Yearn to Wander
Eradicating Invasive Plants Is a Lot of Work
Tom awakened me this morning because the I-90 Biological Weed Control Project team was in the parking lot sorting insects. Insects? Yes, Todd, Mike, and Bryant were preparing to distribute insects that eradicate the Spotted Knapweed.
Spotted Knapweed is a pretty purple flowered plant, indigenous to Eastern Europe, that has invaded the western US and Canada. It likes disturbed areas along roads, but once it's established other areas are suitable, too.
One part of the team collected the insects, the Larinus weevil, near Plains, MT. Those in the parking lot in Missoula, MT: some high school biology teachers and students, were segregating the insects into lots of 80 insects to disperse them on clumps of Spotted Knapweed along the 300+ mile stretch of I-90 in west central Montana from Livingston to the Idaho border. I helped for a few minutes while Todd and Mike told me about their project.
The weevil eats the roots of the plant. Sometimes the plant dies within a year, other times it takes longer. The Larinus is imported from Asia to treat these imported plants, because the plants have no native enemy. Many years of biological testing have been conducted to ensure the intended plant is the only plant the weevil attacks. In this case, once the weevil has finished its work on the Spotted Knapweed, it dies.
This project is just one example of the attention paid to eradicating unwanted species. Interpretive signs are posted at rest stops, boat launches, trail heads, and local libraries to educate the public about the many invasive plants and animals, and what they can do to help contain the spread of invasives. Many agencies from these high school teachers and students to local, state and federal government agencies, and profit and non-profit organizations spend many hours working the field, the lab, and the office to eradicate unwanted species. Needless to say, control also costs a lot of money, e.g., our tax dollars, since only about half the work force is volunteer, while the rest is paid. But not eradicating these unwanted species has higher economic costs, because they drive out native species.
If you want to learn more, Google "spotted knapweed" or "why eliminate invasive plants" or check one of these sites:
http://www.invasiveplants.ab.ca/Downloads/FS-SpotedKnapweed.pdf;
http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/invasiveplant-eis/faq/#04
One part of the team collected the insects, the Larinus weevil, near Plains, MT. Those in the parking lot in Missoula, MT: some high school biology teachers and students, were segregating the insects into lots of 80 insects to disperse them on clumps of Spotted Knapweed along the 300+ mile stretch of I-90 in west central Montana from Livingston to the Idaho border. I helped for a few minutes while Todd and Mike told me about their project.
The weevil eats the roots of the plant. Sometimes the plant dies within a year, other times it takes longer. The Larinus is imported from Asia to treat these imported plants, because the plants have no native enemy. Many years of biological testing have been conducted to ensure the intended plant is the only plant the weevil attacks. In this case, once the weevil has finished its work on the Spotted Knapweed, it dies.
This project is just one example of the attention paid to eradicating unwanted species. Interpretive signs are posted at rest stops, boat launches, trail heads, and local libraries to educate the public about the many invasive plants and animals, and what they can do to help contain the spread of invasives. Many agencies from these high school teachers and students to local, state and federal government agencies, and profit and non-profit organizations spend many hours working the field, the lab, and the office to eradicate unwanted species. Needless to say, control also costs a lot of money, e.g., our tax dollars, since only about half the work force is volunteer, while the rest is paid. But not eradicating these unwanted species has higher economic costs, because they drive out native species.
If you want to learn more, Google "spotted knapweed" or "why eliminate invasive plants" or check one of these sites:
http://www.invasiveplants.ab.ca/Downloads/FS-SpotedKnapweed.pdf;
http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/invasiveplant-eis/faq/#04
ms
2010-08-11
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