Invasive Species - What's New on NISIC's Site

Bees are declining in the U.S. and with them the pollination services on which people and wildlife depend. Several national forests have begun to include habitat restoration for bees in their forest plans. Justin Runyon, a Rocky Mountain Research Station research entomologist, and Montana State University scientists identified the most pollinator-friendly plants to include in seed mixes for use in restoration projects in the Northern Rockies.

The researchers developed a scorecard that managers can use to select pollinator-friendly mixes based on local factors such as budget, habitat type, or plant availability.

Washington state agencies are asking people to clean their gear, pets and clothing this spring to prevent invasive plants from establishing here.

The annual PlayCleanGo Awareness Week (June 3-10, 2023) will be held across North America. The goal of the campaign is to show outdoor enthusiasts how they can stop invasive plants and pests from spreading — while enjoying the great outdoors.

PlayCleanGo is an education and outreach campaign for outdoor recreationalists in North America. The goal is to encourage outdoor recreation while protecting valuable natural resources. The objective is to slow or stop the spread of terrestrial invasive species (those that occur on land) through changes in public behavior. See how you can take action and stop invasive species in your tracks.
See also: 2023 PlayCleanGo Awareness Week National Press Release [PDF, 63 KB]

The Don't Move Firewood campaign will be hosting a few live webinars (May 24-25) during 2023 Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Awareness Week (May 22-28, 2023).  Hear from researchers and managers alike over the course of three live webinars in two days. We'll talk about communication strategies and public acceptance of EAB management, what's going on in Oregon and other states as EAB spreads in the West, and findings on EAB survivability in extreme cold temperatures. Webinars will be recorded and available for registrants.
See related resource: Don't Move Firewood

This year’s unusually warm winter and spring has led to the early hatch of spotted lanternfly (SLF) in states to our south.  Reports have come in over the past couple of weeks of SLF hatching from Virginia to Pennsylvania, and we anticipate them following suit here in Massachusetts in the next month.

A new program will enable anyone who walks the shorelines of Puget Sound to identify one of Washington state’s most concerning invasive species: European green crab.

In response to this shore crab’s booming population, Washington State University Extension and Washington Sea Grant outreach specialists are rolling out the Molt Search program in May.

This Story from NAL's Collection invites readers to appreciate the complex history of foot-and-mouth disease and the relationship between the United States and Mexico. It briefly chronicles the 1946-1954 foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Mexico and how the United States and Mexican governments worked together to eradicate the disease.

Imagine a devastating plant disease that sweeps the land, decimating crops. For Florida’s citrus growers, that apocalyptic vision is not a horror movie, but a reality: since it was first identified in the Sunshine State in 2005, citrus greening disease has reduced Florida’s citrus production by a whopping 70%. Without any treatment or cure available, desperate growers have cut down infected trees or abandoned their groves entirely. Scientists have been racing to come up with a solution. Now, an ARS research team believes it may have one, in the form of: stingrays.

Building a structure for interagency coordination to support early detection surveillance and rapid response to invasive species. Scientists and resource managers agree that preventing invasive species establishment is the most cost-effective approach to avoiding many of the long-term economic, environmental, and societal costs associated with invasive species.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) was passed in 2021, a portion of which was directed to funding invasive species detection, prevention, eradication, including research.

See also: Geonarratives for all USGS geonarrative / story map resources

Hemlocks in the U.S. are vulnerable to attack by a small insect called the hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA). This insect looks like tiny cotton balls on the needles of the tree and can kill the trees by feeding on the sap. The adelgid has decimated stands of hemlocks in the eastern U.S. While insecticides and biological control measures can offer some relief, the best way to combat HWA is to develop genetic resistance in the trees.