native wildlife.

Illinois Stop the Spread = Planting Success

Story by Jennifer Behnken

     Earlier this year, the Callery pear (also known as Bradford pear) was featured as a potentially problematic tree for land managers and residents alike. This ornamental pear species is escaping into the wild and potentially becoming an invasive species. This problem is occurring across the state of Illinois, even as ornamental pear species are continuing to be used as a landscape plant along streets, sidewalks, businesses, and residential lands. The need for high maintenance pruning combined with Callery pear's short life span and proneness to splitting indicates increased frequency in tree replacement and potential strain on city tree management budgets.

     Many partnering organizations have united to bring awareness to these issues and establish the Illinois Stop the Spread! campaign. This campaign, adopted from Missouri's efforts, will provide a positive solution to the problem of the Callery pear by identifying and promoting available species of native trees which consumers, landscapers, and city planners may select as alternatives. These alternative native species were planted and displayed for all to see in a community demonstration area at Attucks Park and Green Earth, Inc. Pyles Fork Preserve in Carbondale, Illinois.

Jennifer Behnken, SIU Urban and Community Forestry Coordinator welcoming volunteers

Demonstrating the correct
planting technique

     The day of the planting arrived with warm weather, blue skies, and eager volunteers. Approximately twenty-five people took time out of their busy schedules to participate in our planting event. Volunteers included forestry students from Southern Illinois University, Green Earth members, local residents, and Illinois Stop the Spread! partners. The event started with a welcome and description of the campaign's objectives followed by a tree planting demonstration and overview of proper planting methods provided by Jennifer Behnken, SIU Urban and Community Forestry Coordinator. Volunteers then strapped on their gloves, grabbed a shovel, and immediately set to work. Although the ground was saturated from a previous rain event, everyone sunk their shovels in the soggy clay soil and put their backs into it. Each tree was planted with thoughtful efforts, grunts, and smiles.

     Randy Montgomery, the grounds supervisor from Carbondale Park District, watered the trees, thanks to a watering tank donated by Nancy Garwood from the Illinois Native Plant Society. The volunteer crew set to work hauling woodchips to the trees, donated by a local tree service. A caravan of wheelbarrows traveled back and forth from the woodchip pile with Jesse Riechman, coordinator of the Southeastern Illinois Prescribed Burn Association and chair of the Illinois Chapter of the Society of American Foresters, taking the lead with his ATV and trailer. Thanks to those who photographed our event, including Karla Gage, Coordinator of the River to River Cooperative Weed Management Area, and Lisa Thomas, Green Earth volunteer. Thanks also to Nathan Speagle from Green Earth, for providing a free lunch and refreshments to nourish the bodies of hard-working volunteers!

     All in all, thirty-seven trees of fifteen different species were planted. Their container sizes ranged from 3-gallon to 20-gallon, hence the need for individuals with strong muscles and backs. To visit the planting, please visit Attucks Park at 800 N. Wall St. in Carbondale, Illinois. This is a volunteer project and as such, we are asking for your help. Please consider donating to Green Earth Inc. to supplement our efforts (visit greenearthinc.org). Funds will be used to offset costs of printing outreach materials which will be free to the public, as well as materials for tree maintenance, such as fertilizer and mulch. Even one dollar can go a long way; all support is greatly appreciated!

     Stay tuned for the next planting installment in the fall to include more native tree and shrub species and interpretive signage implementation in May 2015. Many heartfelt thanks to those that have made this project possible! We hope it serves as a template to generate grassroots efforts towards deterring the spread of Callery (Bradford) pear trees and the beginning of a statewide awareness program. Consider alternatives to plant in your backyard and help Illinois Stop the Spread!

"Illinois Stop the Spread local partners, to date, are: Carbondale Park District, Green Earth, Inc., Illinois Forestry Association, Illinois Native Plant Society, the Illinois Wildlife Action Plan - Invasive Species Campaign, Keep Carbondale Beautiful, the River to River Cooperative Weed Management Area, Shawnee Resource Conservation and Development Area, Inc., Southern Illinois University Carbondale, the Society of American Foresters, and the University of Illinois Extension."

