Article on the Calumet Conservation Corps

Here is nice article about a great program that deals with invasive species, the Calumet Conservation Corps.

Original article:
http://www.wbez.org/blogs/chris-bentley/2013-03/hacking-back-invasive-species-and-crime-105895

Upcoming NRCS Webinar on Wetland Invasive Plants

Please find below conference details for the upcoming NRCS Biology Webinar, “Why Some Wetland Plants Are Invasive and How They Affect Restoration” on March 26th, 2013 at 1-2:30 pm (CST).

The presenter will be Susan M. Galatowitsch, Ph.D. (Professor, Restoration Ecology, Department of Horticultural Science, University of Minnesota, St. Paul MN http://www.consbio.umn.edu/SG/;galat001@umn.edu; Telephone: 612.624.3242).

Dr. Galatowitsch states, “The proportion of wetland restoration projects affected by invasive species is likely very high. Either invasive species are present at the start of a project and their removal is attempted during site preparation or they arrive soon after, as the site adjusts to its new hydrology and vegetative cover is minimal. If the goals of a restoration project are narrowly focused on flood abatement or water quality improvement, the presence of invasive species is a minor concern. If, however, the desire is to achieve multiple benefits, including the restoration of plant biodiversity, then invasive species control is a priority. Plant communities influence nutrient cycling and food webs, provide food and habitat structure to animals, and contribute to a wetland ecosystem’s aesthetic appeal. Consequently, the restoration of a wetland’s plant communities is often considered crucial to project success. Understanding why a particular wetland plant is invasive can help frame practical restoration decisions, such as selecting effective control strategies and evaluating the commitment needed to accomplish control.”

The target audience for this webinar is NRCS field staffs and partners engaged in restoration and management of wetlands and associated uplands.Please find below instructions for joining the webinar. We will record the webinar and post it to the NRCS Biologists’ SharePoint Site and S&T Library in the event that you are unable to participate in the live webinar.

Entry Instructions

 

NRCS Biology Webinar – “Why Some Wetland Plants Are Invasive and How They Affect Restoration”Event Date: Tuesday, March 26, 2013Event Start Time: 1:00 PM Central Time (CT) - Chicago/DallasEvent Length: 1-1.5 hoursEvent Capacity: 1500 Attendees

 

Participant Instructions

The web conference is scheduled to begin at 1:00 PM Central Time on March 26, 2013. You may join the web conference 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start by clicking

Webinar Login: http://emsp.intellor.com/login/411822

Dial-in: After you’ve connected your computer, audio connection instructions will be presented

If you need technical support or additional information regarding our events, please visit our portal at http://emsp.intellor.com/portal/usdanrcsevents3 or contact AT&T Connect Support at 1-888-796-6118

If you are unable to join the web conference from a computer, you can find audio only instructions at http://events.uc.att.com/events/integrate/PhoneAccessPage/OCCSAccessNumbers.asp?ExEventID=411822

 

 

Preparing your computer.

If you do not prepare ahead, please join 15 minutes before the session begins as the AT&T Connect Participant Software will be loaded as you join the event.

 

Please use this link to prepare your computer:

 

http://www.uc.att.com/support/download_attc_participant.html   Computer Configuration Notes

• The AT&T Connect software requires a Windows PC (not MAC).
• We recommend connecting with Internet Explorer V7 or FireFox V3.5 or newer.
• If you do not regularly delete Temporary Internet Files, it is recommended that you do this prior to installing the software
• If you run 'Pop-Up Blocking Software' you may need to disable or allow a pop up during installation on your system
• We recommend a using a monitor with a minimum resolution of 1024x768.

White-Nose Syndrome Confirmed in Illinois Bats

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                              

February 28, 2013         

CONTACTS: Joe Kath (IDNR)

(217) 785-8764

Ann Froschauer (FWS)

(202)734-8452

White-Nose Syndrome Confirmed in Illinois Bats
Illinois becomes 20^th state in U.S. to confirm deadly disease in bats

Springfield, IL - The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) today confirmed the presence of White-Nose Syndrome (WNS), a disease fatal to several bat species, in four Illinois counties. 

