National Invasive Species Awareness Week

    Please note the beginning of National Invasive Species Awareness Week (February 28 - March 4). Invasive species are non-native organisms that, often because they're free from natural controls they had in their native lands, cause ecological, economic or human harm in the new lands they've been introduced into. They often have several traits in common besides freedom from their original natural controls. They often for example reproduce very quickly and out compete native fauna and flora. Though some, such as many exotic invasive plants introduced for the horticultural trade, may look harmless, they can cause great harm. The National Wildlife Federation estimates that 42% of threatened and endangered species are at risk due to invasives. 
     Arlington County, like all our region's jurisdictions, recognizes these threats. In fact, page 21 of the Arlington County Board approved Natural Resources Management Plan has this statement: "Invasive plant species represent the greatest and most immediate threat to the continued survival of Arlington's natural lands and native plant communities." Arlington, like so many neighboring jurisdictions, has committed many resources and efforts to manage invasives. 

     Again like many jurisdictions, Arlington has an Invasive Plant program as part of our Natural Resources Management Unit. It has a dedicated budget and a rolling 10-year invasives management plan based on ecological priorities and citizen interest to maximize our limited resources. You can find out more about it here:

  Invasive Plants – Official Website of Arlington County Virginia Government (arlingtonva.us)

     Arlington's program uses mechanical, biological, chemical, and cultural methods to manage invasives. In addition to staff and contractual services, the County also depends heavily on volunteers to help. Called RiP (Remove Invasive Plants), the volunteer program has weekly events and dedicated, trained volunteers. We invite you to participate (through the link above) and also note that a great many other jurisdictions have similar programs, including many that call themselves Weed Warriors. 

     Many environmental groups also have their own programs they use to cooperate with local governments. One such program was launched by the TreeStewards and Arlington Regional Master Naturalists. It focuses on calling attention to the problems English Ivy causes. You can check out the "Choking Hazard" brochure here:

 https://arlingtonva.s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2013/11/choking-hazard-brochure.pdf.

     There are also several regional efforts and resources available. One such resource is the Mid-Atlantic Invasive Plant Council (MAIPC) in which Arlington staff serves as the Virginia state representative. You can find out more about it here: http://www.maipc.org/ and you can check out the excellent invasive plant lists they've developed here:

 https://www.invasive.org/maweeds.cfm

     Much more locally is the newly formed NoVA PRISM (Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management). Arlington applied for and was awarded a matching $140,000 grant to form this multi jurisdictional partnership. Arlington hired and housed the coordinator and oversaw the grant. It includes not just governmental partners but also groups and businesses, such as master naturalists, Earth Sangha and Dominion Energy. It is centered along the whole 45 miles of the W&OD Trail. The grant aims to map habitats and come up with an invasives management plan for the trail. It featured multiple pilot projects to create meadows in Arlington and Falls Church and to foster cooperation between all the partners.

     Arlington is also on the steering committee for the newly forming NCR-PRISM (National Capital Region Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management). This is the expansion of the existing DC Cooperative Weed Management Area to include more of the region and to expand its efforts beyond just invasive plants. It will focus its efforts on a new program sponsored by the Department of Interior's National Invasive Species Council (NISC) called  "Invader Detectives." Arlington staff was also involved with assisting in developing this program which will hopefully later on go nation wide if successful in the DC area. It will feature citizen scientists looking for potential new invasives of all types on watch lists so the principles of Early Detection, Rapid Response can be tried.

     To throw yet more terminology out there, EDRR (Early Detection, Rapid Response) is the principle that the best way to deal with exotic invasive species is to do so when they're detected early enough that they do not have a firm foot hold yet. Eliminating invasive species while they have not yet gotten established is the most cost effective way as the population is small and the odds of success in keeping the problem from spreading is best.

     This can really work. Here's an example. Arlington County has the dubious distinction of being the first location in Virginia for a potential new invasive shrub, Castor Aralia (Kalopanax septemlobus) in June of 2012. We however quickly eliminated it before it spread and got established (it had been in a 15' colony). We were lucky it had not spread more where control efforts could have been much more costly and the ecological damage done much worse. More on Arlington County's EDRR program can be seen here:

https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Programs/Sustainability-and-Environment/Trees/Invasive-Plants/Invasive-Plants-Early-Detection-and-Rapid-Response

EDRR target species Castor Aralia. Photo taken just after a voucher specimen was collected and the colony was eradicated from an Arlington County Park. 

     Hopefully this blog article has helped to make you more aware of invasive species and the local efforts to manage them. As you can see there are lots of ways to get involved and get better informed. To find out even more about National Invasive Species Awareness Week, webinars and events check out the website: https://www.nisaw.org/.