Guest Article - Southern Illinois University Carbondale's Community Forestry Outreach

Illinois is full of dedicated people and innovative ideas for addressing invasive species. From time to time, this blog is going to host guest articles in which the stories about some of these people, projects, or ideas are told. The next article in this series comes from Jennifer Behnken, Urban and Community Forester with the Community Forestry Outreach Program at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.  Jennifer writes here about the Community Forestry Outreach Program and how it addresses invasive species in Illinois. All of the guest articles can be viewed HERE.

Southern Illinois University Carbondale's Community Forestry Outreach
by Jennifer Behnken, Urban and Community Forester

Forest planning and management are instrumental in monitoring conditions, taking stock of species age and composition, and making informed decisions toward reaching specified goals and objectives. Urban forestry is an vital element of landscaping planning, yet commonly overlooked by municipality members. In some ways, trees in an urban landscape have greater positive impacts and direct benefits since populated areas are usually subject to harsher environmental conditions.

Urban forestry includes all trees in municipal settings, including parks, schools, cemeteries, right-of-ways (or street trees), trees around businesses, and trees right in your own backyard. Trees do not understand property boundaries between public and private sectors and thus, generate benefits to all members of a community, either directly or indirectly. Additionally, trees are an essential component to a community's green infrastructure by providing a variety of ecosystem services and deserve a planned and programmatic approach to an urban forest's development and maintenance.

Trees provide a wide variety of benefits, serving a valuable function within society. These benefits are broken down into three categories: (1) environmental, (2) social, and (3) economical. Environmentally, trees are an excellent water and air filtration unit. They uptake additional stormwater runoff as well as assist in erosion control, especially in disturbed, non-vegetated soils. They sequester carbon, regulate temperatures with their shade and reduce the heat island effect. Trees supply food, shelter, and homes to urban wildlife and serve as corridor through fragmented areas.

Socially, trees encourage community interaction through increased recreational and educational opportunities and connectivity to the outdoors. They provide a sense of privacy (e.g. wind break), decrease in criminal activity, and promote a sense of peace. Studies show that people are less stressed when exposed to trees and recovery times from health concerns are decreased. Overall, trees improve the image of a community. Economically, tree serve as an attractant to local tourism and job creation. Businesses with trees potentially generate more revenue as well as increase property values. Their regulating temperatures save power and decrease utility bills while increased water uptake decreases stress on stormwater systems.

While budget allocations need to be established for tree care, maintenance, and management, trees remain a valuable asset in a community. Increased efficiency and tree longevity in the long-term equal reduced costs. Southern Illinois University Carbondale's Community Forestry Outreach provides free assistance to communities throughout the state of Illinois to reach these types of urban forestry goals. This assistance can help communities move towards sustainable management of their urban forests, despite limited personnel and financial resources. Participation and implementation of effective tree management practices empowers communities to promote urban forest health and awareness and encourages volunteer efforts. Adapting management techniques and long-term maintenance ensures that community receive the full benefits of trees while supporting other planning goals in sync with the community's vision.


SIUC Community Forestry Outreach
Tree Planting Seminar

 SIUC Community Forestry Outreach helps municipalities develop and establish urban forestry practices by assisting with management plans (i.e. pruning, planting, removal, monitoring, etc.), conducting tree inventories, forming tree boards, drafting tree ordinances, organizing volunteer events, such as tree plantings, hosting educational seminars and events, and presenting workshops addressing a variety of urban forestry topics. Promoting the "right tree in the right place" and generating awareness endorses efficient management methods while supporting tree health and vitality, thereby connecting communities with their urban forests.

Invasive species management is a essential factor of urban forestry management. Just like the trees, invasive species know no boundaries between property jurisdictions. Urban settings are also prime areas of disturbance between construction projects, street maintenance, mowing, and other digging practices in parks and backyards, making them ground zero and ripe for invasive species habitat. Additionally, many invasive species originate from ornamentals that are commonly planted in urban landscapes (if not already prohibited to sell or plant). Other pests, such as the Emerald Ash Borer, take advantage of our native trees, such as ash trees, by using them as hosting grounds, wreaking havoc to the ash population in the process.

Outreach efforts bring to light invasive species impacts, including their ecological and economical consequences. Public presentations and publications empower people to identify these species, eradicate existing populations, and consider other planting decisions that support native habitats, or at least non-invasive exotics. Ash tagging is one example of rallying citizens into emerald ash borer awareness. Ash trees are tagged to demonstrate ash tree inventory in proportion to other tree species and the amount of risk that a community faces in losing tree canopy coverage once the emerald ash borer attacks an area. The dialogue below is an example of signage that would be posted on ash tree:

__________________________________

Alert: This is an ash tree!

