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Myths lie at root of native, exotic plants Written by Yew Dell Botanical Gardens Amur honeysuckle, burning bush, ‘Bradford’ pear ... a few poster children for the invasive exotic plant debate. The debate has raged for decades.  But it is often myth that fuels the dissension. But before we dispel some myths, how about a few definitions? Continue reading at link. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Conn. trying to contain tree-eating borer By QUANNAH LEONARD, Republican-American of Waterbury MIDDLEBURY, Conn. — Piles of ash bark cushioned the feet of state workers inside a state garage on Middlebury Road on a recent day. The men and women used draw knives to slowly peel back bark on bolts of ash trees, looking for signs of a tiny green beetle. Their work began at the beginning of February, and will continue for at least one more session this month. They want to determine just how long and far the emerald ash borer has infested the...

Invasive species threaten Wisconsin trees  By Sarah Eucalano The Badger Herald Madison has begun testing trees for emerald ash borers, an invasive Chinese insect that has been devastating much of North America’s ash trees. Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, said around 25 percent of Madison’s trees are ash trees, adding it will cost the city millions in order to fully cover the incurable disease, which causes ash trees to slowly rot and die. ... Ken Raffa, a UW etymology professor, said the main emerald ash borer infestation is in Detroit and has been in the United States for 12 years. Having infested the southeastern part of Wisconsin, including parts of the Milwaukee area as well as areas surrounding the Mississippi River. Raffa said in China the insects do not kill healthy trees, but only sick or old trees that do not have defenses. He said China’s ash trees have good defenses against emerald ash borers, which North American ash trees do not have. “There is no evidence any of the a...

Quality Parks Master Naturalist Program Training in April Long Island, NY - The Quality Parks Master Naturalist (QPMN) program provides environmental training that builds natural history skills, recreational know how, and a heightened awareness and appreciation of the great outdoors.    The program encapsulates 45 hours of training and 20 hours of community service. The course curriculum includes: Long Island Explorer Emergency Ready Naturalist Invasive & Ecological Restoration Trails & Greenways Wetlands & Wildlife Working Lands & Sustainability Graduation  Form more information, visit link .

New York DEC: All options will be considered in invasive species debate By John Alexander PostStar.com LAKE GEORGE, NY -- There’s still life to the Lake George Park Commission’s proposal that could see a mandatory boat inspection and washing program encircle the lake, state officials said Tuesday. Park Commission officials have spent months in negotiations with the state Department of Environmental Conservation and Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office trying to garner state-level support for the proposed invasive-species fighting measure. Park Commission members have regularly griped that DEC was uninterested in the conversations. But that’s suddenly changed as weekly three-way conversations are now under way. “All the options are on the table,” said DEC Region 5 Director Bob Stegemann, when asked if his agency supports boat washing or a less-restrictive alternative. ... Read the full story at link . -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lake George Targets I...

Density of Invasive Reed, Phragmites australis , Mapped in Great Lakes Phragmites australis , an invasive species of plant called common reed, grows rapidly into dense stands of tall plants that pose an extreme threat to Great Lakes coastal wetlands. Early treatment is the key to controlling Phragmites . Scientists have mapped the U.S. coastline of all five Great Lakes using satellite technologies. The Phragmites map is the first of its kind. It is "a highly accurate data set that will allow national, regional and local managers to visualize the extent of Phragmites invasion in the Great Lakes and strategically plan efforts to manage existing populations and minimize new colonization." Learn more at link .

More Zebra Mussels Found in Upper Chesapeake Bay From Maryland Department of Natural Resources: Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) biologists found young zebra mussels attached to buoys off Havre de Grace on December 3. DNR is asking boaters and anglers to be on the lookout for this harmful, invasive mussel. The biologists collected 20 live zebra mussels attached to the concrete anchor blocks for three channel marker buoys. DNR discovered the mussels when Captain Shawn Orr and the crew of DNR’s A.V. Sandusky pulled the buoys from the water for cleaning and winter storage. “We know that these mussels are from this year’s spawn since these buoys and anchors were deployed this spring,” said Matt Ashton, a DNR biologist and mussel expert who helped collect the mussels. “We plan to check these and other buoys every fall, as part of DNR’s limited zebra mussel monitoring effort in the upper Bay area.” ... DNR asks that people who live and work on the water keep an eye out for zebr...

Southern Maine clams threatened by invasive species, warming climate By Will Graff The Forecaster FREEPORT, ME — Small, green crabs are wreaking havoc along the Harraseeket River, and could soon devour the soft-shell clam population into extinction. As water temperatures continue to rise and the winters get warmer, experts and clammers say the crabs, which eat spat – clams in larval stage – combined with coastal acidification, could drive 1,800 licensed clammers out of work and drastically alter the ecosystem. Chad Coffin, president of the Maine Clammers Association, said the crabs have essentially taken over two-thirds of the productive clam flats in the last two decades, eating the mussels and scallops along the way. The devastation of clams has accelerated in the last decade and the problem is only getting worse, he said. Green crabs, originally from Japan, were first recorded on Long Island, N.Y., in the mid-1860s and weren't seen in Casco Bay until the early 1900s, Beal said. ...