The University of Illinois- Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS), the United States Forest Service (USFS)-Shawnee National Forest, the University of Illinois' Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (UIVDL), and the USGS National Wildlife Health Center-Madison, WI (NWHC) assisted in the discovery of WNS which was detected in LaSalle County in north-central Illinois, Monroe County in southwestern Illinois, and Hardin and Pope Counties in extreme southern Illinois. 

Little brown bats and northern long-eared bats from these counties were submitted to the UIVDL and NWHC in early-to-mid February 2013.  Both of these laboratories confirmed the disease, while the fungal pathogen was isolated directly from a LaSalle County bat and a Monroe County bat at the INHS.  

With confirmation of WNS in Illinois, a total of 20 states, mostly in the eastern U.S., and five Canadian Provinces have now been confirmed infected.  Currently seven hibernating bat species are affected by WNS: little brown bat, big brown bat, northern long-eared bat, tri-colored bat, eastern small-footed bat, the endangered Indiana bat, and the endangered gray bat. The disease continues to spread rapidly and has the potential to infect at least half of the bat species found in North America.

White-nose syndrome is not known to affect people, pets, or livestock but is harmful or lethal to hibernating bats, killing 90 percent or more of some species of bats in caves where the fungus has lasted for a year or longer, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. WNS is known to be transmitted primarily from bat to bat, but spores of Geomyces destructans, the non-native, cold-loving fungus that causes white-nose syndrome, may be inadvertently carried between caves and abandoned mines by humans on clothing, footwear, and caving gear.  The name of the disease refers to the white fungal growth often found on the noses of infected bats. 

White-nose syndrome was first detected in New York State in 2006 and has killed more than 5.7 million cave-dwelling bats in the eastern third of North America as it has spread south and west

across the landscape. A map of the current spread of white-nose syndrome can be found athttp://whitenosesyndrome.org/resources/map.

Research has shown that WNS-infected bats are awaking from hibernation as often as every three to four days as opposed to the normal every 10-20 days. The fungus damages the connective tissues, muscles and skin of the bats while also disrupting their physiological functions. The bats wake up dehydrated and hungry during the cold winters when there are no insects to eat.

"Although its arrival was anticipated, the documented spread of WNS into Illinois is discouraging news, mainly because there is no known way to prevent or stop this disease in its tracks,” said Joe Kath, Endangered Species Manager for the IDNR. 

“Pest-control services provided by insect-eating bats in the United States likely save the U.S. agricultural industry several billion dollars a year, and yet insectivorous bats are among the most overlooked, economically important, non-domesticated animals in North America.”

“Isolating the fungal pathogen directly from a bat is the ‘gold standard’ for confirming this disease, and the Bat WNS team at the University of Illinois was able to do this in our laboratory,” said Andrew Miller, Mycologist at INHS. 

“We are saddened by the discovery of WNS in Illinois,” said National WNS Coordinator Jeremy Coleman of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  “We will continue to work with our partners to address this devastating disease and work towards conservation of bat species in North America.”

Because Illinois and several other Midwestern states are home to many federally endangered bat species, as well as some of the largest hibernating bat populations in the country, the complete closure of all IDNR-owned and/or managed caves within the State of Illinois was enacted in 2010.  In addition, all caves within the Shawnee National Forest, managed by the USFS, have been formally closed since 2009.  Both the IDNR and USFS will be evaluating these caves on an annual basis and the closure orders will remain in effect for the benefits of bat conservation until further notice.  Unfortunately, research indicates that the fungus that causes WNS remains in caves where bats hibernate even when bats are not present and the IDNR remains concerned that people may inadvertently carry WNS out of the caves with them.  

“The IDNR recognizes that continued cave closures will require patience from the caving community and other citizens.  However, the observed devastation to bat populations and the evidence for human-assisted spread justifies that we exercise an abundance of caution in managing activities that impact caves and bats,” Kath added. “We understand these measures will not be a cure for WNS, but they are necessary to help slow the spread of this affliction and to reduce the risks to surviving bat populations in North America.”

Bats are the only major predator of night-flying insects and play a crucial role in the environment. A single big brown bat can eat between 3,000 and 7,000 mosquitos in a night, with large populations of bats consuming thousands of tons of potentially harmful forest and agricultural pests annually. The bat conservation community is deeply concerned and involved with fighting the spread of WNS. Researchers in Illinois and across the U.S. are working diligently on finding a way to mitigate this fatal disease. Federal, state and local organizations continue to focus on conservation, containment, and education.