It is one of 7.5 billion ash trees throughout the country and many ash trees in Pittsfield. All ash trees in Illinois are at risk of an emerald ash borer attack. The emerald ash borer (EAB) is a beetle that bores under the bark of ash trees and eventually kills them.

Many communities in the Midwest have lost hundreds or even thousands of ash trees because of the beetle. EAB was discovered in northern Illinois in 2006. EAB has not yet been identified in Pittsfield but is expected to arrive very soon. The Pittsfield Tree Board, with the help of high school students, is tagging all ash trees on public property to raise awareness in the community about EAB and the destruction it causes.

How can you help? 

• Don’t move firewood - This will help slow the spread of the beetle.
• Spread the word. Tell your neighbors and friends about EAB.
• Determine if you have ash trees in your yard or on your block.
• Keep an eye on the news, so you can learn when EAB does arrive.



Ash Tagging



___________________________________

 The goal is to institute a grassroots awareness and eventually administer these suggestions into city-wide planning. Tree planting lists in city ordinances is an example of how municipalities enforce tree planting regulations. Cities develop a list of tree species approved for public right-of-way plantings, such as oak, dogwood, redbud, hawthorn, maple, bald cypress, kentucky coffeetree, and other native species while banning other species, such as bradford pear, tree-of-heaven, and princess tree.

Another project in action is developing a demonstration plot of native tree species to employ as alternatives to callery pear (mother of the bradford or cleveland pear trees). This particular species is widely overused in landscaping for its desirable shape and spring flowers. While bradford pear trees were bred to be sterile, cross pollination with other callery pear cultivars has allowed this species to escape and form infestations. Our goal with this demonstration plot is to show consumers and city planners there are other viable options that are environmentally friendly and still have comparable prices for private and public budgets. Origins of this idea stem from a successful program and demonstration area in Columbia, MO in with the Parks and Recreation division and the Missouri Department of Conservation: http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/ParksandRec/Parks_and_Facilities/stopthespread.php

The demonstration plot will be planted in conjunction with the Carbondale Parks District at Attucks Park and Green Earth at the Pyles Fork Preserve, a non-profit organization in Carbondale whose mission is to preserve natural areas for public use within the city. While the project is still in development, other partners include the Illinois Native Plant Society, University of Illinois Extension, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, River to River Cooperative Weed Management Area, and Illinois Department of Natural Resources. We are seeking tree and planting material (e.g. mulch) donations and recruiting volunteers to help with the actual planting. Signage will be placed at a later date with information about the effects of planting callery pear cultivars, the benefits of choosing the alternative species on display, and a description about trees themselves.

First Detector students learning about invasive ornamental plants

For further information about discovering how community trees work for you, visit http://www.treebenefits.com/calculator/. Test the environmental and economical value of your tree by visiting this site to obtain an estimation of its benefits on annual basis. Do your part by monitoring for invasive species encroachment, maintain a healthy and productive forest, and plant trees!

Additional Resources:

http://www.vtfpr.org/urban/for_urbcomm.cfm
http://www.planning.org/research/forestry/
http://ufmptoolkit.com/
http://www.fs.fed.us/openspace/webinars.html

Jennifer Behnken
Urban & Community Forester
Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Guest Article - River to River Cooperative Weed Management Area

Illinois is full of dedicated people and innovative ideas for addressing invasive species. From time to time, this blog is going to host guest articles in which the stories about some of these people, projects, or ideas are told. The next article in this series comes from Karla Gage with the River to River Cooperative Weed Management Area.  All of the guest articles can be viewed HERE.

River to River Cooperative Weed Management Area – a partnership in southern Illinois to manage invasive plants

by Karla Gage

The River to River Cooperative Weed Management Area (CWMA) is a partnership between 13 federal and state agencies, organizations, and universities aimed at coordinating efforts and programs for addressing the threat of invasive plants in southern Illinois. Southern Illinois is a unique region in Illinois. Most of the region exists directly south of the southernmost extent of glaciation, and so it contains un-glaciated topographical features, such as hills, canyons, and rocky outcroppings, as well as numerous lakes and wetlands. The regional habitat diversity yields a high level of biological diversity. The area of the CWMA includes the southern eleven counties of Illinois (Image 1), which includes three Conservation Opportunity Areas, a National Forest, three National Wildlife Refuges, 15 state Parks, 22 State Natural Areas, nine NGO conservation areas, and thousands of acres of conservation easements.

