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Author: Tiller, Anita
Email: atiller@hcp4.net
Phone: 281-443-8731
Organization: Mercer Arboretum and Botanic Gardens
Address:
22306 Aldine Westfield Road,
Humble,
TX,
77338-1071
Abstract Title: PROGRESS TOWARDS INCREASED AWARENESS OF INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES THREATS IN THE HOUSTON METROPOLITAN AREA THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION AT MERCER ARBORETUM AND BOTANIC GARDENS, HUMBLE, TEXAS. Anita A. Tiller*, Botanist, Mercer Arboretum and Botanic Gardens, Humble, TX and David C. Berkshire, Volunteer, Mercer Arboretum and Botanic Gardens, Humble, TX.
Abstract Text: Mercer Arboretum and Botanic Gardens, a Harris County Precinct 4 facility, is a participating institution for the Center for Plant Conservation, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, and strives to increase public awareness of rare native plant conservation and threats from invasive species. Mercer partners with local and national volunteers and professionals for invasive plant removal at Mercer and for restorations on rare native plant sites. Mercer's newly renovated and expanded Endangered Species Garden, certified as a Best of Texas Backyard Wildlife Habitat by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the National Wildlife Federation, functions as an important public educational tool to promote the value of native plants as well as natural garden management methods. Mercer distributes educational flyers to increase the awareness of invasive plant species and future interpretive signage will expand public education efforts. During the preparation of a target list for native plant seed collection in the Houston area for the Millennium Seed Bank program, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, England, and the Bureau of Land Management's Seeds of Success program, Mercer examined the local checklist compiled by Houston plant taxonomist, Dr. Larry E. Brown. Of the ~1,930 species currently listed for the Houston metropolitan area, ~312 are introduced species and several of these introduced species are invasive. The Texas invasive species databases derived from the Plant Conservation Alliance/Alien Plant Working Group and the Texas Department of Agriculture Noxious weed list, as well as lists for the world's most noxious invasives, are compared to the Houston area checklist. Botanic gardens, including Mercer, receive guidance from recent international and national conservation strategies. Meetings in 2001 and 2002 at Missouri Botanical Garden and Chicago Botanic Garden culminated with the St. Louis Declaration and proposed a series of voluntary approaches for reducing and preventing the spread of nonnative invasive plants for government agencies, botanic institutions, garden clubs, nursery trade, landscape architects, etc.. The Global Strategy for Plant Conservation, Botanic Gardens Conservation International and the North American Botanic Garden Strategy for Plant Conservation all provide guidance to botanical gardens and encourage increased awareness and control of invasive species through public education and management practices.
Conference
Year: TIPPC_2005
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
Presenter Type (Student or Regular):
Session: 6. Education and Public Awareness
Submission Date: 2005-10-24
