Invasive Exotic Species Strategic Action Framework by South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force. Invasive Species in Virginia. News Wavy Leaf Grass On September 4, 2013, a task force meeting was held in Warrenton, Virginia to discuss strategies for the use of federal grant money intended to address the invasive plant wavyleaf grass (Oplismenus hirtellus ssp. undulatifolius). Members from the Department of Forestry, Department of Conservation and Recreation, Towson University, Piedmont Environmental Council, Fairfax County Parks and Recreation, and concerned citizens came together to build a plan focused on surveying, treating and educating the public on wavyleaf grass. Training volunteers, especially Virginia Master Naturalists, and field work will begin in the spring of 2014 and continue through the fall of 2015. Goals of the project are to increase knowledge of the distribution of wavyleaf grass in Virginia and the development of best management practices.
For more information on wavyleaf grass, its threat to Virginia's natural resources, and how you can become a part of this project: Feral Hog more news. U.S. DOI Office of Everglades Restoration Initiatives. The Everglades, ecologically unique and imperiled by numerous threats, is the subject of the world's largest ecosystem restoration program. Florida is second only to Hawaii in the severity of the threats posed by invasive exotic species on U.S. native habitats and species. Florida is particularly vulnerable to the introduction, invasion, and establishment of non-native species because of its subtropical climate, the existence of major ports of entry, and the large-scale pet, aquarium, and ornamental plant industries active in the region. Combating invasive exotic species is integral to successful ecosystem restoration and to the sustainability of south Florida.
Combating invasive exotic species in the South Florida Ecosystem is daunting in terms of geographic scale, diversity of invasive exotic species, technical challenges, and required coordination and resources. U.S. DOI Office of Everglades Restoration Initiatives.
Delaware Invasive Species Council. Georgia Invasive Species Task Force. Georgia. Florida. Nonnative Freshwater Fish. South Florida Water Management District. Florida Invasive Species Partnership. DOI Everglades Restoration Initiatives. Tampa Bay Ecosystem Services - Relational Browser. This Relational Browser, which is an extension of the original Eco-Health Browser (click here), illustrates the linkages between human well-being, health, and ecosystem service benefits supplied by nature. This interactive tool provides information about several of our nation's major ecosystems, the services they provide, and how those services, or their degradation and loss, may affect people. Ecosystems, such as wetlands and forests, provide a wide variety of goods and services, many of which we use every day.
However, some of these services, such as air filtration, are not obvious and it therefore may be hard to understand the impact they have on our daily lives. Scientific studies have documented the many tangible and intangible services and health benefits that are provided by our surrounding ecosystems. Top of Page. Tampa Bay Ecosystem Services - Links. South Carolina. North Carolina. West Virginia. West Virginia DNR - Exotic/Invasive Species. Exotic species are species of plants and animals that did not occur naturally in the US prior to colonization by Europeans in the 1600s. Since that time thousands of species have been brought to this country for a variety of purposes including food, pets and nursery stock and some have been introduced without an invitation. Most of these species of plants and animals do not create any problems for our native species.
Unfortunately some of these species have the ability to live outside of cultivation or captivity and compete with our native species for space. The species that can invade our natural areas and displace native species are called invasive species. These species are a big problem! In addition the movement of native species from one location to another (such as moving fishes from one drainage to another) can cause problems. The following articles present an introduction to problems related to invasive species. District of Columbia. U.S. Virgin Islands. Puerto Rico. Virginia Invasive Species. Huntley Meadows-Northern Snakehead. Northern Snakehead Fish at In Dogue Creek At the heart of is the 50 acre Central Wetland.
This is the largest freshwater wetland in and one of the largest in the region. The Central Wetland, located along the Barnyard Run wetland complex, is part of a much larger wetland complex encompassing hundreds of acres of freshwater marshlands (see Figure 1). Freshwater wetlands harbor the greatest biodiversity of any habitat type in temperate climates and are considered a rare habitat in the region, making the wetland complexes at a natural treasure. Dogue Creek has a 19.4 square mile watershed and forms the western boundary of . In 2004, the first Northern Snakehead fish (Channa argus) was incidentally caught by a bass fisherman in Little Hunting Creek, a tributary of the tidal . In 2007, staff decided to conduct another electro-shocking survey in Dogue Creek at which is about one mile upstream of where the 17” snakehead was caught (see Figure 2 for survey location). Chart 1. Figure 1. Maryland Invasive Species Council.