Burmese Pythons Will Find Little Suitable Habitat Outside South Florida, Study Suggests

See article at Science Daily: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080812213816.htm

Georgia EPPC Annual Meeting

Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council Annual Meeting

September 19-20, 2008

Elachee Nature Science Center, Gainesville, Georgia

Invasive non-native plants are an increasing threat to Georgia’s natural areas and
forests. Join GA-EPPC and a team of experts in the field on Friday, September
19 for an all-day program that includes the latest information about invasive plants in Georgia, collaborative management efforts, policy issues, new infestations, reporting and mapping, and management techniques. During the lunch break, discussion groups focusing on several topics will be conducted. On Saturday, GA-EPPCs highly successful “Invasive, Non-native Plant Identification and Control Workshop” will be offered. Registrants have the option of selecting
either Friday or Saturday, or may register for both. A one-year membership in
GA-EPPC is included in the cost of registration for non-members.



Foresters, land managers, homeowners, landowners, extension agents, gardeners,
and nursery and landscape professionals are encouraged to attend.



Keynote speaker Dr. James H. Miller, Research Ecologist with USDA Forest
Service Southern Research Station in Auburn AL, will discuss Progress on the
Invasive Plant Front. Jim has worked with invasive plant management for many
years and is author of Nonnative Invasive Plants of Southern Forests and coauthor of Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses.



Pesticide applicator, certified arborist and CFE credits are available to attendees.
Detailed information about program and speakers available at: www.gaeppc.org

New Publication: Wildland fire in ecosystems: fire and invasive plants

New Publication: Wildland fire in ecosystems: fire and nonnative invasive plants

http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_gtr042_6.html

Chinese tallowtree in Kentucky

Eric Comley, graduate student in the Department of Biological Sciences at Eastern Kentucky University has published the first discovery of the Chinese tallowtree (Sapium sebiferum). Chinese tallowtree was "introduced by Benjamin Franklin and promoted by the U.S. Forest Service for soap potential and later as an ornamental due to the tree’s beautiful fall color." It was first introduced into South Carolina in the 1700s. The plant discovered by Mr. Comley was eradicated so that the spread of the species is limited.

Eric's discovery was published in the June 2008 edition of the journal Castanea.



More information at: http://www.biology.eku.edu/news/news.php

Native Plants for Georgia, Part I: Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines.

UGA Cooperative Extension Releases Native Plant Publication

Cooperative Extension and the Department of Horticulture at the University of Georgia are pleased to announce the release of a new publication entitled Native Plants for Georgia, Part I: Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines. The publication is the result of a two year collaboration with members of the Georgia Native Plant Society, Master Gardeners, naturalists, foresters, and botanists from many professions. It includes descriptions and photos of 66 native trees, 57 native shrubs and 5 native woody vines. The purpose of the publication is to describe native plants available in the nursery trade as well as those native plants that have potential for nursery production and landscape use. Rare or endangered species are not described. The 164-page publication includes over 400 color photographs and is available in a printer-friendly version for downloading at the following web site:

http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/B987/B987-contents.htm

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service battles against invasives in the National Wildlife Refuge System.

Story here. To find out how to help click here.

Nine to 20 Individual Fire Ant Queens Started U.S. Fire Ant Population

Interesting article on the start of the red imported fire ant invasion in the United States here.

Asian Long-horned Beetle rears its ugly head in Chicago again

According to a Chicago Tribune story, one specimen of ALB has been found in a Chicago parking lot. This has lead to a storm of questions and a wide search to find the tree this beetle came from. About 5 years ago, the eradication effort was considered successful but monitoring continued for the pest. The full story is available at the Chicago Tribune.

Emerald Ash Borer still on the move

There have been some new announcments regarding EAB recently...more states with reported finds. Virginia on July 14th, Missouri on July 23rd and Wisconsin on August 1st have reported new finds. To keep up on the latest information or to learn more about identifying the pest, slowing its spread, and other control or prevention measures check out www.emeraldashborer.info. They have done an excellent job of compiling this information.