 |
 |
Parks & Rec Business
| Invasive Species Paul Revere’s Ride--21st Century By Linda Stalvey In 1860, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote “Paul Revere’s Ride,” a poem many of us memorized in school. “Listen, my children, and you shall hear, Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere ... One if by land, and two if by sea.” If the technology were more advanced, Revere and Longfellow might have written about a third lantern, “if by air.” While the British have become allies over the years, this country is still under attack--and our adversaries are wreaking more havoc than the British troops of 1775 ever could. They are arriving on all fronts--land, sea and air. They are disrupting ecosystems, obliterating species and costing billions of dollars to eradicate or control. They are collectively known as “invasive species.” An invasive species can be defined as “a species occurring as a result of human activities beyond its accepted and normal distribution and which threatens valued environmental, agricultural or personal resources by the damage it causes.” Every region of the country is beset by invasive species. A few notable and far-ranging examples are highlighted below. If you are wiping your brow as you read because these are not in your area--stay tuned, for you’ll be dealing with them soon. One If By Land--Garlic Mustard Alliaria Petiolata Garlic mustard was first recorded in Long Island, N.Y., in 1868. Colonial settlers used it as a potherb to flavor soups and stews during the long winter months. When its leaves are crushed, it smells like garlic. Why do you need to be concerned about garlic mustard? The plant has a long growing season, grows in dense clusters, and produces large amounts of seed that can remain viable for up to seven years. The seeds are transmitted by wind, water, animals and humans. “As an invasive species, it will smother native woodland wildflowers if we don’t contain it,” says Dr. Steven Clemants, Vice President of Science at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in New York. “Garlic mustard has overtaken 28 Midwestern and Northeastern states and can be found in North Dakota, Kansas, Oregon, Alaska, Utah, Nebraska, Georgia and Colorado,” Clemants adds. Containing garlic mustard is a matter of persistence and a cost-benefit decision. In areas of heavy infestation, an herbicide like Roundup(TR) may be used. In smaller areas, pulling is effective, although this needs to be done repeatedly to eliminate the seed bank. Some folks recommend cutting or burning under certain conditions. The somewhat “social” recommendation of “pulling” may afford the opportunity to solicit assistance from the community. There are always groups (high school students, church groups and scouts, garden clubs) looking for volunteer opportunities. Image what a nice human-interest story this would be for your local media. Don’t forget to take photos! Another unique opportunity for culling garlic mustard is to open your grounds for harvesting. Brooklyn Botanic Garden has encouraged people to harvest garlic mustard for cooking--the roots and leaves are edible. A recipe for Garlic Mustard Pesto is reprinted below. “Harvesting garlic mustard is a beneficial eradication technique as long as it is persistent,” says Clemants. Clemants describes the ultimate result of taking no action to eradicate garlic mustard. “Our perception of what is natural and what is normal is degraded.” For instance, once the wildflower species, such as trillium and trout lilies, are gone, we have nothing to compare to … we think fields of garlic mustard are natural. Diversity is lost. Can you put a price on that? Two If By Sea--Invasive Species of the Great Lakes Watershed The Great Lakes Watershed includes all or part of eight states: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York, and the Ontario Province of Canada. The lakes provide approximately 95 percent of the fresh-water surface in the United States. More than 83 million people rely on its waters for drinking. Many have called the Great Lakes the nation’s “fourth seacoast.” Including more than 35,000 islands found among the five lakes, the shoreline extends an impressive 10,000 miles. Those shorelines and water are home to a $1 billion recreational fishing industry. Add boating, swimming, water sports, camping, sightseeing and nature activities, and the recreational and economic import of the area rises dramatically. Rick Graham, Vice President of the Izaak Walton League of America, Ohio Division, says, “Aquatic invasive species are undermining the integrity of the Great Lakes ecosystem. They are putting all the waters of our nation at risk--every stream river, and lake is being threatened.” To date, there have been at least 183 non-native species identified in the Great Lakes. One new species is discovered in the lakes every 28 weeks. The most common pathway for these invaders is through the ballast discharge from foreign ships. Common “fish invaders” include the following: White Perch Round Gobi Asian Carp Sea Lamprey Ruff These fish compete with sport fish and will indirectly affect the fishing quotas in various locations. The Asian carp, which can grow to 120 pounds, does not respond well to people and boat traffic. It has been known to jump out of the water at boats. Moving down the size scale, but just as devastating, are the zebra and quagga mussels. While water clarity might be helped by the filtering effect of the mussels, they can also rapidly attach in great numbers to docks, boats and skis--any surface under the water. They