Invasive Species Specialist Group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission ALIENS Number 16 2002

SPECIAL ISSUE ON COMMUNITY INITIATIVES AND AWARENESS BUILDING

2nd Annual Invasive Weed Clean up in the Republic of Palau

The Republic of Palau is a small island nation with a population of about 20,000. Palau is the westernmost archipelago in the Pacific and is made up of over 500 islands. The Palau Natural Resources Council began in 2001 and its main function is to provide for proper coordination and cooperation among all private, government, and non-government agencies, individuals and organizations involved in managing land-based natural resources. Invasive species issues are one of the main areas the Council focuses its efforts. The Council’s vision statement is: “People working together to ensure the use and management of Palau’s natural resources is in harmony with the environment and culture.” The mission statement is: “The council shall provide leadership for the wise use and sustainable management of Palau’s (land-based) natural resources using appropriate technology. To accomplish its mission the council shall cooperate and coordinate with other organizations, agencies, groups and individuals.”

The Palau Natural Resource Council’s (PNRC) Invasive Weed Committee organized the second annual invasive weed clean-up day, which took place on Saturday, November 2, 2002 in the country’s capital—Koror. The clean-up day was a success as over fifty volunteers participated. The project, which targeted the general public, was the last activity of a six-week effort focused on one of the worst invasive weeds in the Pacific, (mile-a-minute weed or “teb el yas”). This particular weed was introduced fairly recently with the first sightings of it in 1993. During the beginning of the clean-up effort it was found in about twenty sites in Koror and one site in Airai on the island of Babeldaob. There are now new infested sites that have been found in at least 5 other areas and most recently on the island of Peleliu. Sponsored by: These are currently being targeted for control and eventual eradication. In Samoa, farms have been abandoned and whole hillsides taken over by this very aggressive weed, but because it is found only in a few places in Palau there is still hope in eradicating it. Ace Hardware sponsored the printing of t-shirts for the clean-up day with a map of the infested sites found in Koror and line drawings of the weed encircling the map to help people identify it correctly. This map developed by the Office of the Palau Automated Land and Resource Information System (PALARIS), Palau’s national GIS, is one of several GIS projects created to assist in effectively monitoring and managing some of the Republic’s high priority invasive plant species. These t-shirts were distributed to Manaaki Whenua volunteers and now serve as “living billboards” to continue increasing Landcare Research awareness about this particular invasion and invasive species in general.

continued on page 27 ISSN: 1173-5988 CONTENTS Weed Clean up in Palau 1 RAMSAR COP8 15 Message from the Chair 2 GISP Secretariat launched 17 From the Editor 3 General Disclaimer 17 Aquaria Projects in the US 3 Legal Tools at State Level (US) 18 Aliens in your Fish Bowl? 4 Fading Forests 18 Aquatic Weeds 4 GAO Report (US) 19 Weedbuster Week in Australia 5 Various Reports (NZ) 19 Weedbusters 5 Report of the Controller and Auditor-General (NZ) 19 Weed Warriors 5 American Samoa’s ASSIST 20 Spanish booklet on IAS for children 6 Brown Tree Snake Awareness 20 Schools Using Tracking Tunnels 7 Community Based Control in the Seychelles 21 IAS for Kids in NZ 7 Galapagos Islands Community Participation 21 Trading Cards (Hawai’i) 8 Landscape Industry Against IAS (Hawai’i) 22 Play on IAS (Hawai’i) 8 Community Groups (Hawai’i) 22 Aliens-L 9 US Union of Concerned Scientists 23 PestNet 9 Importers Targeted for Awareness (NZ) 24 TNC List Server 9 Union Concerns for IAS (NZ) 24 Rats and Rubbervines 10 Alternatives for Gardeners (NZ) 24 Environmental Weeds (Australia) 10 Western Australian Weeds 25 Mediterranean Marine IAS 11 Invasive Species Council Formed (Australia) 25 IAS in African Wetlands 11 Island Vertebrate IAS (Spain, Portugal) 26 Eradication Conference Proceedings 11 Italian Publication 26 Prioritising Islands for Eradications 12 Weed Ecology 27 Red-vented Bulbul in Micronesia 13 Subscriptions to Aliens 27 13th Australian Weed Conference 15

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR management that can then be adapted and used in other regions. It will also be building capacity for countries to It has been a busy time again, as invasive alien species (IAS) manage invasive species and sharing knowledge, skills and issues are receiving more attention in a variety of places. For techniques internationally. The emphasis is very much on example, the Vth IUCN World Parks Congress, in Durban ‘learning by doing’. A workshop was held on the University (South Africa) in September 2003 will have a one-day of Auckland campus 2 – 4 April 2003 as part of the planning workshop on IAS. Geoffrey Howard from the IUCN East process. Workshop participants came from several Pacific African Office and Maj De Poorter from the ISSG office are Island countries and regional organisations, including the both involved in the planning for this. If you wish to be kept Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) and the South updated, or would like to know more on how you could get Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) as well involved in this, please contact the ISSG office. as New Zealand participants from the above mentioned Partners as well as from Landcare and the National Institute In 2002, the Parties to the Convention on Biological of Water and Atmosphere. Diversity endorsed the “Cooperative Initiative on Invasive Alien Species on Islands.” The initiative was developed by Mick Clout New Zealand, ISSG and the Global Invasive Species ISSG chair Programme. This has now been taken up as a Type II partnership initiative - an outcome of the World Summit on Sustainable Development linking ISSG , IUCN, New Zealand Department of Conservation and others with NZAID. This “Islands Initiative” has the goal of conserving island by building capacity to manage invasive alien species on islands. With funding from NZAID, the first phase of this ambitious 5-year programme will concentrate on activities in Pacific Island countries. These activities include developing and applying better techniques for

2 MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR and public health consequences associated with NIS, and to provide people with the knowledge to make better decisions The present issue of Aliens focuses on activities that are regarding their daily activities that may include potential initiated by, or otherwise involve, communities. Examples NIS introductions. Other key educational messages include from various countries include a range of initiatives, from the importance of biodiversity and the difference between awareness raising to practical hands-on projects, and the native and non-native species. For exhibit pictures and more people involved range from schoolkids to agencies and information, please see the “Alien Invaders!” exhibit website at academics, and from artists to unions. The aim of this focus http://www.tacoma.washington.edu/news/aliens.html#support. is to give some acknowledgement to big and small "champions" in the fight against invasive alien species, but The Hatfield Marine Science Center exhibit, entitled even more so, to encourage others by showing that success “Invasion of the Habitat Snatchers”, aims to help visitors can be achieved. While legislative changes and procedural learn how aquatic invasive species (AIS) enter and affect changes may take time to be put into place, the projects new environments, the factors that influence an invader’s reported on show that there are many ways in which action “success”, and how each person can prevent future can be taken right now and we hope it will be a source of invasions. Final design was completed in 2002, and efforts inspiration. are underway to prototype components and secure fabrication funds. The exhibit contains four major The next issue of Aliens will focus on IAS in protected components: “Close Encounters”, which introduces general areas, and we hope for many contributions (contact concepts and features live aquarium displays of local non- [email protected]), covering large official parks, native plants and ; “Don’t Rock The Boat”, which small community areas, indigenous approaches, and addresses the role of ships and ballast water in AIS anything in between. introductions; “Invasion Investigation”, which includes the “Wheel of Misfortune” and other hands-on opportunities for Maj De Poorter visitors to explore the traits and introduction pathways of infamous marine invaders; and “Coming to Grips”, which covers management of invasive species. Once built, the INVADERS ON DISPLAY; NON- exhibition will be enhanced by programs on aquatic invasive INDIGENOUS AQUATIC SPECIES EXHIBIT species. PROJECTS AT TWO AQUARIA IN These projects were truly collaborative efforts between WASHINGTON STATE AND OREGON, university faculty and students, state and federal agencies, UNITED STATES aquarium staff, and exhibit designers. The diversity of voices and talents that contributed to this project resulted in The United States Pacific Northwest Marine Invasive consistent, scientifically accurate, and appealing educational Species Team (MIST), a partnership between the Oregon exhibits that could not have been possible otherwise. We and Washington Sea Grant programs and the University of hope and anticipate that successful educational results from Washington, Tacoma, created an educational exhibit about NIS exhibits at these two Pacific Northwest venues will lead non-indigenous species (NIS) at the Point Defiance to expansion and replication at many more facilities on a Aquarium in Tacoma, Washington. Plans to create another national or international scale. NIS exhibit are underway at the Hatfield Marine Science Visitor Center in Newport, Oregon. David Secord University of Washington Both exhibits present general information on biological Environmental Science invasions and examples of non-native aquatic species that Box 358436 either occur in the Pacific Northwest of the United States or Tacoma WA 98402-3100 USA are an immediate dispersal threat from other nearby regions. E-mail: [email protected]

The exhibit at Point Defiance Aquarium, entitled “Alien Kristin Hemmelgarn Invaders!”, features a live presentation of European green University of Washington crabs (Carcinus maenas), a colorful mural depicting native Tacoma, WA, USA and non-native species within a Pacific Northwest setting (complete with recognizable urban and natural landmarks), John Rupp a “Most Unwanted” poster briefly detailing the “criminal” Point Defiance Aquarium activities of a select group of NIS, and an interactive game Tacoma, WA, USA that will target visitor behaviors that could result in the unintentional release of NIS. The goals of the “Alien Paul Heimowitz Invaders!” exhibit are to introduce the concept of NIS to the Oregon State University public, warn about the potential environmental, ecological, Oregon, USA

3 ARE THERE ANY ALIENS LURKING IN about the differences between native and pest species, a YOUR FISH BOWL? practical demonstration of the impact of pests on our waterways, identification of preserved and live samples of School fishbowls are being targeted as part of a survey to the pests, an inspection of the class fishbowl and the determine the extent of aquatic pests in the Nelson/ presentation of an 'Environmentally Friendly Fishbowl' Marlborough region in New Zealand. The programme certificate. delivers workshops that used a fish bowl as an environmental model to demonstrate the impact of pests on The workshops highlighted the importance of the safe our waterways. As a result of the programme, hundreds of disposal of unwanted fish and waterweeds from fishbowls. trained "waterway detectives" have been unleashed on the Students were provided with contact details for the region. Department of Conservation to alert field officers to any unusual finds in their home fishbowl or local waterways. Aliens invade New Zealand's South Island In April 2000, the invasive fish gambusia (Gambusia affinis) The fishbowl as an environmental model was found for the first time in Tasman in the A plastic fish bowl was used as a model to demonstrate the Nelson/Marlborough region. This was the first record of effect of pest fish and invasive water weeds on a natural gambusia in the South Island of New Zealand. In response, aquatic environment. The students helped to model a local the Department of Conservation undertook freshwater lake in the fishbowl using rocks, water, laminated cardboard surveys of lakes, streams, recreational ponds and farm dams native fish, plastic native waterweed, rubber ducks, plastic to determine the extent of gambusia and other aquatic pests boats and plastic people. Gambusia and other pest fish were in the South Island. Hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum) then added to the lake. Native fish and water weed were was discovered in Motueka in the second season of removed as each pest fish was added into the fishbowl. A surveying. This was the first record of hornwort in the South small piece of plastic hornwort was added to demonstrate Island. Hornwort and gambusia are considered serious pests the small amount of hornwort needed to start a new in the North Island. The Department of Conservation infestation. The bowl was then filled with the hornwort to endeavoring to determine the exact distribution of these represent the infestation the following season. A bucket of pests to eradicate or control the populations to prevent these dirt was poured into the water at the end of the pests becoming established in the South Island demonstration to show the impact of pest species on our natural waterbodies. The model lake becomes a big muddy Surveyors target school fishbowls. mess, an all-too-real scenario for North Island waterways. Gambusia and hornwort were originally introduced into New Zealand as ornamentals for fishbowls and garden The future of the fishbowl surveys ponds. Due to the environmental and economic damage they Lagarosiphon major was found in one school fishbowl during have caused it is illegal under the Biosecurity Act (1993) to the survey. Fortunately, there have been no new finds of possess, release, spread or sell gambusia and hornwort in hornwort and gambusia as a result of the programme and it is New Zealand. However, given the extent of the populations encouraging to know that we have 600 "waterway detectives" in the North Island, there is a high likelihood that these in the Nelson/Marlborough area looking out for us. species will continue to be collected for private fishbowls. It only takes one thoughtless disposal of an unwanted A new school year begins in February 2003. Schools have waterweed or fish from a fishbowl for an ornamental pet to already expressed an interest in incorporating the become a monumental pest. programme into their 2003 curriculum. Other regions in the South Island have also shown interest in the programme and The Department is interested in determining the importance it is hoped that funding will be available to extend the of this pathway for the spread of gambusia and hornwort. In programme throughout the South Island. August 2002, a pilot programme was initiated to survey school fishbowls. School fishbowls provide a useful subset Anne Brow and Melanie Newfield of fishbowls within the wider community. Teachers were New Zealand Department of Conservation very interested in the programme and were happy for [email protected] and [email protected] surveyors to check class fishbowls and talk to their class pdf version: http://www.tdc.govt.nz/pdfs/231.pdf about aquatic pests. Each visit comprised of a discussion

UNDERSTANDING INVASIVE AQUATIC WEEDS

A cooperatively sponsored production of Understanding Invasive Aquatic Weeds, Homework & Classroom Activities for the 5th Grade, is an informative electronic publication. With extensive full color photos and simple text, the 16-page work introduces the topic of aquatic plants in the United States, the good and the bad and describes five of the worst aquatic weeds.

