1/12/09 Dealing with Invasive Species

Dealing with Invasive Species. I'm Greg Martin with today's Line On Agriculture. Invasive species are plants, animals and insects that find themselves in a new area and begin to establish themselves sometimes to the detriment of existing species. It is becoming a major issue and Department of the Interior Director; Dirk Kempthorne recently convened the National Invasive Species Council to oversee the adoption of the new 2008-2012 National Invasive Species Management Plan. KEMPTHORNE: Invasive species cause great damage to the nation's environment, economy, human health harming crop lands, natural areas impairing recreation, clogging power equipment, even harming animal and human life. It is difficult to estimate the total economic harm caused by invasive species, however invasive plants alone result in two to three billion dollars in crop loss each year. Kempthorne says the effects are wide reaching. KEMPTHORNE: When you go to Yellowstone, park rangers now will tell families that are going to go fishing  if you do catch a lake trout, rather than catch and release, would you please destroy the fish. That's a non-native species so it is now driving the native trout deep because these lake trout are preying upon them. Lori Williams is the executive director of the National Invasive Species Council says there are 2 basic ways invasive species get into an area. WILLIAMS: There's the intentional introduction. There's some use for that species either as a pet or as a bait fish or as a plant for planting in horticulture. You want to bring it in and plant it in your garden and then there's the unintentional where the species just kind of hitchhike when you trade goods, when you ship goods into the country. The plan was developed collaboratively with 13 federal departments and agencies and their partners. Federal expenditures on invasive species are estimated to exceed $1.3 billion annually. Secretary Kempthorne is calling the plan a road map for federal efforts to prevent and fight invasive species. Williams says in addition to awareness, the plan helps make each department accountable. WILLIAMS: It continues to stress prevention, early detection, rapid response and there's a new focus on restoration. One problem we've seen in some of the efforts to eradicate or control invasive species is if you leave the area and you don't replant or figure out what should be there after the invasive species, another invasive species might move in. To read the complete plan, follow the link on our website at www.aginfo.net. That's today's Line On Agriculture. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.