OT: Oregon Compiles Most Unwanted Species List

[Guest guest]

On Behalf Of Butch Owen

Wednesday, April 20, 2005 5:30 PM

 

OT: Oregon Compiles Most Unwanted Species List

 

 

Hey y'all,

 

There are folks out and about who are willing to fall on their swords to

protect species of critters that need to be eradicated. True it is that

man is mostly to blame for these critters being in the wrong place to

begin with .. but claims that destroying them will damage the ecosystem

are hollow because they were not a part of that natural system in the

second place. Still .. these emotional, misinformed claims are enough

to ensure a sufficient supply of new recruits who are also willing to

fall on their swords. ;-) Butch

 

Oregon Compiles Most Unwanted Species List

 

 

Hey Butch,

 

I haven't seen anything locally about environmental groups rallying around

these invasive 'critters' who don't belong here. Those that do belong, yes,

you'll find a lot of hoopla. Maybe you are seeing news that I am not with

regard to your opening sentence above. The article you posted certainly

didn't speak of anyone making claims of ecosystem damage by their

eradication.

 

Somewhat confused by your statements; just wanting clarification.

 

Be well,

Marcia Elston, Samara Botane, http://www.wingedseed.com

" First of all, cultivate a contented spirit; a garden is a good place to

begin. "

[Guest guest]

Hey y'all,

 

There are folks out and about who are willing to fall on their swords to

protect species of critters that need to be eradicated. True it is that

man is mostly to blame for these critters being in the wrong place to

begin with .. but claims that destroying them will damage the ecosystem

are hollow because they were not a part of that natural system in the

second place. Still .. these emotional, misinformed claims are enough

to ensure a sufficient supply of new recruits who are also willing to

fall on their swords. ;-) Butch

 

Oregon Compiles Most Unwanted Species List

 

Wednesday, Apr. 20

 

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - They are the proverbial ants at the picnic, the

unwelcome guests who stay so long they start to smell suspiciously like

fish. Inclusion on Oregon's list of the most-unwanted-species - the

state's downscale version of Mr. Blackwell's annual worst-dressed list -

is no small dishonor.

 

This year, feral swine, giant hogweed, gypsy moths, dead man's fingers,

toxic cyanobacteria, and imported fire ant all made the 100-species

list, compiled by the Oregon Department of Agriculture.

 

Some of the plants, insects, fish, micro-organisms and other invaders

have established a toehold in parts of the state, prompting efforts to

eradicate them or slow their spread. Others have not shown up, and

officials want to keep it that way.

 

" We have parts of the state we know are infested and other parts that

aren't, and we'd like to keep the clean parts protected as long as we

can, " said Dan Hilburn, who heads the agriculture department's plant

division and is on the state Invasive Species Council, which issues the

annual list.

 

The agency is trying to draw more attention to the growing problem of

invasive species, which crowd out native plants and animals and can

dramatically alter ecosystems.

 

Despite the long list of invaders, Oregon still has a fairly pristine

natural environment compared to other states, Hilburn said.

 

" If you look at our forests and our rivers and the marine environment,

it's pretty healthy in most cases, " he said. " It's the way it was, and

we're lucky that way. "

 

Officials are especially on guard against the hated zebra mussel, which

infests the Great Lakes, the Mississippi, Hudson and Ohio rivers, and

other Eastern waterways, and can migrate via boat trailers.

 

The freshwater molluscs cover boats and dams and clog underwater pipes,

and they change the ecology of a lake or river by devouring food needed

by native organisms.

 

Western Oregon could also see a rise in feral swine populations in the

next few years. The mix of wild boar and escaped pig is already

established in southwestern Oregon and easily could spread north,

Hilburn said.

 

California now has hundreds of thousands of them, but the Oregon

population is still small, probably fewer than 1,000, he said.

 

It's too late to combat the spread of other invasive species, like

Himalayan blackberry, Scotch broom and the New Zealand mud snail, so

officials don't bother listing them.

 

Instead, the list targets invasives that still can be beaten back.

 

" We want to focus people's attention on the things that aren't here, "

Hilburn said.

 

Information from: The Register-Guard, http://www.registerguard.com

 

 

04/08/05 20:58

 

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