Download: http://www.apms.org/book/activity.htm

For a hardcopy please contact: [email protected]

4 ALL ABOUT WEEDBUSTER The text is complimented with fun activities including a WEEK (AUSTRALIA) word , a competetion, a smelly experiment, and a do- it-yourself media release. It also comes with a free The campaign started as Weed Awareness Week in “Beautiful one day…Thug the next” poster. Queensland in 1994. It grew into Weedbuster Day in 1995 with over 3000 Queenslanders participating in activities at Further information and activities may be found at: 90 events throughout the State and was run again in 1996 www.gould.edu.au and www.weeds.org.au with great success. New South Wales had held a Weed To purchase a hard copy of the "Weedbusters - Activities, Awareness Week in 1986, 1990, and 1996. Information and Curriculum Links" education kit at the introductory price of $19.95 contact the Gould League on: In 1997, with encouragement and support from all State and Fax: ++61 3 9532 2860 Territory Governments and the Cooperative Research Centre Email: [email protected] (CRC) for Weed Management Systems, national Weedbuster Sample pages in PDF version may be downloaded at: Week was launched. The 1997 Weedbuster Week was http://www.weedbusters.info/waicl.htm considered successful and continues to run as a national program annually in the second week of October. Source: introduction of the document

The national program is coordinated by a committee Editorial comment: the publication is a great example of composed of representatives from each State/Territory and how the IAS issue can be mainstreamed into just about any the CRC with some funding assistance from the Natural subject on the school curriculum – rather than singled out as Heritage Trust. a conservation issue only. The outcome of community action Community input and suggestions for Weedbuster Week and media work (carried out by the schools) is also activities are welcome through the various contact points noteworthy. listed here.

Aims • to raise awareness and increase public understanding about the problems weeds cause • help the public make the connection between their gardening, farming or grazing habits and potential land and environmental degradation • provide the public with the information and skills required to play a responsible role in the sustaining use of the land and water resource and ultimately make the necessary changes in behaviour to help the environment • foster community ownership of problems resulting in acceptance and support for weed management projects

Source: http://www.weedbusterweek.info.au/about.htm

Editorial note: Weedbuster week was such a success in Australia that it has been exported to other countries such as South Africa and the United States. For South Africa see the Working for Water site http://www- dwaf.pwv.gov.za/wfw/resources.asp

For similar projects in the United States try these sites: www.se-eppc.org, www.ma-eppc.org, www.caleppc.org

WEEDBUSTERS: ACTIVITIES, INFORMATION AND CURRICULUM LINKS

By Bob Winters and Cindy Hanson, compiled by the Gould League, 2002 Weedbusters provides a range of hands-on activities for schools on an unlikely issue for classroom focus – weeds – WEED WARRIORS – INCREASING bringing the message to an extremely important group of AWARENESS OF WEEDS IN SCHOOLS. people, students. Not only does it provide an environmental perspective, it has been designed to link in well with the A community education and awareness program in Australia Australian curriculum, in subjects like English, is helping to bring the weed message to an extremely mathematics, science, social studies, technology, and the important group of people in our society - children, the land arts. It makes links with National Weedbuster Week and water managers of the very near future. The program, (reported on elsewhere in this issue) by encouraging the branded Weed Warriors has been developed by the Victorian school and general community around it to organise specific Department of Primary Industries’ Keith Turnbull Research events as part of it. Institute to foster increased community awareness of and involvement in local weed issues.

5 The program, aimed at the middle years of schooling, bringing about a solution to a local weed problem. Creating utilises biological control as the vehicle to introduce weed this sense of stewardship is a vital component of the Weed studies into school curricula. The Weed Warriors program Warriors program and instilling in students a sense of involves students in real-life weed research and control connection to and responsibility for their natural programs through teaching them the skills needed to breed surroundings is critical for bringing about lasting change. and release biological control agents of priority weeds such as ragwort, gorse, boneseed, Paterson’s curse and bridal An important aspect of the Weed Warriors program has been creeper. the establishment of networks between key stakeholders that play a lead role in environmental management at the local The program gives students the opportunity to investigate level. Involvement of stakeholders encourages partnerships the relationship between living things by direct observation between land management agencies and schools. These and hands-on participation. Facts are discovered rather than partnerships help to provide ongoing advice, information presented as students are given the role of ‘weed scientists’ and opportunities for students to continue the interactive and their classroom becomes a mini ‘research institute’. learning experience.

The Weed Warriors program is conducted over a period of In 2002, 29 schools across Victoria became official Weed six-weeks and includes a combination of classroom and field Warriors. Whilst the branding of the Weed Warriors program based activities that are designed to challenge and engage is only one year old, the concept of involving students in the students within and beyond the classroom and to create activity-based learning about weeds is not a new concept. a real-world experience for them. The Keith Turnbull Research Institute pioneered this concept nearly ten years ago and to date over 50 schools At the beginning of the Weed Warriors program, students are have been involved in breeding biological control agents. provided with a weeds lesson, conducted by both staff from the Keith Turnbull Research Institute and local land The Weed Warriors program is set to expand in 2003 with managers, who provide the students with an insight into the Cooperative Research Centre for Australian Weed weed issues that affect their local area. By learning about Management committed to investing in the program, local weed issues, students are able to feel that, by enabling the Department of Primary Industries to launch participating in the program, they are making a valuable Weed Warriors onto the National stage. contribution towards addressing weed problems in their own community. The Weed Warriors program has proven itself as a successful tool in Victoria in raising community awareness of weeds After rearing the biological control agents, students release and uptake of biological control practices within urban and them at suitable local weed infestations with the support of rural communities. Its interactive approach has allowed local land managers and community groups. Involving local students to gain greater understanding and appreciation of land managers and community groups in the Weed Warriors the environment in which they live and the impact weeds program helps to nurture a mentor-student philosophy where have on it and us. these mentors drawn from the region help students to understand themselves, the world and their place in it. Kate McArthur [email protected] After the releasing of the biological control agents, students are empowered by the active role they have played in

EL CUADERNO DEL INVASOR

An educational booklet for children by Bernardo Zilletti and Laura Capdevila-Argüelles, co-ordinators of the Grupo Especies Invasoras (G.E.I.) in Spain. Twelve pages of informative and fun activities on the impacts of invasive alien species ranging from beasts in the wild to exotic pets in the home.

For further information please contact: Bernardo Zilletti & Laura Capdevila-Argüelles, [email protected] G.E.I. Grupo Especies Invasoras C/ Moisés de León Nº22 Bajo E-24006 LEON - SPAIN Tfno/Fax: + 34 987 263527 URL: http://lapaginaweb.de/gei

Image courtesy of Grupo Especies Invasoras 6 FIND OUT AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE SCHOOL KIDS USING TRACKING Programme plans and teacher resources will be offered to all New Zealand schools. A combination of web-based and TUNNELS TO MONITOR IAS. printed information resources as well as a catalogue of tracking and pest control equipment will form the basic Children are a significant resource that can provide data and package. Resources will include a database, wildlife and increase awareness of many of the issues that relate directly pest fact sheets, birdcalls, picture identification sheets, to predation of the national flora and fauna. Primary school survey and monitoring procedures, Black Trakka monitoring principal, Warren Agnew has promoted the concept of units and weta (a native New Zealand ) involving New Zealand children in a campaign to be known condominiums. Curriculum based teaching resources, ideas as the Find Out Project. for research and investigations, and sample-teaching units will augment the package, leading to easier programme With financial support from the Stoat Technical Advisory planning and implementation for schools. Teachers and Group (STAG), Warren has developed such a programme, community groups will be offered training through using a light, all-weather, user-friendly tracking tunnel workshops. A number of district city and regional councils system called the Black Trakka. The device monitors small will also provide support, the National Waterways project mammals, lizards, and even . has joined the scheme as the network continues to grow. Virtually all the schools approached were enthusiastic and Warren Agnew willing to participate in the project. This includes primary, Director of Research intermediate, and secondary school children. The Find Out Connovation Research Project has received support from the Auckland Regional [email protected] Council, providing free tracking tunnels, tracking cards, and two ranger visits to any school within the region. Rat, katui, K53 Stoat, 300gm, slow walk Tracking tunnels are devices used to monitor species numbers, enabling safe control programmes. The animals walk through pre-inked pads to reach bait at the centre of the tunnel. The footprints provide data on what species have been around, monitoring changing population sizes. The advantages of using tracking tunnels, particularly for children (and schools), are that they may be easily placed and removed from the environment , and unlike actual control efforts, do not require handling of poisons or dead animals. Based on this data, relevant authorities can follow up with actual control measures.

The development of this work in schools has lead Warren to an invitation to work on the ‘Wild About New Zealand’ programme, in conjunction with Connovation Ltd. The programme includes the Find Out concept and draws together simple yet effective survey procedures and equipment to enable monitoring of small mammals, birds, Images courtesy of the New Zealand Department of Conservation insects and freshwater fish.

IAS ISSUES IN CONSERVATION FOR KIDS – NEW ZEALAND

The Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand (Forest and Bird) has a club for children that started in 1988. Members of the club receive the KCC magazine five times a year. It is full of facts and has games, jokes, kids contributions and a story. The club also has local projects and a website. KCC regularly deals the threats posed by Images courtesy of invasive alien species in the range of conservation issues it Forest and Bird deals with; see e.g. the Alien Invaders issue, number 65, 2002.

