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Invasive Species Collaboration Has New Web Site - May 2005
May 31, 2005
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- What do the Asian longhorned beetle, giant hogweed and soybean rust all have in common? They are all exotic invasive species of concern for Pennsylvania and are now among several pests profiled on a new Web site developed by a consortium of Pennsylvania agencies.
Invasive species are organisms that adapt quickly to a new environment, reproduce and spread rapidly into new locations, often displacing the organisms that were originally there. According to Ed Rajotte, Pennsylvania IPM Program coordinator at Penn State, the United States is under constant threat of new invasive species entering the country. "These invasive species can be pests and may cause disruption and losses to agriculture, forestry and other parts of the economy, with losses totaling in the billions of dollars," he explains.
The new Web site, located at the Pennsylvania IPM Program's Web site at http://paipm.cas.psu.edu/21.htm, includes information on important invasive species in Pennsylvania including images, links to other Web sites that describe pest biology and management, as well as agencies that should be contacted if invasive species are suspected.
The Web site is a result of a collaboration between government agencies and Penn State, called the Pennsylvania Biosecurity and Invasive Species Consortium (PBISC), whose goal is to provide more effective surveillance and management of invasive species. In addition to Penn State, partners in this collaboration include the United States Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS); Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR); and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA).
According to Nancy Richwine, state plant pest survey coordinator for the PDA, agencies in the consortium contributed information for the Web site and will continue to provide input as the site grows. "It is a positive step forward in the early detection effort of invasive species in Pennsylvania," she says. Historically, invasive species are often discovered by common citizens and then reported to the proper authorities. By better educating the public there will be more 'eyes and ears' able to detect invasive species early enough to take action against them.
The Consortium recognizes public education and outreach as a critical component of their overall program, which is why they work hand-in-hand with an on-going program known as the Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey, or "CAPS". According to Gary Clement, state director for APHIS, Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ), the Consortium strives to educate the public about which organisms are of concern, how to identify exotic species, and how their watchfulness can help prevent the spread of harmful invasive species. "Our goal is to be able to improve monitoring for invasive species through educating the public," Clement explains. For more information on the "CAPS" collaboration, contact Clement at (717) 241-0705 or e-mail at gary.l.clement@aphis.usda.gov.
The newly formed Web site is just one way that PBISC communicates with the public. Others include development and distribution of fact sheets and articles in newsletters and other publications. For more information on the consortium, contact Ed Rajotte at (814) 863 4641 or by e-mail at egrajotte@psu.edu.
The Pennsylvania IPM program is a collaboration between the Pennsylvania State University and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture aimed at promoting integrated pest management in both agricultural and nonagricultural situations. Integrated pest management, or IPM, aims to manage pests -- such as insects, diseases, weeds and animals -- by combining physical, biological and chemical tactics that are safe, profitable and environmentally compatible. For more information, contact the program at (814) 865-2839, or visit Web site http://paipm.cas.psu.edu/. To view our archived news releases, see Web site http://paipm.cas.psu.edu/10.htm.