Job Announcement - Natural Land Institute

Natural Land Institute

Stewardship Assistant (temporary)
Position Description

 

Objective: To assist with natural resource management on lands owned by the Natural Land Institute, primarily at Nygren Wetland Preserve, just outside of Rockton, IL

 

Responsibilities: 

• Assist with restoration, including seed collecting, native plantings, cultivation in greenhouse, and invasive species control primarily at the Nygren Wetland Preserve near Rockton, Illinois.
• Additional tasks may include aquatic turtle monitoring, trail camera monitoring, GPS/GIS of invasive plants and/or locations of sources of native plant seed, among others.
• Work with volunteers on natural resource management projects at NLI properties.
• Conduct inventories and develop database(s) of flora and fauna at the Nygren Wetland Preserve.
• Maintain monthly activity records detailing accomplishments.
• Prepare for public events hosted by the Natural Land Institute at the Nygren Wetland Preserve.

 Desirable Skills:

• Knowledge of Illinois flora and fauna, especially in northwestern Illinois
• Candidate should hold or be seeking a degree in natural resources management or a closely related field, but significant field experiences may be substituted.
• Ability to physically implement natural resource management tasks
• Ability to use equipment needed in restoration activities, including tractors, UTVs, pumps, chainsaws, clearing saws, etc.
• Ability to develop and maintain relationships with volunteers
• Knowledge of word processing and database programs
• Knowledge of ESRI ArcGIS and GPS receivers a plus

 Hours: This is a temporary position, 40 hours per week, for 12 weeks (480 hours total). The schedule and start/end dates are somewhat flexible but the position will not extend beyond 480 hours. May be required to work occasional weekends.Compensation: $12/hr., no benefits

 

 To apply: Please send completed resume, cover letter, and three references to Kevin Rohling, Director of Stewardship at krohling@naturalland.org no later than March 17.

Job Announcement - NIIPP Clean Boats Crew

Clean Boats Crew, the aquatic invasive species education and outreach collaboration involving IL-IN SeaGrant and NIIPP, is now hiring for seasonal positions in both Illinois and Indiana.
**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Position: Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers!™ Clean Boats Crew Site Leaders (Illinois)

Category: Civil Service General Extra Help

Employer: Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS), Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL

Location: Positions available in Cook County, IL and Lake County, ILAvailability: Weekend days from May 25th – August 11th (including Memorial Day, May 27th)Description: Illinois Natural History Survey is hiring site leaders to support the Clean Boats Crew aquatic invasive species prevention program in Lake and Cook Counties, in collaboration with the Northeast Illinois Invasive Plant Partnership (NIIPP) and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant. The Clean Boats Crew program’s goal is to educate the public about aquatic invasive species and how these species are unintentionally spread through in-person outreach at boat launches. Site Leaders will be trained to be familiar with 1) aquatic invasive species relevant to the region, 2) outreach materials offered by Sea Grant to promote awareness, and 3) techniques for interacting with the public, providing successful outreach, and collecting data on social awareness. Each new hire must attend one training session; trainings are scheduled for May 15th and May 18nd at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Once training is completed, Site Leaders will work 8-hour shifts during the summer boating season talking with boaters at boat ramps about aquatic invasive species prevention. A total of four Site Leaders will be hired: two for Lake County, IL and two for Cook County, IL. Site Leaders may manage a team of volunteers and will be supervised by a program coordinator.

Qualifications: High school diploma is required. Preference will be given to those candidates with some college or a college degree in biology, ecology, zoology, natural resources, or a related field. Willingness to travel to multiple sites throughout the selected work area and to work twelve weekends during the summer is required; exceptions to this are not encouraged but may be considered on a case by case basis. Strong interpersonal skills, an ability to work independently and communicate well with diverse groups, and an interest in outreach and environmental issues are desired. Each assistant coordinator will also need a reliable vehicle to travel to outreach sites. Mileage will be reimbursed at the federal rate of $.565/mile.

Salary: $2400-$3000 per season ($12-$15 per hour), depending on qualifications.