For further information visit the Kiwi Conservation Club website: www.kcc.org.nz; Forest and Bird, PO Box 631, Wellington, New Zealand, Email [email protected] bird.org.nz source: Website www.forestandbird.org.nz

Images courtesy of Forest and Bird 7 HAWAI'I BIOLOGICAL SURVEY USES PERIL IN PARADISE TRADING CARDS TO EDUCATE A PLAY BY LISA MATSUMOTO SCHOOLCHILDREN Meet super-heroes Raymond Rainforest, The Exterminator, In January 2001, the Hawai'i Biological Survey at the Captain Ranger and Wonder Weeder as they encounter the Museum in Honolulu embarked on an educational evil super villains Count Mosquitola, Randy Rat, Mona program that has the local schoolchildren wanting more. Mongoose and wicked weeds such as the dastardly Mr. Now over 2 years old, they are in their third series of trading Shade and the beautiful but deadly Miss Anna Banana Poka. cards with a fourth soon to appear. It's a battle to save Hawai'i's native inhabitants as our brave heroes take on these invasive species that have made their Seeing the potential for using trading cards of plants and way to our islands, causing havoc and destruction to our animals in educating kids as to what is a “bad” invasive paradise home. species and what is a “good” native species, the staff at the Hawai'i Biological Survey created a numbered series of In our first adventure “Invasion of the Disease Infester”, “Good Guys and Bad Guys” trading cards that depict a plant Raymond encounters Count Mosquitola, a blood thirsty or on the front and its vital statistics on the back. Bad mosquito who preys on native and introduced birds. The guys (invasives) are slapped with a red circle and the good Count proves to be more than just a nuisance as we learn that guys (natives) have a yellow circle to help with easy sorting his bite is deadly to native birds by spreading avian malaria. into good and bad piles of cards. “All you have to do is give Only the Exterminator, a human super hero dedicated to kids the cards and they will soon create their own games ridding the world of harmful pests can save the native birds. with them. Kids and cards was a natural match to let them With her bug spray and repellant she rids the forest of Count learn about nature on their own terms”, says Neal Evenhuis, Mosquitola and gives us helpful tips on keeping our homes creator of the cards. safe from mosquitoes.

However, the cards are only one aspect of the whole In the “Invasion of the Birdy Snatchers”, Captain Ranger, a program. With funding from local foundations and NASA, human super hero committed to protecting the environment, the cards have been incorporated into one of the museum’s teaches us about other invading pests such as the rat and educational programs where museum scientists visit local mongoose and their negative effect on our native bird schools and show off live “good guys” and “bad guys” population. Captain Ranger explains the need for us to be critters and leave the schoolchildren with sets of the cards to responsible custodians of the planet and the need to protect let them learn more about what they’ve seen. A website: rainforests such as Raymond so he can continue to provide http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/good-bad gives the kids even for all his inhabitants. further information on each plant and animal depicted on the cards and is often used by teachers for homework Through Raymond’s adventures we learn of the need to keep assignments. Soon to be added to the program will be a full these introduced species from creating more havoc in our color illustrated monthly local newspaper column of “Good islands and the importance of preventing future Guys and Bad Guys” to get this information out to more of introductions of dangerous species to Hawai‘i and invading the general public in Hawai'i. our home.

For more information on the cards and the program: Written by Lisa Matsumoto, this production is supported by [email protected] funding through the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, sponsored in part by The Nature Conservancy, the Department of Land and Natural Resources and The Hawaii Department of Health – Clean Water Branch.

For further information contact: Lisa Matsumoto, Managing & Artistic Director, Ohi’a Productions, [email protected].

Source: Ohi’a Productions: www.ohia.com

Images Courtesy of Hawai’i Biological Surveys 2001

Images Courtesy of Ohi’a Productions Hawai’i Evil wicked weeds, Mike Inia aka Images Courtesy of Hawai’i Biological Surveys 2001 Mr. Shade and Miss Anna Banana 8 ALIENS-L LISTSERVER: The website is another result of our collaboration with INFORMATION EXCHANGE ON IAS AFFA, and financial support from AusAID. We would like to thank both organisations for their help. Aliens-L is a listserver dedicated to alien invasive species, with a focus on those that threaten biodiversity. It is Grahame Jackson managed by ISSG, and uses the IUCN server as its home. It 24 Alt Street allows users to freely seek and share information on alien Queens Park invasive species and related issues. Participation from all NSW 2022 who are interested in the invasive species problem is Australia welcome. Questions are wide ranging – from: "we have just http://www.pestnet.org discovered alien species Xxxxxx yyyyyy in our country, has someone else had experience with it being an invasive alien" Editorial note: While much content on Pestnet is in the , "Can anyone tell me what herbicide they have successfully agricultural sphere, there is an overlap with alien invasive used on species Yyyy zzzz, and in what circumstances", species that threaten biodiversity. It is a very good resource "How can I construct a trap to catch xyz bird which is an and highly recommended. invasive alien species here", etc…..to announcements of meetings or workshops, to questions about more complex ecosystem interactions between IAS and other species, to more "philosophical" questions. To subscribe, send an email without a subject header to: [email protected] OR [email protected] with the message: subscribe THE NATURE CONSERVANCY Aliens-L. INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT LIST SERVER When you have subscribed you will get a message with instructions for using the list. The Invasive Species Management Listserv was created to: • Exchange information and advice on invasive species, including warnings of new pests and advice on how to prevent, contain, and control them; • Provide alerts on relevant legislation and policy proposals and actions; • Post notices about useful articles and tools; WHAT IS PESTNET? •Provide a forum for questions, ideas, and answers about pests; PestNet is an email network that helps people in the Pacific • Provide alerts on control and research funding and South East Asia obtain rapid advice and information on opportunities. plant protection, including quarantine. It links the Pacific and South East Asian regions with plant protection For further information or to join visit: specialists worldwide and is free to members. You can find http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/listserv.html, or the website at http://www.pestnet.org Email [email protected] and include your email address, first/last name, and what country/state you work in. The site has been designed to work quickly even if you do not have an up-to-date computer or a new modem. It Source: The Nature Conservancy, http://nature.org contains information about PestNet, how to join, and a Guide for sending messages with or without photos attached, about using the archives, collecting pests, and sending specimens through the post, etc.

You can also find help for: Pest identification. To give you some background on the pest you want to have identified - you can attach a photo to the form - the form goes to Yahoogroups, and then to all members.

Feedback. For you to send comments on PestNet, or to use if you want information or advice but don't want to ask all members, it will go to a moderator who will redirect it to the appropriate person.

There is also a photo gallery. This contains all the images that have been sent to PestNet so far. In some cases there are question marks against the identification. If you have up-to- date information on any identification previously made, please let us know. The collection can be searched by pest, crop (common and scientific names), and country.

Organisers would like feedback on the website, so please give us your thoughts: Things that you like, those that you don't, ways to improve it, etc.

9 A PLAGUE OF RATS AND RUBBERVINES A Plague of Rats and Rubbervines, she was granted access to THE GROWING THREAT OF SPECIES INVASIONS worldwide science and policy discussions of the Global Invasive Species Programme through one of its sponsors, an YVONNE BASKIN international consortium of scientists known as the Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE). The human love of novelty and desire to make one place look A Shearwater Book like another, coupled with massive increases in global trade JAPAN/TAIWAN/SOUTH KOREA:MK and transport, are creating a growing economic and ecological INTERNATIONAL, LTD, 1-50-7-203 Itabashi, Itabashi- threat. 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In A Plague of Rats and Signature: Rubbervines, widely published science writer Yvonne Baskin ______draws on extensive research to provide an engaging and Daytime Telephone #: authoritative overview of the problem of harmful invasive ______alien species. She takes the reader on a worldwide tour of Send orders to: grasslands, gardens, waterways, and forests, describing the US ORDERS:ISLAND PRESS, Dept. 2AU, P.O. Box 7, troubles caused by exotic organisms that run amok in new Covelo, CA 95428 settings and examining how commerce and travel on an EUROPEAN ORDERS:THE EUROSPAN GROUP, 3 increasingly connected planet are exacerbating this oldest of Henrietta St., Covent Garden, London WC2E 8LUEngland human-created problems. She offers examples of potential 1-800-828-1302 US, solutions and profiles dedicated individuals worldwide who 44(0)20 7240 0856 Europe, 03-5375-3287 Japan, are working tirelessly to protect the places and creatures they 61-2-9517-8999 Australia love. While our attention is quick to focus on purposeful Fax orders to 707-983-6414 US, 44 (0)20 7379 0609 Europe, attempts to disrupt our lives and economies by releasing 03-5375-3286 Japan, 61-2-9517-2249 Australia harmful biological agents, we often ignore equally serious but Order online at www.islandpress.org, www.eurospan.co.uk, much more insidious threats, those that we inadvertently cause www.harcourt.com.au by our own seemingly harmless actions. A Plague of Rats and Send e-mail orders to [email protected] Rubbervines takes a compelling look at this under appreciated Send inquiries to [email protected] problem and sets forth positive suggestions for what we as Yes, I would like to order A Plague of Rats and Rubbervines consumers, gardeners, travelers, nurserymen, fishermen, pet by Yvonne Baskin: owners, business people--indeed all of us who by our very _____ hardcover copies @ $25.00 each local choices drive global commerce--can do to help. N E W F R O M I S L A N D P R E S S Please add $5.75 for shipping for the first book, $2.00 for Yvonne Baskin is a Montana-based science writer and each additional book. California residents add 7.25% tax; author of The Work of Nature (Island Press, 1997). Her Washington, D.C. residents add 5.75% tax. articles have appeared in Natural History, Science, Discover, The Atlantic Monthly, and numerous other publications. For Source: Island Press ENVIRONMENTAL WEEDS: more information, how to use the guide, glossary, index, and A FIELD GUIDE FOR SE AUSTRALIA symbols for garden thugs, Weeds of National Significance and plants with health impacts. There is also a photocopiable Environmental weeds education officer, Kate Blood, has drawn infestation recording sheet and the addresses of Herbaria on the expertise of other professionals working in the area to where weed specimens can be submitted. compile the most up-to-date information on weed species and their distribution in southeastern Australia. This comprehensive Environmental Weeds: A Field Guide for SE Australia will field guide covers over 175 environmental weeds in SE be an invaluable tool for land and water use management Australia including emerging and potential weed species. About specialists, farmers, amateur naturalists, students and 90% of the weeds in the field guide are escaped garden plants or anyone with an interest in managing and overcoming 'garden thugs'. Detailed descriptions are in easy to understand problems caused by environmental weeds. language supported by excellent photography bringing accurate weed identification within the reach of a broad range of users. For further information and order forms, contact the The field guide contains over 210 photos and 85 maps. Entries publisher: CH Jerram & Associates, 2/13 Cheviot Road, Mt for over 85 weeds include weed shape and size, history and uses, Waverley, Victoria, Australia 3149 phone #61 3 9807 9795, taxonomic relationships, origin, weedy distribution, description, fax #61 3 9807 9796; 210 x 148mm, 232 pages, wire bound, ecosystems invaded, ecology, reproductive and growth full color throughout plus maps. ISBN 0-9579086-0-1. characteristics and confusing look-alikes. Distribution maps Recommended retail price A$35.00 (incl GST) plus A$8.00 show current recorded and potential range of weeds. postage and handling.

