NY Call on U.S. Coast Guard to Expedite Action to Stop Invasive Species (Oct 29, 2009)
New York Department of Environmental Conservation.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis urged the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) to expedite new restrictions on the ability of ships to discharge ballast water in America's waters. The USCG is currently accepting public comments on draft regulations on the treatment standards for ballast water used by ships through Dec 4, 2009.

Global Tree Death Patterns Reveal Emerging Climate Change Risks for Forests (Oct 26, 2009)
U.S. Geological Survey.
The USGS-led review suggests that many of the world's forests are sensitive to climate-related drought and heat stress, raising the concern that forests may become increasingly vulnerable to future mortality, even in environments that are not normally considered water-limited. The results suggest risks to ecosystem services that are valuable to forests and societies around the world. Warming temperatures also have direct effects on insect population dynamics; outbreaks of some aggressive bark beetle species are closely tied to temperature.

New Regulations Proposed by U.S. Department of Agriculture to Help Stem the Tide of Non-Native Pests (Oct 15, 2009)
The Nature Conservancy.
The Nature Conservancy, working with industry partners and scientists, is supporting revamped regulations proposed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to improve its ongoing efforts to block non-native insects and diseases from entering the country and protect American homeowners, businesses, agriculture and native trees. The Nature Conservancy provides information on how to prevent the introduction and spread of invasive foreign pests and diseases.

Report Documents the Risks of Giant Invasive Snakes in the U.S. (Oct 13, 2009)
DOI. United States Geological Survey.
Five giant non-native snake species would pose high risks to the health of ecosystems in the United States should they become established here, according to a USGS report released. The report details the risks of nine non-native boa, anaconda and python species that are invasive or potentially invasive in the U.S. Because all nine species share characteristics associated with greater risks, none was found to be a low ecological risk. Two of these species are documented as reproducing in the wild in South Florida, with population estimates for Burmese pythons in the tens of thousands.

Shaping the Future of America's Outdoor Resources (Oct 6, 2009)
Resources for the Future.
The new study The State of the Great Outdoors: America's Parks, Public Lands, and Recreation Resources (2009; PDF | 11. 2 MB), looks at the status of America's outdoor resources, the demand for recreation, and the financing of conservation, parks, and open space. The issues of concern include climate change. Invasive species present another problem that can cause deterioration in the quality of outdoor resources. Moreover, diversion of financial resources to deal with invasive species may end up creating problems at visitor centers, campgrounds, picnic areas, and a host of other public facilities.

In Search of Wildlife-friendly Biofuels: Are Native Prairie Plants the Answer? (Oct 1, 2009)
Michigan Technological University.
In the new study Bioenergy and Wildlife: Threats and Opportunities for Grassland Conservation, (Abstract - BioScience, Oct 2009) the authors analyze the impacts on wildlife of the burgeoning conversion of grasslands to corn for ethanol production. One potential solution to the threat on wildlife habitat is using diverse native prairie plants to produce bioenergy instead of a single agricultural crop like corn.