In almost 2.5 million acres of land, southern Illinois boasts almost 2,100 species of flowering plants, 500 more species than the Great Smokey Mountains National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, or any other national park. Southern Illinois has 107 records of state threatened and endangered plant species (Illinois Natural Heritage Database 2008). However, the species diversity and high-quality natural areas in southern Illinois are threatened by invasive species. It is estimated that 62% of the Species in Greatest Need of Conservation are directly threatened by invasive species in the state of Illinois (Illinois Wildlife Action Plan - Invasive Species Campaign). Invasive species degrade wildlife habitat and compete with native species for moisture, sunlight, nutrients, and space, and many have the ability to alter ecosystem properties, such as nutrient cycling and the presence of soil microbes, on which native plants may rely. In addition, these invasive plants may directly impact our lives through degraded water quality, increased soil erosion, and limits to recreation.

The CWMA was formally established in 2006 as a project of the Shawnee Resource Conservation and Development Area, Inc., and is grant funded and projects-based. Since the CWMA began, the organization has brought about $900,000 to the region for invasive species work (through grants from National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, National Forest Foundation, Boat U.S. Foundation, NRCS – Conservation Innovation Grant, USFS State & Private Forestry, State Wildlife Preservation Fund Grants, State Conservation Grants, Participatory Agreements and Challenge Cost-shares, State Wildlife Grants, and others) and reached almost 6,000 audience members through more than 100 presentations. The CWMA has produced numerous outreach publications (Image 2), and makes these available on the website (www.rtrcwma.org), which has had over 300,000 hits in three years. Through the work of the CWMA approximately 5,000 acres of land in southern Illinois has been managed for invasive plants. Through collaboration and facilitating communication among our 13 partners, we address all issues related to terrestrial and aquatic invasive plant species, while focusing on:

• Education / Public Awareness
• Early Detection and Rapid Response (EDRR)
• Prevention
• Control and Management
• Research

We attempt to create our projects so that they complement each other, creating a foundation for long-term success. We foster participation between our partners, while engaging new stakeholders and private land owners. Some examples of new and ongoing projects are…

Publications & Research: We recently received an Illinois Wildlife Preservation Fund Grant to create a companion guide to our “Invasive Plants of Southern Illinois” publication. The companion will highlight 28 species and give control recommendations. This will be used in trainings and will also be publicly available for free.

We have ongoing herbicide efficacy trials for new herbicide technology from Dow AgroSciences, using a mixture of aminopyralid and triclopyr to control Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii), autumn olive (Eleagnus umbellata), and Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) in low-volume basal bark applications. Our test plots for this trial will double as demonstration plots for educational workshops.

In collaboration with Dr. Andrew West from Ozark Koala Ecosystem Services, we are establishing a long term comparative study of plant community effects after autumn olive removal with heavy machinery as compared to targeted control with herbicides. We expect a difference in the recruitment of new autumn olive plants as well as native species between the treatments as a result of the high level of disturbance associated with mechanical removal.

Additionally, we have conducted a seed bank analysis of soil samples from 26 boot brushes at trail heads within the Shawnee National Forest to examine the efficacy of boot brushes at removing invasive plant seeds (Image 3). This study was led by Southern Illinois graduate, Misty Dodd, who plans to publish these data in the scientific literature.

EDRR: We host regular training sessions to help businesses, organizations, and private land owners learn to recognize invasive species on the land they manage. As part of these trainings, participants have the opportunity to learn how to report new sightings by entering data into the national public database EDDMaps. This summer we will continue to survey for purple loosestrife in the Ohio River Basin watershed, a project with the Central Hardwoods Invasive Plant Network, while also monitoring for Japanese chaff flower. We also plan to continue our yearly aquatic boat ramp surveys.

Additionally, our CWMA has joined forces with several other organizations in an effort led by the Northeast Illinois Invasive Plant Partnership (NIIPP) to create the Hydrilla Task Force. Hydrilla verticillata is an aquatic weed that is extremely difficult to eradicate once established. Hydrilla has not been found in Illinois yet but is nearby, and could be devastating to the ecology of the region’s abundant natural lakes and streams. The Hydrilla Task Force seeks to educate the public about Hydrilla through the Hydrilla Hunt! Program (Image 4), in the hope of detecting infestations early so there may be immediate management. Please see the website http://www.niipp.net/hydrilla/ for more information.