Other features include an introductory text on what an Information provided by: environmental weed is, impacts, introduction and spread, Kate Blood, Cooperative Centre for Weed Management sleeper weeds, identification, WeedWatch, where to get Systems (Weeds CRC), [email protected]

10 CIESM ATLAS OF EXOTIC SPECIES (MEDITERRANEAN) The booklet aims to help African states in their efforts to counter the international threat posed by alien invasive Invasive and alien species have become a major research species and will give this issue a more prominence in the area. The Mediterranean Marine Science Commission minds of policy makers and people across the continent and (CIESM) Atlas collection is the first comprehensive attempt throughout the world. to document all exotic species, from both Indo-Pacific and Atlantic origins, to have appeared in the Mediterranean Invasive Alien Species is also a during the last years. CIESM is proud to present the first two first step in the Ramsar process of volumes (a third is in press) prepared by expert groups of recognising invasive species as marine taxonomists. The volumes are finely illustrated and extremely important in wetlands offer distribution maps, biological and geographical and needing attention in every annotations for hundreds of species, plus an abundant Ramsar site. bibliography. The collection, aimed at specialists and non- specialists alike, shall ultimately comprise half a dozen Available from: IUCN Eastern illustrated volumes, each written by a group of leading Africa Regional Office, Nairobi, marine specialists. Kenya, Email: [email protected]

For further information contact: Geoffrey Howard, Regional Programme Coordinator for IUCN in Eastern Africa, +254 2 890 605, [email protected]

Source: http://www.iucn.org/info_and_news/press/prinvasives.pdf

TURNING THE TIDE: THE ERADICATION OF ISLAND • vol. 1 - Fishes. 2002. D. Golani, L. Orsi-Relini, E. Massutí INVASIVES and J-P. Quignard, 256 pages, 26 original color drawings. 30 Euros. The Proceedings of the International Conference on • vol. 2 - Crustaceans. 2002. B. Galil, C. Froglia and P. Noel, Eradication of Island Invasives, held at the University of 192 pages, 35 original color drawings. 20 Euros. Auckland in February 2001, is available for purchase. • vol. 3 - Molluscs. A. Zenetos, S. Gofas, G. Russo. J. Templado, in press (expected spring 2003). Turning the Tide, edited by Dick Veitch and Mick Clout, contains full text of 52 papers presented at the conference To order the Atlas, check the website on and the abstracts from 21 others. The papers focused on the http://www.ciesm.org/ordfor.html, or contact Christine subject of: “Eradication of invasive species from islands; Poupon at [email protected] methods used and the results achieved.” The term ‘eradicating’ includes work to remove invasive species Source CIESM Publications : where complete eradication was some, or many, years away http://www.ciesm.org/publications/Atlas.html but the methods used were achieving positive results or providing a significant learning experience. The term ‘island’ includes true islands, natural habitat islands, INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES remnant and artificial habitat islands, or new invasions of IN AFRICA’S WETLANDS natural ecosystems where eradication was deemed feasible.

Invasive Alien Species in Africa’s Wetlands was released in For contents list and abstracts: Nairobi on 5 February 2003 by The World Conservation http://www.issg.org/Eradicat.html Union (IUCN), together with the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, and the Global The book can be purchased for NZ$55.00 (plus p&p) from Invasive Species Programme (GISP). Dick Veitch, 48 Manse Road, Papakura, New Zealand. E- mail [email protected], phone/fax +64 9 298 5775. According to co-author, Geoffrey Howard the “damage Mastercard and Visa accepted. Your order must include a caused by alien invasive species to African wetlands runs postal address. P&p costs per copy are: New Zealand $5.00, into the billions of dollars annually, while the impacts of Australia NZ$14.00, USA NZ$29.00, UK NZ$32.00, and these species are only just being realised”. Invasive Alien ask about other countries. Species in Africa’s Wetlands introduces some existing alien invaders that affect aquatic ecosystems in Africa, such as the Turning the Tide may also be purchased for £24.50 from water hyacinth that has inflicted immense damage on IUCN Publications Services Unit, 219c Huntingdon Road, Africa’s wetlands, fisheries, human welfare, economy, and Cambridge CB3 0DL, United Kingdom, phone +44 1223 biodiversity. It describes other invasive species that are “on 277894, fax +44 1223 277175, e-mail [email protected]. their way”, including the Water milfoil, also known as For postage costs and ordering details: Parrot’s feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum) and Pickerel http://www.iucn.org/bookstore. weed (Pontederia cordata).

11 PRIORITISING THE WORLD’S ISLANDS spreadsheet, would they please let M de L Brooke know. FOR VERTEBRATE ERADICATION In separate spreadsheets, we detailed the alien vertebrates PROGRAMMES occurring on the 376 islands where threatened bird species occurred (‘aliens on islands’), plus features of these islands Arequest for your input. which might affect the cost of eradication programmes Our ability to remove alien vertebrates from islands is (‘islands’ features’). Such features included most obviously improving at a heartening pace. Partly as a consequence of area, but also isolation from airports, topography, whether this improvement, the maximum size of island where inhabited or not, and so forth. Again we encountered eradication is practical, is growing ever larger. These difficulties in determining which islands in an archipelago welcome trends mean that the number of islands where were occupied by precisely which introduced vertebrates. eradication is a useful and realistic possibility is growing Frequently we had recourse to the default option: if the fast. It is therefore timely to ask how we might develop a BirdLife International database indicated that threatened globally prioritised list of islands for eradication species X was at risk from, say, rats and pigs, then rats and programmes. The aim of such a list would be to indicate pigs were assumed to be present on each and every island on where scarce funds to ‘save species’ could be spent with which X occurred. Again information on errors or omissions greatest cost-effectiveness. By highlighting how the would be most welcome. conservation movement is striving towards a strategic approach to eradication projects, the list could also Finally another spreadsheet detailed the cost of eradication potentially help secure funds from donors reasonably programmes undertaken. We managed to discover cost data anxious to ensure their money was being wisely used. on only about 20 programmes. This is clearly far fewer than the number undertaken, and we would welcome further In a preliminary effort to develop such a list, we worked reports. Particularly disappointing was our failure to unearth with two final year Zoology undergraduates, Jenny Gould more information from the New Zealand region. However, and Sarah Farnsworth. The aim of the project was to develop the information available was sufficient to demonstrate a a generic means of estimating the conservation benefit of an clear effect of area on cost, but insufficient to demonstrate a eradication programme on a given island, and the cost of significant affect of any other factor such as isolation. We such an eradication. We then used this information to could now calculate the cost of a rat eradication programme produce a ranked list of islands, based on the conservation on any island in the island spreadsheet, and add a percentage benefit per unit expenditure. Our study concentrated on to this value if further vertebrate species needed elimination. threatened birds, partly because of our admitted bird bias, This added percentage was frankly arbitrary. partly because the bird data for remote islands tends to be better than those for other animal groups. Every bird species was now assigned a score based on its threat status as determined by BirdLife International (more Our first step was to take world’s list of threatened birds, threatened = higher score), the importance of introduced kindly supplied by BirdLife International. This list was then vertebrates in causing its decline (more important = higher pruned to include only (i) species occurring exclusively on score), and the number of islands on which it occurs (more islands less than 1000km2, and threatened by invasive islands = lower score). Island scores were then the simple vertebrates and (ii) species occurring both on islands less aggregates of the species scores for those species that than 1000km2, and on larger continental areas, provided that, occurred there. In general, and unsurprisingly, the larger on the continental areas, the species was threatened by islands with several threatened bird species (Chatham [New introduced vertebrates. Zealand], Henderson [Pitcairn], Fatu Hiva [Marquesas, French Polynesia]) emerged as the more highly-rated The 1000km2 cut-off was used because this is roughly the islands. However when one calculated the conservation largest size of island from which eradication of vertebrates benefit per unit money spent (i.e. island score/calculated (e.g. goats) is practical. The second criterion was designed to cost), the approach clearly threw up the smaller islands, ensure the inclusion of species (e.g. in New Zealand) which most tenanted by a single threatened species, as the most occurred on islands too large for eradication programmes cost effective. but also on smaller islands where provision of a safe haven would be worthwhile. On the other hand, where the main In due course we hope to publish the results of this analysis. threat on the larger area was, say, habitat loss, an eradication For this reason, and because of the defects in the dataset programme on a single island is arguably less useful. mentioned above, we have deliberately refrained from giving the listing of the highest ranked islands. These restrictions deliberately remove bird species currently not sharing islands with threatening alien vertebrates. If Clearly there is scope for refining the project. Would it be aliens are not a threat, in most cases because they are not worth adding plant data to the bird data to generate the found on the island(s) where the birds dwell, there is island score? In general, the remote islands under manifestly no case for eradicating them. At this stage the consideration do not harbour native vertebrates besides number of bird species had been reduced to 150. birds, and the invertebrate data are, at best, patchy, but plant lists are often adequate. Furthermore, the island scoring took Now all the islands less than 1000km2 where these species no account of how large a proportion of the threatened bird’s occurred were listed in a spreadsheet. Slightly surprisingly, global population the island might harbour if cleared of this information was not available from BirdLife in this aliens. Thus suppose the Threatened Albatross occurred on format, and we sometimes encountered difficulties in mythical 10 ha Wallace Island and 1000 ha Grommit Island, establishing precisely on which islands, especially in and was the only threatened species on those islands. Both archipelagos, a particular threatened species occurred. The islands would have the same island score under our system, current spreadsheet is an online supplement to this article, although, in terms of securing the albatross’s future, there is (see www.zoo.cam.ac.uk/ioi, and the sheet 'threatened birds - probably a case for scoring the larger Grommit Island as the islands'). If readers notice errors and omissions in this

12 more important. Possible Route of Introduction How the Red-vented Bulbul came to Majuro is still This project is now being taken forward by Thais Martins unknown. In most parts of the Pacific, introduction is ([email protected]) working at the Royal Society for usually blamed on the release, either intentional or the Protection of Birds. We would be very grateful if any accidental, or caged birds. (Williams 1983a) The first information could be copied to her as well as to Michael sightings on Majuro were all in close proximity to RMI's Brooke. major commercial port, where containers are brought from Hawai'i and other areas, such as Guam and Asia. M. de L. Brooke Geoff Hilton Department of Zoology Conservation Science Department Hence, there is the possibility that a few birds stowed away University of Cambridge RSPB among some of the nooks and crannies of the containers or Downing Street The Lodge heavy equipment. Islam and Williams (2000) describe the Cambridge CB2 3EJ Sandy, Beds SG19 2DL Red-vented Bulbul as nesting in some very unorthodox UK UK locations within its native range, including the motor of a [email protected] [email protected] ceiling fan and the end of a curtain rod, both within buildings.

THE RED-VENTED BULBUL HAS Could a pair of birds have constructed a nest in a container COME TO MICRONESIA on a ship that was readying to come to the Marshalls, at dock in Oahu, (where the bird is ubiquitous), but perhaps before The Red-vented Bulbul (Pycnontus cafer), a small passerine the hatched, the ship put to sea? Would not the parents bird native to Asia, has become a major invasive pest in feel an obligation to stay with their offspring until they many Pacific islands, having undergone a dramatic increase reached port? In Hawai'i, it is speculated that introductions in population. (Islam & Williams 2000) In May of 2000, a have been "assisted by barge or boat." (Islam & Williams single Red-vented Bulbul was sighted on Majuro, the capital 2000) and in New Zealand, it is figured that the Auckland of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) by the author. population of the 1950s came from an escapee from a ship. This is the first record for Micronesia and an atoll. Although (Heather & Robertson 1996) Of course, it still could have only one bird was initially seen, subsequently at least 4 been through the release of pet birds. A fishing boat, from an individuals were observed, as two sets of seeming pairs. area where release of captive birds is considered to way to Most of these sightings were within Majuro's urbanised "make merit" could have brought birds. (McNeely 2001) downtown area, with more recent sightings near the water reservoir. More recent reports indicate that this species has Possible Implications become established in the agricultural area of Laura. The The Red-vented Bulbul is not a welcome addition to RMI. long-term survival prospects, as well as ecological This species has been included by the IUCN as 'One World's implications are still unknown, but could be quite One Hundred Worst Alien Invaders' (Lowe 2000) and is deleterious to both the environment and local agriculture. "generally regarded as Fiji's most undesirably alien." (Watling 1983) The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) is a country composed of low coral atolls and isolated low elevation The environment of atolls is quite different from high coral islands. The naturally occurring avifauna is almost islands. Some species, which have become pestiferous, even entirely resident seabirds as well as migratory seabirds, invasive, in other areas of the Pacific, have not survived in shorebirds and waterfow1. The only landbird is the the Marshalls. (NBT 2000), Yet the indications are the Red- Micronesian Pigeon (Ducula oceanica ratakensis and D. o. vented Bulbul will survive — even thrive — on Majuro. oceanica). (NBT 2000) The only land bird native to Majuro is the Ratak Behaviour and Habits Micronesian Pigeon (Ducula oceanica ratakensis). It is rare The Red-vented Bulbul is primarily black, crested about 8 and is considered to be endangered under RMI law. (NBT 1/2 inches (20-23 cm) in length, smaller than any bird native 2000) Some of the pigeon's food is also consumed by the to the Marshalls (see illustration). It is "conspicuously noisy Red-vented Bulbul. and gregarious" (Hawai’ian Audubon Society 1997) and "a very aggressive and successful species." (Watling 1983) Its So far, the infamously invasive Lantana camara has raucous voice is unlike any other bird in the RMI, yet also remained a fairly docile plant in the Marshalls. This could goes into an annual quiet, more secretive period, following simply be due to the harsh physical conditions of the its "conspicuous courtship stage." (Williams 1983a) Marshalls' environment. However, the Red-vented Bulbul eats lantana berries and viable seeds are subsequently passed The nest is cup-shaped, made of plant matter, with spider through the bird's system, effectively of spreading this webs outside, lined with soft material. Two to five pale pink despised plant.3 to reddish eggs with darker spots and streaks are laid. There are often two to three broods annually. When not breeding, Since the Red-vented Bulbul also eats lizards and insects, it tends to form large flocks and gather in communal roosts. these could also be impacted. The Marshalls has 24 species (Islam & Williams 2000) of endemic insects. (NBT 2000) The Arno Skink (Emoia arnoensis) is a lizard endemic to the Marshall Islands and While the Red-vented is a strong flier, it does not fly over some Caroline atolls. great distances of open ocean. (Williams 1983b) Its primary food is berries and fruit. It is known to also eat plant buds, Then there are the potential agricultural implications. flowers, but it also eats insects and small lizards (Islam & Almost all reports acknowledge that the Red-vented Bulbul Williams 2000) and comes to sugar water. (Ralph 1984) can become a “serious agricultural pest.” (Bishop Museum undated) At least 36 different agricultural items have been

