Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week -- May 23-29, 2010
USDA. APHIS. APHIS News for States.
First launched in 2004, Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Awareness Week was designed to increase public awareness regarding the risk associated with moving firewood and the spread of EAB. This year, 16 States and 3 Native American tribes are participating in the week-long awareness effort that coincides with the Memorial holiday weekend when many people go camping and spend time outdoors.

Don't Move Firewood - Stop the Emerald Ash Borer Beetle
USDA. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
Promise you won't move firewood!

Using Remote Sensing to Track Invasive Trees (May 21, 2010)
USDA. Agricultural Research Service.
A team of Agricultural Research Service scientists has refined remote sensing tools for identifying invasive Ashe juniper shrubs and trees in central Texas and nearby regions. These findings can help rangeland managers determine the extent and severity of Ashe juniper infestations and boost mitigation efforts.

Scientists Release Biocontrol for Waterhyacinth (May 18, 2010)
USDA. Agricultural Research Service.
ARS scientists and cooperators have released a new insect, Megamelus scutellaris, that will help control the invasive weed waterhyacinth. M. scutellaris is a small planthopper native to South America whose nymphs and adults feed on the sap of waterhyacinth. Herbicides are the primary method for reducing waterhyacinth, but their use directly interferes with the biocontrol agents currently deployed against this weed. The scientists believe M. scutellaris may integrate better with existing herbicide programs because of its mobility, which should improve its survival in such highly managed systems. See a Jacksonville news article (May 18, 2010) and a video interview with Dr. Tipping about the release event.

USDA Announces Availability of Environmental Assessment for Biological Control Agent for Water Hyacinth (May 3, 2010)
USDA. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

Invasive Kudzu is Major Factor in Surface Ozone Pollution, Study Shows (May 17, 2010)
University of Virginia. UVA Today.
Kudzu, an invasive vine that is spreading across the southeastern U.S. northward, is a major contributor to large-scale increases of the pollutant surface ozone, according to a recent study from PNAS. Kudzu produces the chemicals isoprene and nitric oxide, which, when combined with nitrogen in the air, form ozone, an air pollutant that causes significant health problems for humans, and hinders the growth of many kinds of plants, including crop vegetation.

Are Invasives Bad? Not Always, Say Brown Researchers (May 17, 2010)
Brown University.
New research at Brown University challenges the notion that invasive species cannot coexist with native animals. The researchers studied the Asian shore crab, which has proliferated along the Atlantic shore. In a new paper in Ecology, the team explains why the crab has been successful in its new home without hurting native species.

A New Way to Use Herbicides: To Sterilize, Not Kill Weeds (May 5, 2010)
USDA. Agricultural Research Service.
Sterilizing rather than killing exotic invasive grasses with herbicides might be a more economical and environmentally sound weed control strategy for rangeland, according to new ARS research.

National Firewood Task Force Releases Final Recommendations (May 2010)
USDA. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
Culminating a six month effort, the National Firewood Task Force (NFTF), has released recommendations (DOC | 645 KB) for State, Tribal and Federal officials that outline potential strategies to mitigate the movement of invasive forest pests on firewood. See Invasive Species and Firewood for more information. Provide your comments by Jun 2010.