Education & Awareness: Through several events, such as the Conference on Invasion Biology, Ecology, and Management, Stewardship Week at the Dixon Springs Agricultural Center, the Gallatin County Soil and Water Conservation District Mini-Fair, Cache River Nature Fest, and garlic mustard awareness and control events, NRCS Field Day, the Garden Clubs of Illinois State Summer Convention, and the Goods From Your Woods Forest Consortium Workshop, we estimate to have reached almost 1,000 people (half in K – 7th grade) since January.

Control & Management: We have an ongoing project, funded through State and Private Forestry to survey and map bush honeysuckle infestations and prioritize control of Amur honeysuckle. We have aerially mapped over 5,000 acres at the Trail of Tears State Forest and ground-truthed these data with volunteers. We are now assisting private land owners in control efforts. We expect to reach almost 250 acres of private lands management with this project. Through the SIU Center for Ecology, we hosted an intern during the spring semester, Austen Slone, who was able to manage almost half of the documented infestation at Trail of Tears State Forest. The remaining control work will be carried out by the Southern Illinois Invasive Strike Team. The Nature Conservancy has received two more years of funding for the Strike Team, which will address invasive species across multiple agencies’ lands, starting in late 2013.

We also continue to maintain the CWMA community equipment bank to assist land owners in control, and we regularly host control events on public and private lands. This spring at one of our garlic mustard pull events, led by Rob Stroh, volunteers were able to remove 32 – 30 gallon garbage bags of garlic mustard from a priority conservation site at Giant City State Park (Image 5).

We are grateful to all of our partners (USDA Forest Service, Shawnee National Forest; the Illinois Department of Natural Resources; the USDI, Fish and Wildlife Service, Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge, Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, and Middle Mississippi National Wildlife Refuge; The Nature Conservancy; the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; the Illinois Department of Transportation; the Illinois Department of Agriculture; University of Illinois Extension; the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; the Shawnee Resource Conservation and Development Area, Inc.; and Southern Illinois University at Carbondale) and the other organizations, businesses, and private citizens who have taken an interest in working with us to control invasive plants in southern Illinois. If you would like to become involved or would like more information about invasive plants, please contact the CWMA coordinator:

Karla Gage
River to River Cooperative Weed Management Area
8588 Route 148
Marion, IL 62959
Phone: 618-998-5920

Reposted article - Are Invasive Plants Really A Problem In Missouri???

Here is an article from our neighbors to the west.  Tim Banek, Invasive Species Coordinator for the Missouri Department of Conservation wrote this article, are we are posting here with Tim's permission.

Are Invasive Plants Really A Problem In Missouri???

Tim Banek, MDC

Let’s start with the definition of an invasive species.   The National Invasive Species Council defines an invasive species as: “A species that is non-native to the ecosystem under consideration and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.”     Does that mean all non-native plants are bad?  Certainly not, in fact a very small percentage (2-3%) of the over 800 plants introduced into Missouri are considered invasive.  Many non-native plants are not invasive and support human livelihoods or a preferred quality of life.  Nearly all of the crops that are used for agriculture in the United States were introduced from other countries.   Although the percentage of non-native plants that are invasive is relatively low, the detrimental effects and costs related to the damage invasive plants cause are very high.  The most widely referenced paper (Pimental et al. 2005) on this issue reports that invasive species cost the United States more than $120 billion in damages every year.  To complicate matters more, invasive plants cause both direct and indirect effects that are often difficult to equate to a dollar value.

