Invasive Species Partnership Opportunities with SAIN
Better control and management of invasive species problems is a regional conservation priority. SAIN recruits and works with regional partners sharing common goals of:
Continued development of invasive species models
Prediction of invasive species' spread
Early detection and rapid response to new invasions
These shared goals are central to the effective management of plant and animal invasions.
SAIN partners with nongovernmetnal organizations, private enterprise, federal and state agencies, institutions of higher learning, and others. These valuable partners share a stake in the effective control of invasive species.
For partnership opportunities, navigate to "About the Node" from the main navigation menu and make an inquiry using the "Contact Us" entry form.
Invasive Species of the Southern Appalachians
This section of the NBII-SAIN website provides maps, databases, and downloadable computer mapping data (GIS data) pertaining to invasive plants in the Southeastern United States.
Each year, numerous plant and animal species disperse from their natural range to new locations around the world. Many of these non-native, exotic species colonize the Southeast and become invasive, displacing native plant and animal ecological communities. The consequences of these invasions may be localized or widespread and impacts can range from minor to severe. Invasive species compete with native species, alter ecosystems, and may bring disease not only to native flora and fauna but to humans as well.
Access to current information on invasive species is critical to successful management, mitigation, and prevention of the consequences of exotic plant and animal invasions. For more information on invasive species at the national level, please refer to the NBII Invasive Species Node.
Below are additional resources and information from the NBII Catalog pertaining to invasive species in the Southeastern United States.
Invasive Species Blog from the Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
We've just added a new feature to IPM Images that will later be available on all of our image sites: Author Profile Pages. These pages give you a chance to let people know a little bet about you and/or your organization. Here are a few examples:
Getting people to understand the danger of moving firewood is difficult, especially since few people really appreciates "high and mighty preaching". The folks at Don't Move Firewood.org have come up with some informative and humorous advertisements to drive the point home. Take a look at their video section and enjoy!
February 21, 2009
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!!!
The Invasive Plants Association of Wisconsin is pleased to announce that their 2009 conference will be held in conjunction with the annual Prairie Enthusiasts Banquet. Anyone who has an interest in grassland stewardship can't afford to miss these two exciting events! The "Invasive Species of Grasslands" conference will present intermediate- to advanced-level information on combating invasive plants of grasslands in the upper Midwest through on-the-ground initiatives, informed planning and monitoring, and advocacy. Information will be practical and directly applicable to the efforts of grassland managers. The annual Prairie Enthusiasts all-chapter Banquet will be held after the conference, and will be preceded by a social mixer. This is your chance to participate in the raffle and silent auction that are important sources of funding for the chapters. This also provides an opportunity to network and meet up with old friends.
We're also thrilled to announce a keynote presentation that will certainly fascinate conference participants and stimulate further discussion: Biofuel and Prairie Restoration. The presenters, Steve Bertjens (Southwest Badger RC&D) and Bill Johnson (Alliant Energy), will share their visions for a future where trees, brush, invasive plants and native grasses can be harvested from prairies and burned as cellulosic biomass, providing a renewable energy source for the Upper Midwest.
Conference attendees will be able to choose from 15 different sessions throughout the day. The three general topic `tracks' are:
Species-Specific Information. Learn to develop sound strategies for invasive plant management based on plant form (herbaceous versuswoody), life history (monocarpic versus perennial), and means of spread. Each session provides an overview of species, control strategies universal to the target life history form, and species-specific control measures. Just a few of the species to be covered: spotted knapweed, leafy spurge, and crown vetch.
Techniques, Equipment, Tools, Control Strategies. Learn how to get the job done on the ground by learning how to work with contractors, advanced strategies for managing invasive plants (bulk tree removal bids, managing exotic cool-season grasses, interseeding, avoiding Incidental Take), which tools and equipment are available and the best buy for your money, which herbicides to use and how to apply them, and how to create an invasive species management plan.
Policy, Funding, Outreach, Prevention Strategies. Learn how to help battle invasive species without getting dirty and sweaty by advocating for updated federal and state policies relating to invasive species (including the proposed state invasive species rule), by creating cooperative weed management areas, by promoting and adopting
sensible prevention strategies (adopting best-management practices, monitoring and modulating roadside mowing), and by utilizing harvested invasive plant material and prairie plants for biofuel.
U.S. Forest Service: Three-Year Alien Invasive Evaluation & Monitoring Project in Southern Appalachian National Forests.
The USDA Forest Service's National Forest Health Monitoring Program released first-year results of a three-year invasive species study monitoring forests within Southern Appalachian mountains (view report) in 2007. The study's primary purpose is to "assess the circumstances and conditions of alien plant invasions in Southern Appalachian National Forests so they might be predicted and managed more effectively."
