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Invaders with App-titude: Reporting Invasive Plants with a Smartphone It's official, TX Invaders mobile application is ready for download! The TX Invaders app streamlines invasive species reporting and monitoring. It requires only one device (no more gps or cameras!) and allows for instantaneous data entry. This should improve reporting by increasing “fly-by” observations (e.g., a chance-sighting) and reduce the number of lost or forgotten un-entered observations. A special thanks to Chuck Bargeron and partners at the University of Georgia's Center for Invasive Species & Ecosystem Health for creating TX Invaders. Here are the links for downloading to your device: iPhones: https://itunes.apple.com/app/texas-invaders/id572419215?mt=8 Androids: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bugwood.texasinvasives. |
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Eradicator Calculator Contributions: A Special Thanks to Our Eradicator Calculator Contributors
This June, the Eradicator Calculator went live at Texasinvasives.org/calculator/. The feature is designed to ensure that volunteer-based eradication efforts don't go undocumented. Volunteer groups led by state, municipal, nonprofit, and concerned citizens alike can post events and submit post-event details through the Eradicator Calculator. Posting past events helps build the Eradicator Calculator database, which helps track the amount of time and money spent on controlling invasive species.
A special thanks goes out to volunteers who took the time to submit information regarding invasive species removal efforts dating several years back, particularly: 1) The Balcones Invaders Satellite Group 2) The San Antonio Invaders Satellite Group 3) Jerry Levenson Current totals entered into the Eradicator Calculator for volunteer time and supplies spent combating invasive species equate to almost $160,000! Contribute Your Old Data: If you have the following information documented for your past eradication events: (1) Target species (2) Location (2) Volunteer hours (3) Staff hours (if applicable) (4) Eradication Method Please contact Jessica Strickland |
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The "Don't Pack a Pest" Program Goes International! The Florida-based outreach campaign “Don’t Pack a Pest” went international last month. The program is a cooperative effort among the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and now the Jamaica Ministry of Agriculture. USDA-APHIS is working to bring the Don’t Pack a Pest program to more counties, including the Caribbean islands, portions of South America (Venezuela, Suriname, Guyana, and French Guiana) Central America, Panama and the United States: Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. |
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NISAW Save the Date National Invasive Species Awareness Week March 3-8, 2013 Attend events in the US Capitol and in Washington D.C. or host your own event that explores local problems and solutions to invasive species. For additional information, go to www.nisaw.org. |
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More News Spraying Insecticide to Combat Invasives? There is an App for that~ Two new apps were developed by Areawide Pest Management Research Unit in College Station, Texas. The apps are designed to ensure that aerial and ground-based applications can hit targets and minimize pesticide drift by keying in equipment and pesticide specifics. - Read More. Wyoming Cracks Down on Aquatic Invasives Wyoming conducted almost 40,000 boat inspections this summer in an effort to keep out undesirable mussels and other invasive species. Read More. Options Presented to Stop Invasive Species Movement between the Great Lakes & MS River The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has outlined nine options for keeping invasive species from traversing Eagle Marsh to jump between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River watersheds. Unfortunately, there is no set funding to support these projects. Read More. Be Aware of Potential Invasives in Holiday Decorations The Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) was formerly used in wreath-making and other holiday decorations. However, using this attractive woody vine helps to spread seeds to new areas, where the vines can wrap around and strangle tree. Connecticut authorities warn that improper disposal of the decorations, either outdoors or in compost, can contribute to the spread of this highly invasive species. Read 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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Citizen Science Workshops 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 your area. We have funding for 10 workshops in 2013, so schedule your workshop, today!
Workshop Schedule: |
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