13 recorded as part of the Red-vented Bulbul’s diet. Seventy- Honolulu Star Bulletin Features 1996. Florence Gruber’s yard, five percent of its food was said to be plant material, with the Wahiawa starbulletin.com/96/07/12/ features/story1.htlm majority of the remainder being . (Islam & Lowe, S., Browne, M. Boudjelas, S. 2000. 100 of the Williams 2000) World's Worse Invasive Species. Aliens 12; ISSG www.issg.org The Red-vented Bulbul could also spread to nearby McNeely, J. S. 2001. An introduction to human dimensions Micronesian islands, such as Pohnpei and Kosrae, which of invasive alien species. in J. A. McNeely (editor) The have many endemic land birds. (Pratt et al. 1987) If the Red- Great Reshuffling. IUCN, Gland Switzerland and vented Bulbul did come to Majuro via ship from Hawai'i or Cambridge, UK Fiji, then the trip from the Marshalls to Kosrae would be a Meyer, J.-Y., 1997. French Polynesia: a natural much easier hop. paradise…for invasive species. Aliens, No. 6, pp. 5-6 Meyer, J.-Y., 1999. Des Bulbul et des Hommes: le Future phJnomPne de facilitation. Te Manu No. 29, pg. 6 An eradication program would be the most direct and National Biodiversity Team of the Republic of the Marshall effective way to deal with the Red-vented Bulbul on Majuro. Islands (NBT) 2000. The Marshall Islands — Living Atolls Potentially, if done early enough, it could rid the atoll — the Amidst the Living Sea. RMI Biodiversity Project. country and all Micronesia — of this unwanted bird. But due Pratt, H. D., Bruner, P. L., and Berrett, D. G. 1987. A Field to the sporadic and happenchance nature of many sightings, Guide to The Birds of Hawai’i and the Tropical Pacific. such a campaign would best be coordinated locally. Princeton University Press. Williams (1983b) reports that when the Big Island of Ralph, C. J. 1984. Opportunistic Nectarivory of some Hawai'i decided that a Red-vented Bulbul eradication Introduced Hawai’ian Birds. ‘Elapaio, Vol. 45, No. 3, pp. program should be done, whenever the consultant from 17-18 Oahu showed up, the birds did not. A similar scenario would Stuart, C., Stuart T. 1999 Birds of Africa: from seabirds to be very likely on Majuro, only at more cost and seed-eaters. MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts inconvenience to all involved. Williams, R. N. 1983a. Bulbul Introductions on Oahu. ‘Elapaio Vol. 43, No. 11, pp. 89-90 On Oahu, less than a decade after the first Red-vented Williams, R. N. 1983b. The Red-vented Bulbul on the Island Bulbul was recorded (Berger 1975) it had undergone such a of Hawai'i . ‘Elapaio Vol. 43, No. 12, pp. 101-103 population explosion, that it was too late to deal with the problem. By means of a diligent campaign, the 1952 Nancy Vander Velde introduction of the Red-vented Bulbul was eradicated from Biological consultant New Zealand, only to be reestablished in 1984 (Meyer P. O. Box 1603 1999). Eradication, followed by constant monitoring and Majuro, MH 96960 vigilance, would probably prove to be the easiest, cheapest [email protected] method which carries the least risk of later regrets.

1The Purple-capped Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus porphyraceus) has been extirpated. The migratory Long-tailed Cuckoo (Eudynamis taitensis) is a regular visitor to many atolls; pet Rock Dove (Columba livia) are kept on Majuro and other atolls; and on Kwajalein, the Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) was introduced and is established. Beyond these, the only other land birds are barnyard species, such as chickens, ducks and turkeys. Occasionally, cage birds, such as Parakeets and Lovebirds are brought in as pets but there are no records of any escaping into the wild. 2On November 17, 2001, a Green Anole (Anolis carolinesis) was sighted near the dock, which would be the first report of this lizard for the Marshall Islands. 3The even more dreaded Purple Plague, Miconia calvescens, which has devastated many areas of Polynesia, is spread in this same way by the Red-vented Bulbul. ( Loope 1997)

References Berger, A. J. 1975. The Red-whiskered and Red-vented Bulbuls on Oahu. 'Elapaio Vol. 36, pp. 16-19 Bishop Museum undated. Backyard Aliens – The Website. Featured Alien: Red-vented Bulbul. aliens.bishopmuseum.org/b-results/x27- featuredAliensBulbul.html Islam, K. and Williams, R. N. 2000. The Red-vented Bulbul and the Red-whiskered Bulbul. The Birds of North America, No 520, pp. 1-22Loope, L. L. 1997. HNIS Report for Miconia calvenscens. Hawai’ian Ecosystems at Risk Project. Internet download Heather, B. D. and Robertson, H. A. 1996. The Field Guide to the Birds of New Zealand. Viking/Penguin Books Ltd. Auckland.

14 REPORT OF THE 13TH AUSTRALIAN [email protected] for info on discussion forum). WEED CONFERENCE CAWSS Executive have decided to change the conference (PERTH SEPTEMBER 2002) frequency from triennial to biennial, thus the 14th Australian Weeds Conference will be held in September 2004 (in NSW The 13th Australian Weed Conference held in Perth in - details will be posted to Aliens-l listserver when available). September 2002 can only be described as a fantastic success. It was held by the Plant Protection Society of WA (PPS) on Report provided by: behalf of the Council of Australian Weed Science Societies Sandy Lloyd (CAWSS). CAWSS President Bruce Wilson declared it, in President, Plant Protection Society of WA (Inc.) olympic parlance, “the best ever”. About 500 delegates [email protected] attended all or part of the conference. Though it's a national conference, it attracted delegates from New Zealand, South- east Asia, Europe, USA and Africa. Following the 13th Australian Weeds Conference in Perth 22 people decided to hang around for an extra The theme of the conference was: “Weeds threats now and weekend and spend the 16th and 17th of September in forever?”. The first paper was presented by a pessimistic a Weed Risk Assessment workshop with Rod Randall. Tim Low (author of Feral Future) asking “why are there so The participants went over the background, tools and few weeds?” If sleeper weeds are those slowly naturalising some basic introduction to databases developed over but not yet causing significant damage, what about the the last six years and used daily in weed assessments potential weed one step removed? These are plants that are in WA. A whole day was effectively devoted to unable to naturalise because they lack a pollinator, or animal practical assessments where everyone got to drive the vector to spread seeds, or haven’t yet been planted in the databases, internet and climate software to assess environment they are suited to. several plant species. Feedback has been very positive with several people already purchasing Filemaker Pro The other keynote speakers were Mark Lonsdale, outlining TM to run their copy of the database which was the different weed strategies around Australia, and David provided to all participants. Pannell, presenting the human factors involved in adoption of integrated weed management. Mark Lonsdale's For more information: Rod Randall, Weed Science presentation, The Highest Form of Generalship, can be Group, Department of Agriculture downloaded from the Weeds CRC webpage: Western Australia http://www.waite.adelaide.edu.au/CRCWMS/marklonsdale.pdf Peter Raven, Director of the Missouri Botanical Garden and Sandy Lloyd Chairman of the Board of the American Association for the [email protected] Advancement of Science, delivered the CAWSS Oration. Unfortunately Dr Raven was unable to attend so his paper was presented by video but the high-quality audiovisual system used meant his talk moved seamlessly from video

screen to telephone for questions live from his home in Peter Maloney Missouri.

Presentations covered every aspect of weed science and management including biocontrol, herbicides, tropical, broadacre, horticulture, forestry, natural ecosystems, biology, herbicide resistance, community groups and education. European visitors commented that they had never attended a conference of this breadth and quality elsewhere. There were four different field trips. The environmental trip, for example, From Left: Sarah Brunel (France) Dave Richardson (South Africa) and visited Kings Park, Bold Park and Yanchep National Park Peter Williams (New Zealand). Rod Randall Standing. before returning via Gingin to the Swan Valley.

Due to the limited number of speaker timeslots available and quality of available papers, the poster presentations were EIGHTH MEETING OF THE CONFERENCE given greater attention than at recent conferences. Both OF THE CONTRACTING PARTIES TO THE speakers and poster presenters were invited to include a peer RAMSAR CONVENTION ON WETLANDS reviewed paper in the proceedings. (NOVEMBER 2002)

The 750 page proceedings contains 239 papers. Surplus The Convention on Wetlands, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in proceedings are available for $A77 plus p&h, while stocks 1971, is an intergovernmental treaty, which provides the last, from the publisher ([email protected]). framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their To maximise the gathering of so many weed scientists from resources. There are presently 136 Contracting Parties to the so many different locations, various side meetings were held Convention, with 1263 wetland sites, totaling 107.5 million throughout the week of the conference. For example, a hectares, designated for inclusion in the Ramsar List of group of researchers working across several Mediterranean Wetlands of International Importance. climate zones met to plan information sharing and future meetings on Mediterranean climate weeds. A discussion The Eighth Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting forum will be available around December 2002 at: Parties (COP8) to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands was http://meditweeds.ame-lr.org (contact Sarah Brunel held from 18-26 November 2002 in Valencia, Spain. The