can clog and disable cooling systems on boats or intake pipes in water facilities. The zebra mussel can be found in water up to 15 feet deep. The quagga mussel, however, can be found as deep as 350 feet and, therefore, can have more of an impact on the ecosystem than the zebra mussel. In coastal areas, natural vegetation may be overrun by Phragmites australis, or the common reed. While the reed appears to be native, it can be an invasive wetland plant when humans change its habitat. It is common in alkaline and brackish water, can thrive in acidic wetlands, and is no stranger to fresh water. It can even grow in roadside ditches and along railroad tracks. When invasive, it can affect endangered bird species such as the piping plover, and can eliminate the habitat for frogs, turtles and fish with its expansive root system. What can you do to protect your parks, lakes, shorelines and campgrounds? Graham provides the following suggestions: 1. Know what an invasive species is, which one you are at risk of receiving and which you may transmit. 2. Develop policy to protect your facility. 3. Establish rules to enforce your policy. 4. Become an activist and support legislation aimed at stopping invasive species. To start the process, you might want to check out www.protectyourwaters.net--a site “for recreational users who want to help stop aquatic nuisance species.” Three If By Air Emerald Ash Borer Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire“Kentucky State Parks will not allow out-of-state firewood to be brought into campgrounds this year to reduce the risk of bringing an unwelcome insect into the state, the emerald ash borer, that kills ash trees. The insect has been found in states north of Kentucky--including Ohio, Michigan, Illinois and Indiana.” The emerald ash borer was first identified in southeastern Michigan in 2002 and has killed more than 25 million ash trees in five states and Canada. Without a means of eradicating the insect, it has the potential to kill all of the ash trees in this part of the country including black, blue, green, white and pumpkin ash trees. If it continues to move unchecked, it can attack ash trees across the country. Ash trees not only make up a significant portion of forests, but also are popular street and landscape trees. Estimates of the economic impact of EAB infestation are projected at $20-$60 billion if the insect remains unchecked. Can EAB affect your facility and grounds? It can if you have ash trees! Do you know if you have ash trees? Sharon Lucik, Public Affairs Specialist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Brighton, Mich., has some good suggestions for dealing with EAB and other invasive species: 1. Conduct a tree inventory. Identify the types of trees and percentages of total for trees on your property. This initiative not only is valuable for identifying targets of invasive species, but also can be used in planting new nursery stock. Keep in mind that diversity is key when planting. 2. Consider a firewood policy if you don’t already have one. Firewood is a vector for many invasive species, such as gypsy moths, pine shoot beetles, Asian long horn beetles and the EAB. Some options are listed below: a. Ban the import of all firewood, and make local firewood available at your facility. b. Have a referral list for customers to buy local firewood. c. If non-local firewood is allowed in your facility, request that it not be left at the site or taken back, but burned instead. 3. Check to see if your state has any land-use orders with regard to firewood. 4. Keep abreast of the location of EAB infestation. 5. Stay informed about EAB and other invasive species. “This is a wonderful opportunity for camp directors and park and recreations services professionals to try to change the pendulum swing,” says Lucik. As a behavior change, she understands it won’t be easy. The scary part of the process, she says, is that “we don’t know what will happen if we lose all the ash trees.” Linda Stalvey is a freelance writer and regular contributor to Parks & Rec Business and Camp Business magazines. She gave up Washington, D.C., public relations to indulge her passion for parks, the environment and outdoor activities in Medina, Ohio. You can reach her at lstalvey1@verizon.net. ----------------------------SideBars------------------------------- Garlic Mustard Pesto 4 cloves garlic, peeled 3 tablespoons garlic mustard taproots ¾ cups parsley 1 cup garlic mustard leaves 1 cup basil 1-1/2 cups low-sodium olives, pitted 2 cups walnuts 1 cup pine nuts ½ cup mellow miso 1-1/4 cups olive oil or as needed Chop the garlic and garlic mustard roots in a food processor. Add the parsley, garlic mustard leaves and basil, and chop. Add the nuts and chop coarsely. Add the olive oil and miso, and process until you’ve created a coarse paste. Makes 4 cups. Recipe reprinted with permission from The Wild Vegetarian Cookbook, by Steve Brill (Harvard Common Press, 2002). The book is available in stores or can be purchased on Steve Brill’s website: www.wildmanstevebrill.com. For Additional Information: Garlic Mustard: www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/plants/garlicmustard.shtml Great Lakes Invasive Species: www.great-lakes.net/envt/flora-fauna/invasive/invasive.html www.great-lakes.org/exotics.html http://nationalatlas.gov/dynamic/dyn_zm.html (great interactive map of zebra mussel spread) Emerald Ash Borer: www.emeraldashborer.info |
All contents contained within this website may not be reproduced or disseminated without expressed written permission from the Publisher.