To Apply: To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by Friday, March 22nd, however, the position will be posted until filled. Please electronically submit a cover letter, resume, and three references to Cathy McGlynn, NIIPP Coordinator (cathy.mcglynn@niipp.net). Incomplete application packages will not be considered. For additional information please contact Cathy directly by email or phone (847-242-6423).

************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Position: Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers!™ Clean Boats Crew Site Leaders (Indiana)

Category: Civil Service General Extra Help

Employer: Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS), Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL

Location: Northwest Indiana (Lake and Porter Counties)Availability: Weekend days from June 1st – June 30thDescription: Illinois Natural History Survey is hiring site leaders to support the Clean Boats Crew aquatic invasive species prevention program in northwest Indiana, in collaboration with the Northeast Illinois Invasive Plant Partnership (NIIPP), Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, and Indiana Department of Natural Resources Lake Michigan Coastal Awareness Month. The Clean Boats Crew program’s goal is to educate the public about aquatic invasive species and how these species are unintentionally spread through in-person outreach at boat launches. Site Leaders will be trained to be familiar with 1) aquatic invasive species relevant to the region, 2) outreach materials offered by Sea Grant to promote awareness, and 3) techniques for interacting with the public, providing successful outreach, and collecting data on social awareness. Each new hire must attend one training session; trainings are scheduled for May 15th and May 18nd at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Once training is completed, the Site Leader will work 8-hour shifts during June weekends talking with boaters at boat ramps about aquatic invasive species prevention. One Site Leader will be hired to conduct outreach at two locations in Northwest Indiana (one in Porter County and one in Lake County). Site Leaders may manage a team of volunteers and will be supervised by a program coordinator.

Qualifications: High school diploma is required. Preference will be given to those candidates with some college or a college degree in biology, ecology, zoology, natural resources, or a related field. Willingness to travel to multiple sites throughout the selected work area and to work four weekends during the summer is required; exceptions to this are not encouraged but may be considered on a case by case basis. Strong interpersonal skills, an ability to work independently and communicate well with diverse groups, and an interest in outreach and environmental issues are desired. Each assistant coordinator will also need a reliable vehicle to travel to outreach sites. Mileage will be reimbursed at the federal rate of $.565/mile.

Salary: $768-$960 per season ($12-$15 per hour), depending on qualifications.

To Apply: To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by Friday, March 22nd, however, the position will be posted until filled. Please electronically submit a cover letter, resume, and three references to Cathy McGlynn, NIIPP Coordinator (cathy.mcglynn@niipp.net). Incomplete application packages will not be considered. For additional information please contact Cathy directly by email or phone (847-242-6423).

The University of Illinois is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. The administration, faculty, and staff embrace diversity and are committed to attracting qualified candidates who also embrace and value diversity and inclusivity. Visit www.inclusiveillinois.illinois.edu.

The Hunt for Invasive Species Slogans 5th Edition - Illustrations

We are developing a series of posts to highlight some of the more memorable and fun slogans on invasive species that you can find on publications, bumper stickers, and t-shirts. This series on invasive species slogans will include occasional posts covering different aspects of the topic. So far, we've covered the following categories: Play-off, Alliteration, Rhyming, and Mascots.  For this post, we are going to focus more on the visual side of things and cover different examples of invasive species illustrations.

If you know of some slogans, invasive species illustrations or mascots that haven’t yet been posted in this series, please send them to rivertoriver@gmail.com.

Illustrations   

Like it or not, we humans are visual learners.  They say a picture is worth a thousand words and this principle holds true with invasive species education.  You can expound upon the negative impacts of an invasive species for hours, but often a picture of a heavily invaded area can bring the message home better than the best crafted speech.  Because of this, we often use pictures, graphics, cartoons, and videos to get the message out about invasive species.  We'll explore some of the fun, interesting, creative, and sometimes frankly strange approaches to invasive species illustrations.  

Conference T-shirts and Logos

Conferences are a time for creative people to shine!  I love the T-shirts and other swag you get when you attend a conference.  It also saves me from having to actually go out and buy shirts!  I would estimate that 70% of my attire is made up of conference T-shirts (with the other 30% being a mix of flannel and camoflauge).


"Plant Wars: The EPPCs Strike Back"

In this case, would the force actually just be Garlon?