15 theme of the Conference was "Wetlands: Water, Life, and systems, and coastal/marine zones to cooperate fully in Culture." One of the agenda items concerned invasive alien the prevention, early warning in transboundary species. During the Technical Session on Friday, 22 wetlands, eradication and control of invasive species, November, IUCN delegate, Geoffrey Howard, explained the applying the Guidelines for international cooperation draft resolution on invasive species (COP8 DR 19), under the Ramsar Convention (Ramsar Handbook 9); highlighting threats to wetlands posed by invasive species. Delegates then discussed the resolution in regional groups. 19. URGES Contracting Parties, in their development and The ninth Conference of the Parties to the Ramsar implementation of national strategies and responses to Convention (COP9) is scheduled to convene in Uganda in invasive alien species, to recognise that terrestrial 2005. invasions by alien species can threaten and affect the ecological character of wetlands including through the Extract from Resolution VIII.18: Invasive species and lowering of water tables and alteration of water flow wetlands patterns, and to ensure that appropriate measures to prevent or control such invasions are in place; THE CONFERENCE OF THE CONTRACTING PARTIES 20. URGES Contracting Parties, prior to moving water 12. URGES Contracting Parties to address the problems between river basins, to examine carefully the potential posed by invasive species in wetland ecosystems in a environmental impacts due to invasive species; decisive and holistic manner, making use, as appropriate, of the tools and guidance developed by 21. FURTHER URGES all Contracting Parties to work various institutions and processes, including any closely with their counterpart national focal points for relevant guidelines or guiding principles adopted under the Convention on Biological Diversity, the UN other conventions; Convention to Combat Desertification, the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB), the 13. ENCOURAGES Contracting Parties to participate in International Maritime Organization (IMO), and others and contribute fully to the further development of in the development and implementation of national appropriate tools and guidance for addressing these policies, strategies and management responses to threats problems; from invasive alien species, and to ensure that prevention, eradication and control of such species are 14. INSTRUCTS the Ramsar Bureau to continue fully incorporated in national legislation and national cooperating as closely as possible with the institutions wetland and biodiversity policies, strategies and action and processes that are dealing with invasive species plans, applying the Ramsar Guidelines for reviewing issues, particularly those of direct relevance to wetland laws and institutions to promote the conservation and ecosystems; wise use of wetlands (Ramsar Handbook 3) and Guidelines for developing and implementing National 15. URGES Contracting Parties to undertake risk Wetland Policies (Ramsar Handbook 2); assessments of alien species which may pose a threat to the ecological character of wetlands, taking into account 22. REQUESTS the Ramsar Bureau to explore with the the potential changes to ecosystems from the effects of secretariat of the CBD and the GISP ways and means for global climate change, and applying the guidance the Ramsar Convention to contribute to the review, for available in Ramsar’s Risk Assessment Framework the CBD, on the assessment of the impact of invasive (Resolution VII.10); species on inland waters, including on islands, and to make available the results of this review to Contracting 16. FURTHER URGES Contracting Parties to identify the Parties and wetland managers; presence of invasive alien species in Ramsar sites and other wetlands in their territory, the threats they pose to 23. ENCOURAGES the Ramsar Bureau, in collaboration the ecological character of these wetlands, including the with IUCN, the World Heritage Centre, and UNESCO’s risk of invasions by such species not yet present within MAB, to further develop and implement each site, the actions underway or planned for their communication and awareness-raising work on African prevention, eradication or control, and, for Ramsar sites, wetland invasive species for wetland managers, to to report on this to the Ramsar Bureau without delay in disseminate widely its information and awareness line with Article 3.2 of the Convention, so that this products, and to consider developing similar projects in information may be included in the Ramsar Sites other Ramsar regions; and ENCOURAGES Contracting Database; Parties and donor organizations to consider providing resources for such projects; and 17. REQUESTS the Ramsar Bureau to make information provided by Contracting Parties available to the 24. ALSO ENCOURAGES the GISP, IUCN, and others to Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and others further develop Web-based sources of information on in support of the implementation of the CBD-Ramsar identification, distribution and management of invasive Joint Work Plan 2002-2006; species and potential invasive species affecting wetlands, and to make these widely available to 18. RECOGNISES that many aquatic invasive species, both Contracting Parties and wetland managers so as to assist inland and coastal and marine species, can spread them in the early detection, eradication and control of rapidly and repeatedly throughout entire wetland invasive species. ecosystems, river basins and coastal and marine zones, such that eradication in one place may not prove Full text of Resolution: effective at preventing further invasions, and URGES http://www.ramsar.org/key_res_viii_18_e.htm all Contracting Parties with shared wetlands, river http://www.ramsar.org/key_res_viii_18_e.doc

16 CONTROVERSY ABOUT THE DECISION disagreed with the view that the usefulness of the OF CBD (CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL reference to the CBD Guiding Principles was marginal. Norway supported the EU and stressed the need to DIVERSITY) RESURFACED AT THE address invasive species as one of the most serious RAMSAR COP. threats to biodiversity. Australia reiterated its position that the CBD decision is not valid and that a direct In the contact group, which met on Tuesday, 19 reference to the CBD Guiding Principles would be November. Australia, supported by the U.S. and Brazil, inappropriate. The EU, Australia and Norway requested requested deleting a reference to Convention of that the meeting’s report reflect their statements, and the Biological Diversity (CBD) Decision VI/23 on Guiding revised resolution was adopted. Principles on alien species, arguing that the decision had not been properly adopted by CBD COP6. The EU said Source: Earth Negotiations Bulletin Vol. 17 No. 18 that the decision was valid, and opposed deleting the Friday, 29 November 2002 reference. The contact group was unable to resolve this issue, and forwarded the resolution to Plenary. For details on CBD COP6, see ‘Convention on Biological Diversity: Conference of the parties, Netherlands, 7-19 On Tuesday, 26 November, Plenary considered the April 2002, Aliens Number 15 2002, page 4 revised draft resolution on invasive species, which incorporated IUCN compromise language and The full report of the RAMSAR Conference of Parties amendments proposed by the regional groups. The EU can be accessed at: reiterated its position that the CBD decision is valid, and http://www.ramsar.org/cop8_conf_rpt_e.htm#plenary

GENERAL DISCLAIMER All material appearing in Aliens is the work of individual authors, whose names are listed at the foot of each article. Contributions are not refereed, as this is a newsletter and not an academic journal. Ideas and comments in Aliens are not intended in any way to represent the view of IUCN, SCC or the Invasive Species Specialist Group or the sponsors, unless specifically stated to the contrary.

GISP SECRETARIAT LAUNCHED GISP, and paid particular tribute to Dr Kathy MacKinnon of AT WORLD SUMMIT the World Bank for her work in securing funding. Also to Dr Jamie Reaser and Ms Laurie Neville, who held together the ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT administrative functions of GISP under the most taxing of circumstances. The Convention on Biological Diversity has identified the Global Invasive Species Programme (GISP) as a core Source: Shortened from article provided by capacity in the fight against invasive alien species, which are Dr Guy Preston, widely recognized at the second biggest threat to the world's Programme Leader, biological diversity (after habitat destruction) - and in a Working for Water, growing number of countries it is seen as the single biggest Ministry of Water Affairs and Forestry, threat to bio-diversity. In order for GISP to fulfil its vital Cape Town, promise, however, it has been necessary to secure the South Africa; funding necessary to administer its initiatives. E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] It was therefore with great anticipation that Ms Kristalina Editorial Note: In future issue we hope to provide a further Georgieva of the World Bank announced funding secured update. from a Netherlands fund administered by the World Bank, to support the establishment of a Secretariat for GISP. This announcement was made during the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg, South Africa, August 2002.

The Secretariat will be based at the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens in Cape Town, South Africa. Initially it will be staffed by a Chief Executive, a Programme Co-ordinator, a Communication Officer, and administrative assistants.

From the commitment of Dr Hal Mooney and all the other experts whose voluntary efforts formed the initial driving force behind the first phase of GISP, a dedicated capacity is now being built. Invasive alien species have not been widely recognized for the threat that they unquestionably are, and much will be expected from the GISP Board, its Advisory Panel, Secretariat, and Working Groups. Professor Jeffrey Waage, Chairperson of the GISP Board, thanked all those who have put so much into establishing this framework for

17 Editorial comment Different types of reports, audits, reviews have recently been done on the alien invasive issues in the USA, Canada and New Zealand. While these are carried out in a specific national context, such documents are often of value for others as well, especially when they deal with issues that many countries try to grapple with, including cooperation and/or coordination of the various government agencies that are involved, setting priorities, conflicting requirements of IAS management and global trade regimes, and growing risks of incursion and bioinvasions. It is also interesting to have access to reviews views of different types of stakeholders (e.g. Government Auditor, Environmental Commissioner, Agency –commissioned review, NGO, academic reviewer).

NEW PUBLICATION BY accessed through ELI’s website at: THE ENVIRONMENTAL http://www2.eli.org/research/invasives/index.cfm. LAW INSTITUTE: ELI is an independent, non-profit research and educational LEGAL TOOLS AT US STATE organization based in Washington, D.C. LEVEL TO COMBAT INVASIVE SPECIES The Institute serves the environmental profession in business, government, the private bar, public interest A wide variety of state laws may be used to fill in the gaps organizations, academia and the press. left by federal law, as revealed by a recent report from the Halting the Invasion: State Tools for Invasive Species Environmental Law Institute (ELI), Halting the Invasion: Management may be ordered from ELI for US20.00 plus State Tools for Invasive Species Management. shipping by calling #1 (800) 433-5120, via email to [email protected] or online at http://www.eli.org. Halting the Invasion analyzes the current legal tools available at the United States state level to combat invasive For more information about ELI’s State Biodiversity species. From defining which species will be considered Program or the Environmental Law Institute, please contact ‘invasive’ to outlining ways to ensure early detection of and Jessica Wilkinson at (609) 818-0518 or rapid response to widespread infestation, state laws offer [email protected]. effective means by which to protect the nation’s agriculture and sustain biodiversity of our natural environment. Source: Environmental Law Institute: http://www.eli.org/whatsnew/02media/invasives.htm The report identifies 17 state tools to effectively prevent, regulate, control, and manage invasive species as well as enforce and implement existing laws. It also offers three examples of model state programs and provides specific recommendations on improvements states could make to their existing invasive species tools with the hope that all states will strive to achieve the outlined gold standard. Finally, the report includes a CD-ROM that has detailed information on each state’s laws and regulations related to invasive species. The state-specific summaries can be

FADING FORESTS II: TRADING AWAY safeguards. They should restore needed flexibility to NORTH AMERICA’S NATURAL existing rules enforced by the World Trade Organization. HERITAGE 2. Importers should pay a fee to cover the costs of expanded pest-prevention safeguards rather than passing those By Faith T. Campbell (American Lands Alliance, USA ) and costs onto the American public. Scott E. Schlarbaum (Dept. of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA) 3. APHIS, the US Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services, must affirm that This recent report focuses on insects and plant diseases introduced protecting North American forests is as vital to the to North America that have damaged native tree species. Nation as protecting agricultural production. In practice this means that APHIS should adopt a target of "0 risk" The report highlights prevention issues: Why are and promulgate strong regulations that will be effective introductions of insects and pathogens occurring more in preventing further introductions (for example: require frequently? What can be done to prevent even more pests that in future packaging be made from non-wood from threatening forests? It also discusses how the US composites, plastic, metal, or other materials in which Department of Agriculture (USDA) could better protect insects and disease pathogens cannot live). forests from those pests that have already become established in the USA. The report` concludes that the 4. APHIS should use its existing authority to penalize combined impacts of rapidly rising imports and current traders who violate protective regulations and expand a international trade policies greatly magnify the already joint APHIS-Forest Service surveillance program aimed substantial damage caused by established exotic forest pests at finding recently introduced forest pests. in North America. 5. Forest Service budgets for research, genetic resources The report contains several recommendations: and forest health protection should be increased. 1. U.S. trade negotiators should ensure that new trade agreements avoid further restricting the U.S. 6. Congress should allocate needed funds to APHIS to prevent government's ability to adopt effective pest-prevention introductions of forest pests. In addition, the Congress

18 should increase funding for USDA Forest Service programs some difficulty maintaining the continuity and quality of that underpin the Nation's ability to minimize damage from surveillance programmes those pests that do become established in the country. For further information contact: Stephen Olsen, MAF Communications Adviser, 7. A Center for Biological Invasions should be created to [email protected] address biopollution from exotic forests and other exotic Philippa White, MAF Communications Adviser, pests that are decimating our natural heritage. [email protected] http://www.maf.govt.nz/biosecurity/pests- Full text can be downloaded from: diseases/surveillance-review/ http://fwf.ag.utk.edu/Schlarbaum/selection.htm To obtain the CD Rom version, please send $6 (US) to at Source: Website American Lands Alliance, 726 7th Street, S.E. Washington, D.C. 20003

