Posted on 17-10-2002

Invasion Of The Species
By Cat Lazaroff, introduced by Alan Marston

One of the spin-offs of globalisation is... globalisation. Only now, faced
with massive and dramatic campaigns of biological warfare against species
of plants and animals far from their native habitat are people in
communities throughout the whole world realising what biological warfare
really means. In New Zealand Aucklanders have been sprayed from the air
before, and its happening again in West Auckland on an unprecedented scale,
against the Painted Apple Moth.

Realistically, the current campaigns will pale beside what is to come if
anti-globalisation is going to try and live with globalisation, and
continue to generate a very uncreative tension between them.


WASHINGTON, DC, October 15, 2002 (ENS) - Invasive species are wreaking
havoc on wildlife refuges across the country, warns a new report released
in conjunction with National Wildlife Refuge week. Members of Congress
joined the report's sponsors at the National Wildlife Refuge Association in
calling for new efforts to stem the flow of nonnative species into U.S.
ecosystems.

Invasive species - foreign insects, plants and animals that wreak havoc on
native ecosystems - cause more than $100 billion damage each year. Invasive
plants alone have invaded more than 100 million acres of land nationwide,
and almost eight million of those acres are in wildlife refuges, areas
created to protect the most important examples of biological diversity
across the country. "America's wildlife is under siege by a relentless
force that respects neither geographic nor political boundaries," said Evan
Hirsche, president of the National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA).

The NWRA report, "Silent Invasion," profiles 12 of the most damaging
invasive species, including purple loosestrife, a nonnative plant which now
infests about 400,000 acres of federally owned wetlands, marshes and
meadows in every state except Florida. Florida has its own problems with
another invasive plant: melaleuca, a fast growing tree that has begun to
crowd out native plants in the Florida Everglades.

The report also documents how 12 diverse refuges in as many states are
working to address this ecological crisis. For example, at Ellicott Slough
National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) near Monterey Bay, California, refuge
personnel and state officials are working to remove eucalyptus, pampas
grass and other invasive species that are taking over the native habitat of
one of the last remaining populations of Santa Cruz long-toed salamanders.
The project replaces the invaders with live oak and other native seedlings
grown by volunteers in the refuge nursery.

At the Alaska Maritime NWR, native species are falling prey to invading
populations of fox, ground squirrel, reindeer, cattle and other nonnative
mammals. While refuge staff and other federal personnel are slowly
attempting to remove the invaders, they are also working to prevent new
invasions by monitoring ship traffic and preventing rats from shipwrecks
from reaching pristine island habitats. "We consider a rat spill worse than
an oil spill," refuge biologist Vernon Byrd states in the report. The NWRA
is urging Congress and the Bush administration to provide $150 million over
five years to protect the national wildlife refuge system against the
advancement of invasive species. "'Silent Invasion' makes it crystal clear
that we have to act now before it is too late. To stop the Refuge invaders,
we need a three part strategy - educating and mobilizing volunteers,
deploying rapid response strike teams across the nation and implementing
the strategic management plan of the National Invasive Species Council, a
Presidentially mandated commission," said Hirsche. "The approach outlined
in 'Silent Invasion' is already receiving bipartisan support and we urge
the U.S. Congress and Bush Administration to fund our national campaign to
protect our national wildlife refuges from certain destruction."

Among the report's recommendations is the training and deployment of 5,000
volunteers - about 10 per refuge - that could help spot invaders before
they gain a foothold. The report also calls for the formation of 50 rapid
response teams that could quickly fight early infestations before they
begin to dominate native landscapes. Pacific Coast, a non-native cordgrass
called Spartina alterniflora is making the mudflats and saltmarsh
inhospitable to birds. Two years ago, the refuge staff prepared a plan to
eliminate Spartina, but a lack of funding has prevented the plan's
implementation, and the cordgrass continues to spread. "Utilizing
volunteers and mobile strike teams is a practical and affordable use of
taxpayer funds to solve a problem that could effect 37 million refuge
visitors annually," added Hirsche. "Recognizing the problem early on and
responding rapidly are a crucial elements to this campaign. We need to
catch the invasives and work to eradicate them before they swell to
uncontrollable proportions."

Representative Wayne Gilchrest, a Maryland Republican, spoke in support of
the NWRA's recommendations. Gilchrest has introduced legislation to
reauthorize, strengthen and expand the National Invasive Species Act, and
establish a screening process for detecting new invaders. "Blackwater
National Wildlife Refuge, which is located in my district on the eastern
shore of Maryland, is home to one of the most notorious invaders in the
nation - nutria," Gilchrest noted. "I am here to say we must do a better
job controlling invasive species on our refuges."

Senator Jim Jeffords, the Vermont Independent who chairs the Senate
Environment and Public Works committee, noted that refuges in the northeast
face a number of invaders, including an aquatic weed known as the water
chestnut.

"Prevention is the key word in this battle to protect our national
refuges," Jeffords said. "Educating and mobilizing of a nationwide network
of volunteers is a cost effective and practical solution. "Invasive species
are a leading threat to our wildlife and economy," Jeffords added.
"Congress needs to ensure that the funding and resources are available to
effectively combat this threat to America's wildlife heritage."

The "Silent Invasion" report was released in conjunction with National
Wildlife Refuge Week, October 13 - 19. The annual event will be celebrated
in a variety of ways at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (USFWS) 95
million acres of refuges, wetlands and special management areas across the
nation.

This year's refuge week also kicks off the celebrations of the national
wildlife refuge system's centennial anniversary. The first national
wildlife refuge was established in Pelican Island, Florida on March 14,
1903, and there are now 540 wildlife refuges located in all 50 states. "I
invite Americans to explore our national wildlife refuges during National
Wildlife Refuge Week," said Interior Secretary Gale Norton. "The refuges
are great places to reconnect with nature, escape from our everyday
surroundings and enjoy outdoor activities such as hunting, fishing and
wildlife observation."

More than 400 national wildlife refuges are open to the public, offering a
variety of outdoor activities including fishing, hunting, environmental
education, wildlife observation and photography. Many refuges offer
additional opportunities for nature hikes, bird tours, wildlife drives and
other activities.

Many events this year will focus on the threat posed by invasive species.
On Wednesday, for example, Lynn Scarlett, assistant secretary of Interior,
will be at Ding Darling NWR on Sanibel Island, Florida, for an event
highlighting invasive species. On Friday, the Heinz Invasives Species Event
will be held at the Tinicum NWR in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with guests
from the Interior Department and the USFWS. And on Saturday, invasive
species events will be held at the Minnesota Valley NWR in Bloomington,
Minnesota and at Loxahatchee NWR in Boynton Beach, Florida, where Fran
Mainella, Director of the National Park Service, is expected to attend.