February 2012 iWire Newsletter

New Invasive Species Program Coordinator

Jessica Strickland (shown here climbing a tree at Tikal N.P. in Guatemala) is the new the Invasive Species Program Coordinator at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Jessica comes from the non-profit organization American Rivers where she worked with river conservation, citizen scientists, monitoring and public outreach. Prior to that, Jessica was in southern Mexico looking at the ecological impacts of invasive fish in freshwater streams. Jessica considers Austin her homeland, having grown up in Texas and having previously worked as an ecologist for a local engineering firm.

Strickland received a bachelor’s degree in wildlife and fisheries ecology from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and earned a master’s degree in aquatic resources from Texas State University, San Marcos.

Launching of the eXtension Invasive Species Community of Practice (CoP)

The Invasive species CoP is a national website designed to connect and mobilize participants through an Invasive Species Learning and Action Network. It is through this network that the Invasive Species CoP seeks to involve or connect Cooperative Extension invasive species educators, researchers, outreach and communications experts from leading universities across the USA with Master Gardeners and Naturalists, outdoor hobbyists, natural resources professionals and decision makers throughout the United States.

Instructions to Join:
1. Go to www.extension.org/people/communities/1238
2. Click 'Join Community'
3. Don't have an eXtension ID? Get one at: www.extension.org/people/signup

Please contact Karan Rawlins at krawlins@uga.edu with questions, articles, and invasive species profiles.

UGA Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health Releases New Invasive Species iPhone Application

Based on the U.S. Forest Service publication: A Field Guide for the Identification of Invasive Plants in Southern Forests the iPhone App currently available through iTunes allows users to identify the 56 nonnative plants and plant groups currently invading the forests of the 13 Southern states.

Future versions of the application will include the ability to directly report new sightings of select species into the Georgia Center’s Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System, which provides a quick way to submit photos and report new sightings of invasive plants on the spot throughout the U.S. - Learn More about the iPhone App

Its National Invasive Species Awareness Week!

February 26 - March 3, 2012, Washington, D.C. A week of activities, briefings, workshops and events focused on strategizing solutions to address invasive species prevention, detection, monitoring, control, and management issues at local, state, tribal, regional, national and international scales.

Please join us for a live Webcast of the Grassroots Invasive Species Forum on March 1^st from 1:00 to 3:00 PM (EST). Login instructions and agenda. This will be an audio only webcast.

Invasive Giant Reed (Arundo donax) May be Used as a Future Fuel Source

The U.S. Department of Energy has granted more than $1.8 million to look at tobacco as a potential fuel source. Texas AgriLife Research is leading the effort, and if the project succeeds within 18 months, almost $2 million more will be given to transfer the technology into giant reed, a fast-growing grass species. - Read More

More News

National Invasive Species Awareness Week February 26 - March 3, Washington DC
A week of activities, briefings, workshops and events focused on strategizing solutions to address invasive species prevention, detection, monitoring, control, and management issues at local, state, tribal, regional, national and international scales. - Learn More

Learn how to become an invasive species hunter at Kid’s Day during National Invasive Species Awareness Week (NISAW) in Washington D.C. - Watch a preview of Commander Ben in Action!

If you would like your invasive species event or news listed in the next iWire, please send the details to iwire@texasinvasives.org.

New Satellite, Heartwood Invaders, Hosts First Sentinel Pest Network Workshop

We would like to thank the Heartwood Invaders for hosting the first Sentinel Pest Network Workshop in Texas. The Heartwood Invaders opted for the full-day program, learning about invasive pests and plants. Approximately 30 volunteers were trained to detect and report the 12 most potentially dangerous pests to Texas (as determined by USDA-APHIS). They also received a half-day of training on the Invaders of Texas Program, which included local invasive plant identification, website navigation, and invasive plant reporting. As a special treat, Dr. Stephen Clarke from the USFS led a session on Emerald Ash Borer trapping.

Calling All Pest Detectives!

The Invaders of Texas program will be conducting 10 invasive pest identification workshops in early 2012. The workshops will train citizen scientists to identify and report invasive pests of regulatory concern, such as Emerald Ash Borer. Satellites will have two options: a half-day workshop focusing on invasive pests, or a full-day workshop consisting of a half-day on invasive pests and the other half being a refresher course for the Invaders of Texas program.

We are now taking requests for these new workshops. Please contact Jessica Strickland for more information and to schedule your workshop!

Citizen Science Workshops

Rare Plant Monitoring & Invasive Species Workshops

The Invaders of Texas has teamed up with the National Forest Foundation and the National Forests and Grasslands in Texas to offer a new kind of citizen science workshop, expanding on the Invaders of Texas model by adding a rare plant monitoring component. Day 1 will be in the classroom and Day 2 will be in the field. Please contact Minnette Marr for more information or to register for the workshop.

April 13-14, 2012 - Martin Dies State Park and Sabine National Forest (Jasper, TX).

March 23-24, 2012 - Livingston-Polk County Chamber of Commerce and Angelina National Forest (Livingston, TX).

Sentinel Pest Network & Invasive Species Workshops

These workshops supplement the Invaders of Texas program by training citizen scientists to identify and report invasive pests of regulatory concern like Emerald Ash Borer and the Cactus Moth while they are out looking for invasive plants. The morning session will be a refresher course on non-native, invasive plants that occur in the area, and in the afternoon we will cover non-native, invasive pests. We have funding for 10 workshops in 2012, so schedule your workshop, today.

Invaders of Texas Workshops

The Invaders of Texas workshops are the traditional workshops training citizen scientists to report and detect invasive plants in their area. We have funding for 10 workshops in 2012, so schedule your workshop, today.

For more information or to request a workshop, please visit our Workshop Page.