Invasive Species Program Coordinator Departs for Cooler Climes

Travis Gallo, Invasive Species Program Coordinator and Researcher for the Invaders of Texas Citizen Science Program (shown here flying a kite) has departed for Fort Collins, CO to pursue his Ph.D. at Colorado State University. Recipient of the 2011 Texas Invasive Plant & Pest Council Public Service Award, Gallo grew the Invaders of Texas Citizen Science Program from a few hundred participants to over 1,400 in just three years. Gallo will be sorely missed as webmaster, iWire author (that is why this one is late) and beer connoisseur.
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Help Find Homes for Emerald Ash Borer Traps

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service plans to greatly expand its EAB detection survey in 2012 and has solicited assistance from the Texas Forest Service, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Stephen F. Austin State University College of Forestry and Agriculture, and several volunteer citizen scientist groups. These agencies with the help of volunteers like you have agreed to install some 700 survey traps in 71 Texas counties. Click Here to participate in this trapping effort. 
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Trade in Non-native Amphibians and Reptiles in Texas

In the United States, trade is monitored at different levels of government and state level insight requires combining federal, state, and local sources of information. Trade in wildlife and their products has implications on wild populations of species involved and introduction of non-native vertebrates, especially amphibians and reptiles, is linked to the commercial trade in these animals. Read More.
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TSUS Establishes Institute to Study and Control Invasive Species

The Institute for the Study of Invasive Species (ISIS) is focused on research and coordinating the effective early detection and rapid response to multiple new invasive species that currently impact, or have the potential to impact, ecosystems and produce major economic effects.ISIS currently draws from the expertise of over 40 researchers within the Texas State University System (TSUS). Read More.
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USDA Seeks Suggestions to Implement Section 10201 of the 2008 Farm Bill

From January 30 through February 24, 2012, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will be gathering input and accepting suggestions to implement Section 10201 (“Plant Pest and Disease Management and Disaster Prevention”) of the 2008 Farm Bill. Read More.
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Caddo Lake Institute Awarded Grant for Giant Salvinia Control

The National Fish & Wildlife Foundation announced this week that the Caddo Lake Institute will receive one of 24 new grants given to organizations nationwide to support efforts to control infestations of invasive or noxious weeds. CLI was awarded a $100,000 “Pulling Together Initiative” grant to help “control giant salvinia and other aquatic invasive species via a public-private partnership to protect lakes and wetlands using websites, trained volunteers, and public education.”
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More News

2012 Tamarisk Symposium
February 15 – 17, Two Rivers Convention Center, Grand Junction, CO - Learn More

APHIS's 2011 Invasive Species News in a Nutshell
This newsletter contains news and information on invasive species that have occurred in 2011. - Learn More

Save the Date - 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

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

Please take note of the following changes to the Invaders of Texas datasheet. First you will notice that the fields Collector Name and Satellite have been removed. Those were relics from the old system and are no longer needed. You will also see a new field, Est. Error. Most GPS receivers have a slight error and display this error near the latitude and longitude coordinates. After discussions with resource managers and scientists we came to the conclusion that knowing the GPS error would be valuable information for those using the data.
Reserve Your Invasive Pest Workshops

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 workshop request for these new workshops. Please contact Damon Waitt for more information and to schedule a 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 cover non-native, invasive pests, and the afternoon session will be a refresher course on non-native, invasive plants that occur in our area. We have funding for 10 workshops in 2012, so schedule your workshop, today.

February 25, 2012 - SCG Nature Center, 1300 Riley Fuzzel Road (Spring, TX).

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.

February 25, 2012 - Cibolo Nature Center (Boerne, TX).


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