Two Noxious Weed Funding

Possibilities to Watch:

 

Forwarded by Katie Barrows

 

I. A Tamarisk Control Bill has passed the US House of Representatives (H.R. 2707 see attachment). This billed will authorize $25 million per year (2005-2009) for the coordinated control of Tamarisk in the west. At this point any WMA with large amounts of Tamarisk should begin to study this bill and inform your local congressman of your interest in "pilot" participation. I'm not sure yet how the bill is matched on the Senate side.

 

II. The US Forest Service has tentatively allocated approximately $400,000 for Weed Management Area support grants in the counties of San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles and Riverside and Ventura. This money is tied loosely to the devastating fires of 2003. There will be an RFP for a competitive grant program to support education and on-the-ground detection and control work for invasive weeds on private and state-owned lands - with the goal of "improving forest health". These private lands should be near US Forest service land, but do not need to be forested. The education component can address educating land owners not to revegetate with invasive plants in addition to promoting weed prevention practices. The funding will span two years and will begin January 2005. The allocation is highly likely, but not 100% firm yet. Be thinking of projects and notify your Weed Management Area partners. CDFA will administer the funds.

 

Steve Schoenig, (916)-654-0768

President - California Invasive Plant Council

Senior Environmental Research Scientist

Integrated Pest Control Branch

California Dept. of Food & Agriculture

1220 N St, Room A357,

Sacramento CA 95814

 

www.cdfa.ca.gov/weedhome.

INVADED NATION

 

Sent by Katie Barrows

 

Life in a new country can be a lot easier. Two studies, which examined 473 European plant species and 26 animal species that have invaded the U.S., confirm long-standing thinking that such species tend to have fewer enemies and infections in their new digs. They are therefore better able to survive and to crowd out indigenous flora and fauna. Invasive species are considered the second biggest threat to biodiversity, after habitat destruction

 

Percent drop in fungal infections among European plants after invading the U.S.:  84

 

Percent drop in viral infections:  24

 

Percent drop in all diseases:  77

 

Average number of parasites on a species in its indigenous range:  16

 

Number of parasites that accompany an invader to its new range:  3

 

Number the invader subsequently picks up:  4

 

Number of non-indigenous species in the U.S.:  at least 30,000

 

Annual cost of damage done by these species:  $123 billion

 

Sources:  Nature, February 6, 2003; economic costs from a January 1999 report by David Pimentel of Cornell University and his colleagues.

 

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, April 2003, p. 32