This conference hasn't happened yet, but I hope they have T-shirts.  I saw an advertisement for this FL-EPPC/SE-EPPC joint conference in the latest copy of Wildland Weeds.  FL-EPPC and SE-EPPC stands for the Florida and Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Councils resp. in case you are unfamiliar with these organizations.  I have to admit that I am not a big Star Wars fan, but still I can appreciate the nice parody on display here with this logo and conference title.

"You can put lipstick on a feral pig, but it will still be a feral pig"

I've received some strange comments while wearing
this T-shirt around

This gem of a T-shirt came to me as a give-away during the 2008 Natural Areas Conference.  During the heat of the '08 presidential battle, politicians were throwing around the "You can put lipstick on a pig..." line like it was going out of style.  Luckily the good folks over at Invasive Plant Control Inc. seized the opportunity to create this shirt.  If you know the IPC guys, you know that they 1.) do great invasive species work, 2.) have well-developed senses of humor and 3). have a flair for creative advertising.  The last two are on display here with this shirt.

"The Mooski"

This creature is a legend in my household

This is easily my favorite T-shirt.  Half cow, half muskie, all awesome.  This was the conference t-shirt for a Forest Resource Program Leaders meeting way back in 2003 in Superior, Wisconsin.  That conference was very memorable for me because 1.) it was the site of my first 'professional presentation', 2.) it was the first time I saw Lake Superior, 3.) my swag take-homes included a cheesecake cookbook for some reason, and 4.) I got my Mooski T-shirt and a matching tote!  If anyone else attended this meeting, I would love to find out if you still have this t-shirt (or the cookbook!) and I would especially love to know who designed it.  If you  have any leads, please email me at rivertoriver@gmail.com.  Also, if anyone has cool conference t-shirts that they would like to share send me a picture of them, though I doubt that they will top the Mooski!

"Tuning into Climate Change and Biological Invasions"

A great conference with great artwork

I've attended a scary amount of conferences during the last ten years.  If I counted up all of the days I spent at conferences I am sure it would stretch into several months.  Of all of the conferences, the 2008 Natural Areas Association/NA-EPPC joint conference in Nashville ranks up there as one of my favorites.  The creativity of the conference organizers was on high gear for this conference.  The conference built upon the Nashville culture by echoing a gospel revival in its artwork, design, and motto.  Best of all was the great live music included throughout the week.  I really love the artwork used as well.  Each attendee was given a conference poster.  Sadly mine is either missing or lost somewhere in the bowels of my filing cabinets.  Still I was able to grab an example of the artwork online.

Videos

"Invaders of the Natural Parks"

Dealing with Invasive Species can be like a adventure movie, minus Harrison Ford

I stumbled across this DVD when I moved offices here recently.  It was literally stuffed in the back of one of the filing cabinets.  When I saw this cover, I nearly wept with joy.  "Invaders of the National Parks" as a title is just asking to be a parody of "Raiders of Lost Ark".  Obviously the designer thought so based upon the font and graphics used here on the cover.  I couldn't wait to get this DVD into my computer and bask in the pun-filled video that I was sure would follow.  The DVD from the National Park Service turned out to be a well done and informative video about dealing with saltcedar in western Parks, but sadly not even one mention of Indiana Jones anywhere.  Nobody was even wearing the hat!  A missed opportunity.

"You Wouldn't Take Firewood to Graceland"

I'm honestly not really sure what is going on here in this picture

This video comes from the Don't Move Firewood Campaign.  They have a series of videos available online about the threats of invasive pests.  These videos are always well done and often very humorous. I could easily spend a whole post here just hitting the highlights from some of these videos.   I've got to say that the "You Wouldn't Take Firewood to Graceland" one confuses me quite a bit.  It gives a good message in an 'unusual' way.  

"Super Rangers and the Legions of Bugs"

h/t Troy Evans

Another great video from the
Don't Move Firewood Campaign

Another one from the Don't Move Firewood Campaign.  Above are some screen-grabs from an entertaining short video about the Super Rangers battling the evil Legion of Bugs, comprised of baddies so devious that they have their own acronyms such as EAB, ALB, and SOD.   I am glad the Super Rangers are on our side to defeat these pests that shall not be named .

