Tallowtree Spread Increased by Hurricanes

Tallowtree Spread Increased by Hurricanes

"U.S. Forest Service data show tallow now spreading across 10 states. Its growth nearly tripled in Texas in the last two decades, and increased 500 percent in Louisiana, where its higher tolerance for salinity enables it to crowd out moss-covered bald cypress in swamps and bayous. Populations also are up along the Atlantic coast, from Florida to the Carolinas.

“Tallows take advantage of disturbances,” said Nancy Loewenstein, an invasive plant specialist at Auburn University. “Storms, floods, construction sites, logging sites, anything that disrupts the environment will give an invasive like tallow an opportunity to take over.”

James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org

The help can’t come too soon for the keepers of America’s suffering forests. Tallows grow into fully mature trees in just three years, far outpacing native maples, oaks, cypress and elms. Their leaves are toxic to some animals, and they cast off litter that changes soil chemistry and disadvantages competitors.

“Chinese tallows are very competitive, and they have no natural predators here like in their native China,” said Karan Rawlins, an invasive species specialist at the University of Georgia’s Center for Invasive Species & Ecosystem Health. 'Very few if any insects recognize it as a food source, so it has basically become a super invader.'"

Read the full article by Stacey Plaisance in NWF Dailey News.

Cooperative Extension Advisor needed in California, serving Monterey, San Benito, and San Cruz Counties

The University of California Cooperative Extension Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources is looking for someone to fill the vacancy of the Cooperative Extension Advisor - Area Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Advisor - Entomology. (Cooperative Extension (CE) IPM Advisor) The position serves Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz counties.

"The Area Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Advisor for Entomology will conduct a multi-county extension, education and applied research program that addresses grower and industry needs, including an understanding of local agricultural crops, their farming systems, and their arthropod pests, including insect-vectored diseases in Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz Counties. Primary crops include cool-season vegetables such as lettuce, and spring mix, broccoli, spinach, celery, and cauliflower, as well as strawberries, caneberries, grapes, ornamental plant production and many specialty crops. The Cooperative Extension (CE) IPM Advisor holds a pivotal role in initiating, contributing to and developing management strategies for invasive invertebrate species and new or exotic insect pests. They must also be knowledgeable about insect pest-related quarantines and interstate/international marketing requirements. Key clientele includes growers, government agencies, pest control advisors, and allied industry personnel. The Area IPM Advisor will be a member of the UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program (ipm.ucanr.edu) and will participate in UC IPM activities, including development and review of UC IPM online and print publications, organizational meetings, and other programmatic activities relevant to the mission and strategic plan of the Program." - taken from the position purpose section on the position vacancy announcement.

If you are interested and think you might be just what they need, contact University of California, ANR Academic HR, LeChé McGillm, (530) 750-1281, anracademicsearch@ucanr.edu, http://www.ucanr.edu/jobs
PLEASE REFER TO POSITION NUMBER AP #17-24 IN ALL CORRESPONDENCE