Bush honeysuckle infestation in Missouri.
Photo by Larry Rizzo

Invasive plants are aggressive, prolific, outcompete and displace native plants that provide the necessary food and habitat for native animals.  Invasive plants arrive in Missouri in one of two ways:   intentionally or accidentally.  The global economy of today’s world means that species from all over the world can unintentionally be transported to the United States and to Missouri as hitchhikers on or in imported cargo shipments.  However, some of the worst plant invaders such as, bush honeysuckle and autumn olive have been introduced intentionally for landscaping, herbal uses, wildlife benefits, erosion control, or wastewater treatment.  The aggressive, competitive characteristics of invasive plants are such that they threaten the stability of ecosystems by reducing biological diversity and replacing beneficial native species with non-native plants that don’t provide the same ecosystem functions necessary to support native animal species and sustain life.   One common belief is that the United States is blessed with ample public lands to support nature and provide the ecosystem functions necessary to maintain our native species.  While Missouri is fortunate to have a great deal of public land, 93% of Missouri’s landscape is privately owned.  Habitat destruction and invasive species are the two largest threats to biodiversity and native plant communities in the United States.  Habitat destruction is occurring at the rate of 6,000 acres per day or 2.2 million acres annually resulting in habitat fragmentation that is continually reducing the amount of habitat available to support wildlife populations. 

So what can Missourians do to reduce or reverse the effects of invasive species?  Landowners could reevaluate the choices that they make for landscaping.  It will certainly be a cultural change, but landowners should consider factors other than solely the appearance of plants used for landscaping.  It seems that most homeowners would like to enjoy birds, butterflies and other wildlife to enhance their landscapes and the enjoyment of their private spaces.  Homeowners can choose to use plants that support wildlife and provide habitat that will help to connect parks and public lands.  Ecosystem functions such as, food-web value, watershed value, soil restorative properties, carbon sequestration and weather moderation are some of the functions that could be considered.  For example, Missouri’s state bird, the bluebird, relies on insects to provide food to exist.  Approximately 4,800 insects are needed to raise a clutch of bluebirds.  Missouri’s native oaks and maples support between 400 and 500 insect species that provide food for many insect-eating birds, while the invasive golden rain tree supports only one known native insect species.   Many beautiful butterflies and moths require specific native host plants.  Exotic invasive species commonly used for landscaping such as, Bradford pears, bush honeysuckle, Japanese barberry, burning bush, winter creeper, privet, tree-of-heaven, amur maple, golden rain tree, etc., are not only detrimental when they escape and invade our native plant communities, they don’t support the ecosystem functions that native plants provide. 

It would be great if only native plants were used in the landscape trade, but it would be a huge step to plant mainly native species, reduce grass areas and restrict non-native plants to plants that are not invasive that are used in only limited areas of the landscape.   A book titled Bringing Nature Home by Dr. Douglas Tallamy is an excellent resource to provide information on reasons to use native plants and plant species to select that benefit native wildlife.  Another resource is the Grow Native! program administered by Missouri Prairie Foundation that can be found at the following website:  www.moprairie.org/   The Midwest Invasive Plant Network updated their Landscape Alternatives for Invasive Plants of the Midwest brochure and developed a free I-phone and I-pad app based on the brochure that can be found by searching for Landscape Alternatives in the Apple App Store or at www.apps.bugwood.org/apps.html . 

Timothy J. Banek

 Invasive Species Coordinator

Missouri Department of Conservation

PO Box 180

Jefferson City, MO 65102

(573) 522-4115 ext. 3371

tim.banek@mdc.mo.gov

Guest Article - About the Midwest Invasive Plant Network

Illinois is full of dedicated people and innovative ideas for addressing invasive species. From time to time, this blog is going to host guest articles in which the stories about some of these people, projects, or ideas are told. The next article in this series comes from Kate Howe of the Midwest Invasive Plant Network or MIPN.  MIPN works across the entire Midwest and is a great source for invasive plant resources for Illinois. All of the guest articles can be viewed HERE.


About the Midwest Invasive Plant Network

By Kate Howe

Do you ever wonder what new invasive plants are coming your way from neighboring states or regions? Do you want to share information on control methods and learn about the latest control techniques? Do you want to know about the latest research on invasive species impacts? Get involved with the Midwest Invasive Plant Network!

The Midwest Invasive Plant Network (MIPN) was established in 2003 in response to a need for better communication and collaboration across agencies, organizations, corporations, institutions, and private citizens struggling with invasive plants across the region. MIPN’s mission is to reduce the impacts of invasive plant species in the Midwest, working primarily in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Ohio. Our organization works to improve invasive plant prevention, early detection, control, and education by creating tools and resources to aid invasive plant management efforts.

Here are some of the things we’re doing to assist your work on the ground in Illinois.