For more information: Faith T. Campbell, American Lands REPORT OF THE CONTROLLER AND Alliance, Washington, D.C., AUDITOR-GENERAL (NEW ZEALAND): Email: [email protected] Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF): Management of Biosecurity Risks Source: Message from Faith Campbell on Aliens-L, and full report Report of the Controller and Auditor-General (New Zealand) - Editorial comment: the report should be of interest in Tumuaki o te Mana Arotake; November 2002; ISBN 0-477-02898-5 geographical areas outside the U.S. as well, given the discussion on the conflicting interests between The report illustrates some of the recent “events” in the environmental protection and international trade. biosecurity realm, e.g. incursions of species, as well as responses (ranging from those following a particular incursion, to systematic ones like the Development of a INVASIVE SPECIES: UNITED STATES biosecurity strategy. Increasing risks to and costs of New GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE Zealand’s Biosecurity risks are illustrated as well. The (GAO) REPORT purpose of the audit was primarily to examine and provide information to Parliament and the public on how MAF In 2001 the United States General Accounting Office (GAO) manages biosecurity risks and based on this to provide produced its report. The federal government issued a recommendations. The following quote from the report’s National invasive Species Management Plan to focus introduction reflects the general changes in the world of attention on the invasive species issue and to coordinate a biosecurity: “1.26 At the same time as these actual increases national control efforts involving the 20 or so federal in biosecurity risks have occurred, New Zealand’s agencies that are responsible for managing them. This report knowledge and understanding of the risks that face the discusses the economic impact of invasive species, the country have also increased. This increase in knowledge and implementation of the management plan and coordination of understanding is due to, for example, the greater scientific USA and Canadian efforts to control including those expertise and technology that can be applied to biosecurity, introduced to the Great Lakes via the ballast water of ships. and an increased appreciation of New Zealand’s unique environment. These developments have been accompanied The report can be downloaded from: by closer international scrutiny of New Zealand’s measures http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-03-01 to ensure they do not represent unwarranted barriers to trade The full report: http://www.oag.govt.nz/HomePageFolders/Publications/Bio VARIOUS NEW ZEALAND REPORTS security/Biosecurity_Home.htm

New Zealand Bioscurity Strategy update. New Zealand under siege: a review of the management of The New Zealand Biosecurity Council released the Biosecurity biosecurity risks to the environment. Published by The Strategy on Monday 16 December 2002 and the final round of Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the consultations were closed on 3 March 2003. While targeted Environment (PCE) in November 2000. nationally, the report’s conclusions and recommendations will The Commissioner's job is to review and provide advice on also be interesting to and adaptable for other countries. environmental issues and the system of agencies and Pdf version of the draft strategy: processes established by the Government to manage the http://www.biostrategy.govt.nz/library/draft-strategy/draft- environment. This review identifies a number of strengths of strategy.pdf the current biosecurity system. It also identifies weaknesses in the environmental management aspects of the system and Review of submissions received: the opportunities for addressing them. http://www.biostrategy.govt.nz/library/review-of- More information: submissions/index.php?nav=high http://www.pce.govt.nz/reports/allreports/0_908804_93_8.s html#preface An Independent review of New Zealand’s Biosecurity Also see ‘Aliens’ Number 12, 2002, page 14. Surveillance Systems An independent review of the state of New Zealand's post- border biosecurity surveillance, the ability to find exotic pests and disease risks before they find us, has sounded a caution that surveillance programmes are under pressure. This review highlights an operating and governance framework, which has

19 AMERICAN SAMOA’S INVASIVE with the associated standing and authority. The NRCS, in SPECIES TASKFORCE: ASSIST cooperation with Land Grant, is interested in publishing a compact field guide to invasive plants for its field agents, which Invasive species are a concern all over the world and could be distributed to other interested parties through the especially so on islands. The US Territory of American Taskforce’s membership. Producing educational materials, Samoa has had its share of introduced alien species that have such as posters and airline videos, about keeping certain exotic become pests: the cane (Bufo marinus), myna species out of the Territory is being discussed. In addition, the (Acridotheres spp.), and sensitive plant (Mimosa pudica), to Taskforce hopes to collaborate with other invasive species mention but a few, have all thrived on this tropical organizations in the region to help prevent movement of archipelago. Measures have been taken over the years to undesirable alien species in and out of the Territory. Continued reduce the effects of these invaders with varying results. An effort on the part of ASSIST will reduce, but unfortunately not introduced , , has been effective in eliminate, the impact of invasive species on American Samoa. reducing Koster’s curse, () on the island of Tutuila, while the introduction of a predatory snail, Dr Eric Hanson, Research Forester Euglandina rosea, to control the giant African snail American Samoa Community College (Achatina fulica) had disastrous effects on the native snail PAGO PAGO populations. Add to this backdrop, the threat of such species [email protected] as miconia (Miconia calvescens), which is overtaking the forests of Tahiti, or crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci), which is so devastating to coral reefs, coming into PUBLIC AWARENESS OF the Territory, and the need for an organized system of BROWN TREE SNAKES dealing with invasive alien species becomes apparent. Prevention and control of the brown treesnake (BTS) has This need led to the formation of the American Samoan been the subject of public education efforts by Territorial, Selected Invasive Species Taskforce (ASSIST). ASSIST is State, Federal, and non-governmental organizations on an ad-hoc organization formed by resource professionals Guam, Hawai'i and the Commonwealth of the Northern and concerned citizens with a desire (and a US federal Mariana Islands (CNMI). Arguably, the BTS and its impact mandate) to aggressively manage invasive aliens in on the island of Guam is one of the more frequently cited American Samoa and, who have come to recognize the examples an invasive species regionally and nationally in problem as one that threatens both the environmental and the media. Efforts on Hawai'i and the CNMI have focused economic well being of the Territory. American Samoa on: 1) ensuring that residents know that the BTS is a threat, Community College Land Grant Station, AS Department of and 2) proper response to a snake sighting that includes Agriculture, AS Department of Marine and Wildlife capture or killing the snake and calling the proper authorities Resources, AS Environmental Protection Agency, the immediately. National Park of American Samoa, and the US Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) are some of the on- On the Island of Saipan within the CNMI, results from a recent island agencies that are represented in ASSIST. telephone survey on the effectiveness of BTS public education efforts suggested that 82% of residents had seen newspaper or ASSIST’s primary objective is to increase communication TV advertisements regarding the BTS and about 70% of the among individuals that are managing invasive species residents regarded the BTS as a problem. A 6 - 8 month directly or are concerned about the implications of the advertising campaign will be initiated with the goal of problem, both locally and regionally. The two paramount decreasing the length of time between snake sightings and thrusts of the management activities are dealing with the reporting to the proper authorities. This campaign will be species that are currently present and providing education accompanied by training of focus groups such as dockworkers, about problem species that occur elsewhere and could pose cargo handlers, quarantine officials and construction workers. a serious risk if introduced here. The prevention strategy Similar training will occur in the Republic of Palau and in the applies even with in the Territory. The Manu’a islands, a Federated States of Micronesia in the coming months. In the group of islands 60 miles east of Tutuila lack many of the event of a snake sighting on one of these islands, the USGS invasive species that are found here on Tutuila. One of the BTS Rapid Response Team deploys to the location of the Taskforce’s objectives is to keep it that way. sighting, which in itself often creates a highly publicized event and provides a superb vehicle for increasing awareness among The word “selected” in the Taskforce name is not only a residents of the island. means to create a clever acronym but also has real meaning in the group’s activities. Given limited resources and time In Hawai'i, collaborative and individual public education (many ASSIST members have taken this project on as an efforts have been conducted by organizations concerned additional duty), the Taskforce cannot hope to tackle all the with alien species issues. The BTS is highlighted in many of invasive species problems in the Territory. Therefore, one of these efforts. Through the Hawai’i Coordinating Group for ASSIST’s first activities was to conduct a triage of invasive Alien Pest Species (CGAPS), a dedicated Public species (focussing on plants) that are either currently present Information Officer (PIO) conducts statewide collaborative on-island or a potential threat. From this effort, “top ten” public education and outreach efforts. State and Federal lists were developed containing plants that were considered quarantine agencies conduct specific education efforts to be a serious problem to the territory and could be directed toward individuals who might deal with BTS while managed effectively with limited resources or had the handling or inspecting cargo or vessels coming from Guam. potential to become a menace if brought here. Haldre Rogers, While ASSIST is still in its beginnings, great plans are being United States Geology Survey (USGS) made for the future. One of the next challenges is to move from Guam an ad-hoc organization to a recognized Governor’s Taskforce E-mail: [email protected]

20 COMMUNITY BASED CONTROL OF COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AND CLIDEMIA HIRTA IN THE SEYCHELLES INVASIVE SPECIES IN THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS, ECUADOR. Clidemia hirta is one of the worst invasive shrubs in the tropics. In the Seychelles it was introduced to the island of Background Silhouette in the second half of the 1980’s and since then has The Galapagos Islands are world renowned as a storehouse spread over the whole island and into all habitats including of unique terrestrial and marine biological diversity. This mountain cloud forests. On the main island of Mahé the volcanic, oceanic archipelago was formed some four million presence of a single plant has been reported by J. Gerlach in years ago, 1,000 km from any other landmass. It has five 1993 (Gerlach 1996) and a first patch was discovered by K. islands larger than 500 km2, 14 smaller ones, and over 90 Fleischmann in 1999 above Cascade. Meanwhile single islets and rocks. The archipelago supports a rich diversity of plants have been found on the whole island. Scientific and flora and fauna and an exceptionally high percentage of financial capacity limit options of chemical or biological these are endemic, including 42% of the vascular plants, control in the Seychelles. Control of C. hirta is therefore 67% of the land vertebrates, and 20% of the coastal fish, done mechanically, mainly through uprooting. Until recently marine algae and marine invertebrates. Exceptionally for control measures were restricted to sensitive areas of the oceanic islands, over 95% of its original species Morne Seychellois National Park where the park rangers composition remains extant. This is attributed both to the regularly monitored and eradicated C. hirta. late arrival of humans to the area and to the archipelago’s inhospitable conditions, which discouraged rapid population Starting this year, the Forestry Section of the Ministry of expansion. Many of the islands are still uninhabited. Environment adopted a community based approach to control C. hirta. During a public day in January 2003 the Socio-Economic Context wider public will be informed about the environmental The province of Galapagos has 16,109 residents, restricted impact and control measures of C. hirta via the media to only 3% of the total landmass of the archipelago. Eighty- (newspaper, TV) and with the help of flyers. During the day six percent of the population live in the urban areas of three the main patches of C. hirta are eradicated through the main islands, San Cristobal, Santa Cruz, and Isabela. The participation of school children, wildlife clubs and local remaining 14% of the populace live in rural areas communities. The uprooted plants are hung in branches of surrounding these settlements and on the island of Floreana. trees where they dry and die. The eradication action is followed by a replanting of endemic tree species to Inter-institutional Committees communicate a positive picture of caring for the endemic The presence of introduced species in the Galapagos Seychelles flora. It is hoped, that a combination of continued undoubtedly constitutes the bigges threat to both monitoring by the National Park rangers as well as by biodiversity and to the health and livelihood of human forestry workers in plantation forests, combined with the residents. Control of invasive species (introduced species awareness of frequent forest visitors (amateur botanists, which have become pests) in the past has mostly been conservationists) and regular eradication days with public focused on the biodiversity aspects, in the National Park. involvement can keep the population of C. hirta on a low However, in recognition of the importance which level. A main aim of the awareness building is containment, community involvement has in the conservation of the i.e. prevention of transport to not yet infested nearby islands Galapagos biodiversity, in 2002 a 6-year UN-Global such as Praslin. Environment Facility Project was started which included a large element of community participation and environmental This project is part of the invasive species and habitat education. One of the core activities was the formation of restoration program of the Forestry Section. Other projects inter-institutional committees called CIMEI (Comité inter- include a joint research project with the Geobotanical institucional para el Control de Especies Introducidas), one Institute of ETH Zurich on the comparative ecophysiology for each of the three main inhabited islands. of invasive vs. native woody plants and on factors conferring the invasibility of different habitats, and a project To date, one CIMEI has been formed, in the capital of the that aims at controlling invasive creepers (Merremia peltata, archipelago on San Cristobal. There are fifteen active members, Thunbergia grandiflora, Philodendron sp.) by mechanical which includes all the main actors in the islands administration and chemical methods. The eradication is followed by the and government, including the Galapagos National Park replanting of the cleared gaps with fast growing endemic Service, the Charles Research Station, Tourism Office, palms. Supported by the FAO the Forestry Section initiated Ecuadrian Agricultural Health Service, Ministry of Agriculture, a participatory process where experts and stakeholders Ecuadrian Navy , National Police, the Health Department, and within the Seychelles and from the Western Indian Ocean national and international NGOs working on the island. region are involved, with the aim to identify priorities for invasive plant species management and to build up an The overall objective of the CIMEI is to organise activities institutional national framework. for the mangement of invasive species in San Cristobal, and to coordinate the reources available, financial and technical, Reference via the participating members. Gerlach, J. (1996). "The effects of habitat domination by invasive Melastomataceae." Phelsuma 4: 19-26. The initial programmes focuses on urban issues:

