Invasive Species

[Blue Frost]

Herbivores might be a good thing, or bad, you never know till it happens. We have river rats here that size lol

[Gary Oak]

Not another parasite from Asia !

Invasive beetle pushing US ash trees to extinction: conservationists


An invasive beetle has driven North America's most widespread ash tree towards extinction, conservationists said Thursday, also warning of dramatic declines among several African antelope species.

In an update to its "Red List" of threatened species, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) said six of North America's most prominent ash species were now "critically endangered" -- just one step from becoming extinct.

The species are being destroyed by the invasive and fast-moving emerald ash borer beetle, which arrived in the northern state of Michigan from Asia in the late 1990s via infested shipping pallets.

It has already wiped out tens of millions of trees throughout the United States and Canada, and can kill off virtually an entire forest of ash within six years, the IUCN said.

"Their decline, which will likely affect over 80 percent of the trees, will dramatically change the composition of both wild and urban forests," Murphy Westwood, of IUCN's Global Tree Specialist Group, said in a statement.

Three of the endangered species -- the green ash, white ash and black ash -- are the most dominant ash trees in the US, comprising nearly nine billion trees in forested lands.

The white ash is also one of the most valuable timber trees in North America and is widely used to make furniture, baseball bats and hockey sticks.

IUCN said a warming climate meant the emerald ash borer was now thriving in places that once were too cold, warning that it was "impossible to know how far it could spread in the future".

The North American ash trees are among more than 25,000 species deemed by the Red List to be threatened with extinction.

- 'Pushing species to the brink' -

IUCN highlighted five species of African antelope that have seen their numbers decline drastically in recent years, largely due to poaching and habitat degradation.

"Our activities as humans are pushing species to the brink so fast that it's impossible for conservationists to assess the declines in real time," warned IUCN chief Inger Andersen, urging increased efforts to save species teetering on the edge.

"Even those species that we thought were abundant and safe, such as antelopes in Africa or ash trees in the US, now face an imminent threat of extinction," she said in the statement.

The world's largest antelope, the giant eland, which is native to central and western Africa, was for instance previously assessed as having a sound population. It is now listed as "vulnerable", with fewer than 10,000 mature animals remaining.

And the mountain reedbuck has seen a 55-percent drop in its South African population over just 15 years, placing it on the "endangered" list, IUCN said.

IUCN also noted sharp declines among Madagascan grasshoppers and millipedes, with nearly half of them listed as endangered and some perilously close to extinction.

The Red List meanwhile said all hope was out for the pipistrelle bat, which was endemic to Australia's Christmas Island, and which has now officially been declared extinct.

The bat, which was widespread as late as the 1980s, counted a population of just 20 animals in January 2009, and the last one was seen in August of that year.

http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Invas ... s_999.html

[Blue Frost]

Sad to see thing go, and especially because of man, and our stupidity, or intentional even. I do hope some can be saved for the future, seed, or saplings in a safe place.

[Gary Oak]

That plant looks like the native to BC plant I know as Devils Club. If it is the same plant then it is covered in poisonous painful barbs that seem o be just dripping with toxins. I have come accross this horrible plant a number of times. This article doesn't say where this hogweed is from.

Invasive plant that causes 3rd-degree burns, permanent blindness discovered in Virginia









Officials in Virginia are warning residents to be on the lookout after an invasive plant was found Tuesday in the northern part of the state that can cause third-degree burns and even permanent blindness.

The Massey Herbarium at Virginia Tech said in a Facebook post that 30 giant hogweed plants were discovered in Clarke County, located between Winchester and Leesburg.

The plant contains a very toxic sap, that when combined with sun exposure, can cause severe health hazards.

"In brief, the sap prevents your skin from protecting itself from sunlight, which leads to a very bad sunburn," according to the New York Department of Environmental Conservation. "Heat and moisture (sweat or dew) can worsen the skin reaction. The phototoxic reaction can begin as soon as 15 minutes after contact, with sensitivity peak between 30 minutes and two hours after contact."

If the sap gets into the eye, it can even lead to blindness.

Environmental officials in Virginia said that while there has just been one confirmed case in Clarke County, they are warning residents in other parts of the state to stay alert for potential sightings.

"There have been reports from VDOT of sightings of Giant Hogweed in the Staunton area and Middlesex County," Isle of Wight County posted to Facebook. "There is a strong possibility that the Giant Hogweed could find its way into the Tidewater/Coastal Virginia area."

Besides being a threat to humans, giant hogweed can also impact the environment. The plant can grow up to up to 14 feet, creating a lot of shade in the area and inhibiting the growth of native species. The plants have hollow stems that are generally 2 to 4 inches in diameter, with dark purple and red raised spots and bristle-like hairs.

Environmental officials say that if you want to remove the plant, do not use a weed-whacker, because the plant's sap can splatter and then spread quickly. Eradication should be done by physical removal or using herbicides such as glyphosate or triclopyr, according to the NYDEC.

"It may be possible for hogweed seeds to remain viable in the soil for 15 years," the agency said. "For this reason, long-term monitoring is very important. Check the site and surrounding areas for the next several years for the emergence of any hogweed seedlings or regrowth from previous year's plants."

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2018/06/1 ... ginia.html

[Blue Frost]

I have been in that stuff across the river from us, and seen it here, It really hurts, burns.
I just got red from it like the two day one thankfully for a few days, but jumping in the river might have helped mine.
When I see it it grows in masses, and has been shaded, takes over the area.