Communication and Information Sharing

One of MIPN’s first accomplishments was to establish a listserv that provides a forum for discussion on invasive plants in the Midwest. Ten years after the listserv started, we have over 550 subscribers and host discussions on control techniques, new invasive plants, job and funding opportunities, and upcoming events. MIPN also hosts a website to provide information on all things related to invasive plants in the Midwest (www.mipn.org), including links to great resources provided by our partners.

Prevention
MIPN is particularly interested in reducing the sale of invasive ornamental plants in our region. We’re working on outreach to both green industry and consumers about the impacts of ornamental invasives on natural areas and better alternatives for landscaping. Consumers can get information on what to plant and what not to plant in our brochure (also available as a free iPhone and iPad app) called Landscape Alternatives for Invasive Plants of the Midwest. We are also nearing completion of a video called “Cultivating Awareness: Ornamental Plants Invading Natural Areas”, which shows Japanese barberry, burning bush, and Callery pear invading natural areas in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. This video is aimed at demonstrating the impacts of these invasive plants when they escape from cultivation.

Early Detection

In order to spread the word about new species of concern in our region, MIPN created two flyers called Keep a Lookout for New Invasive Plants in the Midwest, one for terrestrial plants and one for aquatic plants. These flyers include photos, range maps, and descriptions of diagnostic features to help in the identification of these new species.

We have also partnered with the University of Wisconsin, Colorado State University, and the National Park Service in the development of the Great Lakes Early Detection Network (GLEDN), a web-based alert system that allows users to sign up for e-mail alerts of new species in their area of interest. GLEDN compiles information from multiple online databases into one website (www.gledn.org) and allows users to directly report invasive plant sightings. This tool improves our knowledge of where invasive plants are in the Midwest and where they might be heading next.

Control

There is a lot of information available on control methods for invasive plants, but how do you pick the right method for your particular needs? MIPN has created a searchable on-line database of control methods, designed to help land managers and landowners compare and contrast all methods for managing a particular species and select the best one for their needs. Users can also report on their personal experiences with particular control methods, allowing us to share information that is not available in the published literature. Check it out at http://mipncontroldatabase.wisc.edu.

Supporting CWMAs

MIPN has just two part-time staff members, so we can’t possibly accomplish our goals alone. We see Cooperative Weed Management Areas as important partners in reducing the impacts of invasive plants in the Midwest, through their local, on-the-ground work. In 2005, we created the CWMA Cookbook: A Recipe for Success, A Step-by-step Guide on How to Develop a Cooperative Weed Management Area in the Eastern United States to help new CWMAs get off the ground, and we have taught workshops on how to start a CWMA in many places across the country. We also periodically host webinars to provide information on tools and resources of interest to CWMAs.

Education

In addition to the resources mentioned above, we have some general publications on invasive plants, including A Field Guide to Invasive Plants of the Midwest, Pocket Naturalist Guide to Invasive Plants of the Eastern U.S., and Why Should I Care About Invasive Plants?

A poster session at the MIPN annual conference

For those who already know the basics but want to learn about the latest developments in invasive plant research and management techniques, we host an annual conference on invasive plants in the Midwest. The conference provides opportunities to learn through formal presentations, poster discussions, and informal conversations. This year’s conference will be held December 11-12 in Columbus, Ohio in conjunction with the North Central Weed Science Society Conference.

For more information about the Midwest Invasive Plant Network or to access any of our resources, visit www.mipn.org.

Guest Article - Surveying for Illinois Invasives with the CAPS Program

Illinois is full of dedicated people and innovative ideas for addressing invasive species.  From time to time, this blog is going to host guest articles in which the stories about some of these people, projects, or ideas are told.  The next article in this series comes from Kelly Estes with the Illinois CAPS program.  The CAPS program is the epitome of Early Detection and Rapid Response through cooperative efforts.   All of the guest articles can be viewed HERE.