"Slow The Onward Movement of Pests - S.T.O.M.P."

http://www.afha.us

Since we're talking about battling forest pests and acronyms, this is a great time to highlight this cool program from the American Forest Heritage Area program in West Virginia.  I love the STOMP acronym and the graphic is pretty cool.

For the Kiddos

"The SooperYooper"

h/t Marilyn Shy

Now that is how you get rid of Invasive Lampreys!
- www.sooperyooper.com 

The Sooper Yooper Billy Cooper, along with his trusty dog, battles invasive species in a great book by Mark Heckman and Mark Newman.  For those of you uninformed, a Yooper is someone from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (the U.P.), a term I was unfamiliar with until I watched Escanaba in Da Moonlight. The drawings in this book are fantastic and it carries a great message: 'When it comes to the environment, everyone can be a superhero'.

"Baby's First Book of Weeds"

The angry frog disapproves of spotted knapweed

This very adorable little book comes from Ryan Pierce.  The rhyming lines and drawings of invasive plants next to animals glaring angrily (or in one case lying there dead) make it a fun read for folks of any age.

"Idaho in Under Attack!"

h/t Amy Ferriter

The Department of Agriculture in Idaho came out with a neat Activity Book on invasive species.  This book has lots of fun things kids can do to learn about invasive species.  One good example is poor Rascal who is covered in cheatgrass seeds.  He certainly looks like he is not having any fun.

Not for the Kiddos

"Weeds are a Pain in the Grass"

h/t Anna Lyon

A truer statement has never been said

I stuck this in the "not for the kiddos" section simply because of the saying this statement is playing off of.  Weeds are a pain and many of them do grow in the grass so it is a true statement.    This cool billboard is part of the Weed Cross Borders program up in the Northwest.  International cooperation on invasive species!!  I like this message because it instantly grabs your attention and makes you think.

"Nightmare Lurking in the Lake"

h/t Kim Bogenschutz

I didn't know carp were carnivores?

This fun little graphic is being sold on a T-shirt at http://www.shopboblake.com/ There are a ton of different T-shirts available about invasive species, but I am warning you that some are a bit 'racy'.  I give that website a solid PG-13 rating so viewers beware.

What was originally meant to be a 3-part series continues to expand and is now sitting at five posts. I really enjoyed digging up all of these illustrations and sharing them with everyone.

Please do check out the other entries in this series on Play-off, Alliteration, Rhyming, and Mascots and all of the FUN posts we've put up on this blog.  I am sure we'll continue this series so please,  if you see something that you think would be good to include, send it to me at rivertoriver@gmail.com. To follow the Illinois ISAM news blog, 'like' us at www.facebook.com/illinoisisam.

Roundup of the Week's Invasive Species News Stories - Feb 1, 2013

We are continuing with our semi-regular series here on the ISAM Newsblog to highlight some recent news stories around the nation about invasive species.


Beware invasive species - know the plants you order
http://www.salisburypost.com/article/20130125/SP03/130129811/1010/beware-invasive-species-know-the-plants-you-order
Salisbury Post
Seed catalogs bring a promise of amazing things. Just be sure the plants are not invasive in N.C. Surely one of the joys of January is the arrival of those colorful catalogs offering seeds and plants...

Rafting Across the Pacific: Invasive Species Coming to North America with Debris from the Japanese Tsunami
http://www.decodedscience.com/invasive-species-japan-tsunami-debris/24737
Decoded Science
Of course, there's already a lot of debris floating around the ocean, possibly even carrying invasive species: seaweed, algae, and other small marine species. NOAA's Marine Debris Monitoring Program was set up to track this debris...

Survival Odds Grim for Native Plants Fighting Invaders
http://www.ouramazingplanet.com/4044-invasive-vs-native-species.html
Our Amazing Planet
Invasive species are winning in the battle for survival against some native plants in a California reserve, according to a new study. The research has troubling implications for plant hardiness, the scientists studying the plants said.

Invasive Species The US Gave The World, Including Lobsters, Raccoons And Bullfrogs
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/31/invasive-species-us-america_n_2585308.html
Huffington Post
Undoubtedly, the United States exports some of the world's most in-demand products—aircraft and medical equipment, to name just two. But not everything that leaves American shores is a wanted commodity, especially when it has jumped—or crawled—ship.