Connecticut Invasive Plants Council Update CIPWG Symposium: October - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Connecticut Invasive Plants Council Update CIPWG Symposium: October - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Connecticut Invasive Plants Council Update CIPWG Symposium: October 7, 2014 University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT Connecticut Invasive Plants Council Connecticut Federation of UConn College The Nature of Agriculture Lakes Conservancy and Natural


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Connecticut Invasive Plants Council Update

CIPWG Symposium: October 7, 2014 University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT

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Invasive Plants Council

Energy and Environment al Protection Agriculture Agricultural Experiment Station The Nature Conservancy Connecticut Federation of Lakes

UConn College

  • f Agriculture

and Natural Resources

Invasive Plant Atlas of New England Nursery Producers Green Industry Trade

Connecticut Invasive Plants Council

State Agencies Non‐governmental Orgs. Academia Industry

Legend

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IPC Responsibilities

– Recommendations to control invasive plants – Publish and update list of invasive & potentially invasive plants – Educate the public and assist state agencies in conducting research – Make recommendations to the General Assembly

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Taking Action: Bamboo

  • Many site visits, discussions

with other states

  • Helped draft legislation that

became PA 13‐82

  • Continue to investigate

bamboo sites that might qualify as invasive as per State Statute (22a‐381b)

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  • Held workshop on new bamboo laws for municipal
  • fficials
  • Conducted four training sessions for 200+ DOT staff
  • Responded to a growing number of public inquiries

Taking Action: Workshops & Education

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  • Investigated legal status cultivars of CT prohibited

species

  • Developed BMPs for

giant cane (Arundo donax) in biofuel industry. Now being reviewed by EPA and USDA

Taking Action: Science & Prevention

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Success:

  • Helped inform Environment Committee of damage

from Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS)

  • $200,000 in FY 15 budget
  • $150K made available as grants to municipalities

Milfoil Water Chestnut

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What’s next? Continue to move the needle!

(A) Prevention = Outreach & Education (B) Ongoing assessment of running bamboo (C) Find a broadly accepted solution to the cultivar issue (D) **Secure funding for the Invasive Plant Coordinator ($90,000 per year for entire program!)**

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Big Picture: Approach to Prevention

MOU between States, Pet Trade, USFWS

  • Signed in 2013
  • To reduce the risk posed by potentially invasive species

not currently in trade. Aquatic species only

  • Collectively select potential invaders … USFWS

scientists do screening … States review … Science driven process! … Pet Trade implement voluntarily restrictions & evaluate

If this non‐regulatory approach is successful it should be expanded to other industries and other scales

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Big Picture: Congressional Invasive Species Caucus

  • Established in 2012
  • Only 22 members, none from CT
  • Platform for discussion of invasive species issues at

Federal Level

  • Grassroots effort to “Grow the Caucus” underway by

AFWA and NGOs

  • Simple request to our representatives in Congress:

“Join the Caucus”

  • Foundational effort!
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SLIDE 11

Thank you!

In the final analysis, there will never be enough funding or enough enforcement to solve the invasive species problem. The only practical solution is …