Surveying for Illinois Invasives with the CAPS Program

by Kelly Estes

While a central geographic location and a superior transportation system afford Illinois a competitive advantage over many other states in commodity movement, these same factors make Illinois extremely vulnerable to accidentally or purposely introduced exotic pests. The U.S. imports nearly $400 billion in goods from the Pacific Rim; more than $125 billion from China alone. The busiest corridor in the U.S. for transporting intermodal containers by rail runs from Long Beach, California, to Chicago, Illinois, and Chicago in particular is home to the largest rail gateway in the nation, connecting eastern and western United States and Canada. An excellent highway system of 2,000 miles and 34,500 miles of other state highways make trucking of goods fast and efficient. More than 65 million travelers pass through Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport annually. Illinois’ 1,118 miles of navigable waterways including the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers, make barge traffic an excellent option for shipment of grain to the Gulf of Mexico and shipment of imported steel and machinery upriver. However, any activity that allows the rapid movement of commodities also allows the development of fast-moving pest pathways. These fast moving pathways not only cut through Illinois’ agricultural commodity regions, but its natural areas as well. Illinois woodlands, wetlands, and prairies may also be affected by the potential invasion of exotic pests. Many of the invasive threats have a large host range. Not only will a potential invasive pest affect the Illinois economy, but it may also affect the beauty of our landscape, the diversity of our environment, and lead to the destruction of natural habitats.

While the first line of defense remains preventing the entry of exotic plant pests, domestic detection and response activities are equally important in the event that dangerous foreign plant pests enter the U.S. A primary objective of the Cooperative Agriculture Pest Survey (CAPS) program is to safeguard our nation’s food and environmental security from exotic pests that threaten our production and ecological systems. Surveys conducted through the CAPS program represent a second line of defense against harmful plant pests and weeds. These surveys not only target high-risk hosts and commodities, but also gather information about pests that were recently introduced to establish better baseline data. These activities are accomplished primarily under USDA funding that is provided through cooperative agreements with state departments of agriculture, universities, and other entities.

Surveying for
 exotic bark beetles

Surveys targeting high risk hosts and commodities. Over the past years, the CAPS program has shifted its strategy from being solely “pest-specific,” to a format for surveying for several pests based on commodities, taxons, environments and habitats, industries and businesses, and pest introduction pathways. Each state, with input from federal and state CAPS partners, industry partners, university representatives, and others meets to discuss potential survey targets each year. These stakeholders help set survey priorities based on a prioritized PPQ pest list (based on risk of introduction and regulatory concern) and each state’s resources, hosts, climates, and other factors.

Gathering data on recently introduced pests. Information gathered during surveys is summarized and entered into National Agricultural Pest Information System (NAPIS) database. The NAPIS database stores and manages pest survey data that is collected by CAPS and other USDA-APHIS-PPQ programs. Maps are summarized and made available to the public through the NAPIS Pest Tracker Website. The Pest Tracker Website provides maps detailing surveys conducted around the U.S. for different invasive species as well as sharing links to pest news and information for the different states.

Survey results for 2011 TCD Survey

Currently, the Illinois CAPS program is finishing up its 2012 survey season. Our focus this last summer was on invasive pests of fruit trees in Illinois. Insect traps were deployed across the state for the False Codling Moth, Plum Fruit Moth, and Summer Fruit Tortrix Moth. All three of these moths have an extremely large host range that could impact several fruit commodities grown in Illinois. A second part of this survey looked for two state pests of concern – the brown marmorated stink bug and spotted wing drosophila. To date, we have confirmed spotted wing drosophila in several Illinois counties. We are also in our second year of surveying for thousand cankers disease (TCD) in Illinois. It was our first year in utilizing a newly released lindgren funnel trap and pheromone combination that attracts the vector of TCD, the walnut twig beetle. While samples are still being processed from this past summer, we are looking forward to getting these traps out again in 2013.

Also in 2013, we will be starting a new survey targeting oak pests. Over 53% of the forest cover in Illinois consists of oak and hickory – and this doesn’t include any oaks planted in urban areas. There are several invasive oak pests that if established in Illinois, would not only threaten the diversity of our natural areas, but dramatically impact our forest product industry and nursery trade. Pheromone traps will be placed targeting the oak ambrosia beetle, Egyptian cottonworm moth, rosy gypsy moth, and golden tortrix moth. We are also excited to be utilizing a new biosurveillance survey technique that monitors Cerceris wasp colonies. This buprestid-hunting wasp offers another approach to monitor for not only emerald ash borer, but also the oak splendour beetle, goldspotted oak borer, and European oak borer.  The thousand cankers disease survey will continue with both walnut twig beetle trapping and monitoring the visual health of walnuts across the state.

Kelly Estes is the State Survey Coordinator for the Illinois CAPS program. Please check out the CAPS blog and website to keep up to date on invasive species information in Illinois.