Christoph Küffer, Stephan Zemp, Geobotanical Institute, • First dog and cat census (April 2002) ETH Zurich (Szitzerland), [email protected]; • Drafting of the three year plan for the control of Michel Vielle, Forestry Section, Ministry of Environment introduced species on San Cristobal (November 2001) (Seychelles) • Creation of an Ordinance to regulate the possession of introduced species in the Canton (May 2002)

21 • Sterilisation programme of dogs and cats (from July COMMUNITY (ISLAND)-BASED 2002) GROUPS IN HAWAI’I COMBAT • Rodent control and monitoring programme in the urban area (from July 2002) INVASIVE SPECIES • Feral pigeon eradication initiated (from December 2002) • Intensive public education programme (from July 2002) Community-based groups in Hawai’i for addressing • Preparation of the operative plan for 2003 invasive species issues can be traced back to the summer of • Establishment of monthly clean-ups by the local people 1991 on the island of Maui (1764 square km) when several (from August 2002). biodiversity-conservation-motivated individuals in several agencies answered a call to meet for the purpose of The future determining how to combat the recently recognized threats The CIMEI will continue to strengthen the work it has begun of Miconia calvescens, Tibouchina herbacea, and Clidemia and, as it gains in experience and expertise, extend the work hirta, all aggressive weeds in the plant family to a wider area and other species. Insect and plant pests in Melastomataceae. The group decided to call itself the the agricultural zone constitute serious problems for the Melastome Action Committee. The group planned chemical islands residents, and rodents are a problem throughout the and mechanical efforts, initially by volunteers, later by paid island, not just in the urban zone. staff. The group gradually gained increasing adherents and The other two inhabited islands are watching the activities of financial support. In December 1997, the group decided to San Cristobal with considerable interest, and will be forming broaden its focus to become the Maui Invasive Species their own CIMEI in 2003. The involvement of the Committee (MISC), “a voluntary partnership of county, state population in addressing these common problems is the first and federal government agencies, non-profit organizations important step in the sustainable conservation of the unique and private businesses that are working together to battle Galapagos biodiversity. invasive alien pests.” By the year 2000, MISC was Maria Eugenia Proaño and Gillian Key producing detailed annual workplans and providing Charles Darwin Research Station, guidance to a sizeable paid staff, with an annual budget of Galapagos Islands, Ecuador $700,000 from county, state, federal and private sources. [email protected] MISC’s primary targets are incipient invasive plants (12 [email protected] species to date), but we are willing to take on invasive animals as well.

HAWAI’I LANDSCAPE INDUSTRY MISC evolved because no single agency was even IN FIGHT AGAINST INVASIVE beginning to do the job needed to address the problem of ALIEN SPECIES environmental weeds in Hawai’i. In the 1980s, conservationists were looking to the Hawai’i Department of WORKSHOP PROCEEDINGS Agriculture (HDOA) and the Hawai’i Department of Land and Natural Resources (HDLNR) to combat invasive The proceedings of the workshop entitled "From Urban Landscapes to Native Forests: Invasive Species in species, but those agencies were under funded and Hawai'i" are now online on the Hawai'i State Department of overwhelmed by the problem, which didn’t fit very well Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Forestry with the perceived mandates of either agency. The Island and Wildlife (DOFAW) website. This extraordinary two-day Invasive Species Committee (ISC) concept has spread to invasive species workshop was held December 7th and 8th, other Hawai’ian islands, so there are now “ISCs” on 2001 on the island of Hawai'i. Its purpose was to create a Hawai’i, Molokai, Oahu, and Kauai. Individuals in HDOA setting in which diverse interests might meet to jointly and HDLNR are in many instances cooperating very nicely discuss ways to stem the inflow of terrestrial invasive and are major players within the ISCs. We also have in species into Hawai'i while maintaining an economically Hawai’i an active Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species viable landscape industry. This meeting - sponsored by the (CGAPS) which is helping with coordinating efforts of the Hawai'i State DLNR Division of Forestry & Wildlife, the ISCs, obtaining funding for them, and struggling to address USDA Forest Service and the Kaulunani Urban Forestry their concerns regarding prevention and management of Program - was attended by representatives from Hawaii’s invasive species. Public education is a primary goal of the landscape industry, government agencies and other ISCs as well as of CGAPS. stakeholders. In efforts to educate and energize the public in Hawai'i, we The proceedings document is online at a link from the focus not just on biodiversity-related issues but on threats of Hawai'ian Ecosystems at risk project (HEAR) invasive species to agriculture, human-health, quality-of-life "Announcements" page: and the economy. Opinion surveys suggest that the Hawai’i http://www.hear.org/announcements/#dec2001_kaulunani_i public is starting to get the picture, especially on Maui, but nvasives_proceedings still the highest levels of Hawai'i State government have been slow to respond. We hope this is going to change soon. Philip A. Thomas [email protected] Dr Lloyd Loope, Research Biologist Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR) US Geological Survey Biological Resources Division Makawao, Hawai'i 96768 [email protected]

22 INVASIVE SPECIES AT THE flowers on UCS’s magazine highlights the importance of the UNITED STATES work. UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS Further information: The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) is an UCS’ web site http://www.ucsusa.org has information on independent, not-for-profit alliance of 60,000 citizens and all of our programs. For information on the invasive scientists across the United States. Staff and students at the species project, go to the main invasives page at: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, concerned about the http://www.ucsusa.org/global_environment/invasive_specie misuse of science and technology in society, founded the s/index.cfm. There you’ll see links to the following: union in 1969. UCS has worked to blend rigorous scientific analysis with innovative thinking and committed citizen State Invasion Portfolios - a series of booklets highlighting advocacy to build a cleaner, healthier, and safer environmental and economic damage that invasive species environment. cause in individual states. Available now: Texas and West Virginia. Next up: Alaska. The organization now has more than 70 employees in three U.S. cities, with five programs: Food and Environment, Science of Invasive Species - a paper that provides a general Clean Vehicles, Clean Energy, Global Security, and Global overview of the science and conservation issues surrounding Environment. It is within the latter that a new invasive invasive species. species project was developed out of a concern for declining biodiversity, a desire to protect native species and The National Invasive Species Act - an informative report on ecosystems, and recognition that more leadership is needed the background of this legislation, its successes and in the U.S. to focus attention on invasives policy. shortcomings, and provisions to strengthen it. The main policy thrust in the invasives arena has been the re-authorization of a federal law, the National Aquatic What You Can Do to Stop Species Invasion - a fact sheet Invasive Species Act (NAISA), now pending. The statute is with practical actions that individuals can take to help stop unique among U.S. laws, in that it applies broadly to the introduction and spread of harmful invaders in their protecting native aquatic species and ecosystems, as well as communities and to conserve biodiversity. economic interests. This re-authorization presents a Infamous Invaders - a new series of fact sheets on specific significant opportunity to extend protection throughout the invasive species in the United States that are causing severe United States, to ensure that the law covers deliberate problems. Available now: zebra mussel and hydrilla. Next introductions, and to improve the law in other ways. up: Asian long-horned beetle.

A series of “invasion portfolios” are being produced that Sound Science Initiative - a web page about this email-based highlight environmental and economic damage caused by network of scientists, resource managers, and graduate invasive species in a few states. These booklets make the students, mentioned above. damage tangible at a local level and highlight concrete, responsible policy solutions. The first two invasion Source: UCS's website portfolios are for Texas and West Virginia. Each has a separate sheet that discusses NAISA and how it would benefit that state. The final portfolio, expected out this spring (northern hemisphere), is for Alaska. We may produce more such state summaries depending on the evaluation of these and the availability of external funds.

An important policy tool is the Sound Science Initiative (SSI), an email-based vehicle for member scientists, resource managers, and graduate students to respond to and influence fast-breaking media and policy developments on invasive species, climate change, and loss of biodiversity. SSI members also help raise public awareness of these issues. Almost all of our policy work is U.S.-based. However, individuals and groups in other parts of the world are welcome to join SSI to stay abreast of U.S. domestic issues or to see how a U.S. not for profit organization manages such a network.

A “Do No Harm” campaign is due to be launched, in which not for profit organizations, industry groups, and other entities can sign a pledge to declare that they will not promote or distribute invasive species, intentionally or through ignorance. For example, several nurseries, some knowingly and some not, sell plants that are restricted by state law. A back cover photograph of a field of invasive

23 IMPORTERS, CARGO TRANSPORTERS, • Educate people about biosecurity risks DEVANNERS: SEE; CONTAIN; REPORT • Encourage people to become personally involved in protecting New Zealand’s biosecurity Importers, cargo transporters, and devanners are New • Inform people of how they can help reduce the risk of Zealand’s frontline defence against exotic pests and pests and diseases arriving and spreading in New diseases. The See Contain Report campaign is specifically Zealand aimed at these professions and outlines ways to help recognise signs of pests as well as pests themselves. Source: www.protectnz.org.nz • See – know what to look for. • Contain – close off the vehicle, container, package, or room. • Report – to Facility Operator or freephone number

For further information contact: Adrienne Tollemache, Programme Co-ordinator - Protect New Zealand, MAF Biosecurity Authority, Wellington, E-mail: [email protected]

Source: www.protectnz.org.nz

Protect New Zealand -Tiakina Aotearoa The Protect New Zealand programme aims to inform people about what biosecurity is and how they can help protect New Zealand from unwanted pests and diseases. Through research, funding and targeted campaigns, Protect New Zealand’s objective is to: Improve understanding of what biosecurity is and why it is important

NZ MARITIME UNION WARY OF regions, depending on the availability of the plants. BIOSECURITY RISKS To order the booklet or for further information: Mike Harré, The Maritime Union has instructed members not to work Biosecurity Officer (Response), Auckland Regional Council, cargoes suspected of containing biosecurity risks. General New Zealand, [email protected] Secretary of the union, Trevor Hanson, said that the hazards were a risk to the horticultural and agricultural industries, as well Source: M. Harre as to jobs. There is also concern about the health risks posed by alien invasive species such as snakes or insects. Hanson said the action was also in protest at a lack of Government action on the problem, which threatens the economy, that there is a cost- cutting mentality in ports, hurting safety and jobs. "We do not want to see a similar casual attitude in biosecurity."

Source: New Zealand Press Association, 5 April 2003 http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2382007a7693,00.html

ALTERNATIVES FOR GARDENERS: PLANT ME INSTEAD!

New Zealand’s Auckland Regional Council (ARC) has recently revised their booklet aimed at giving gardeners alternatives to commonly grown pest plants, Plant me Instead. Many of the environmental weeds in New Zealand were introduced as ornamental plants, and in many cases, these plants are still considered desirable by gardeners. The booklet emphasises the importance of replanting soon after removing pest plants and offers environmentally friendly native or exotic plant alternatives to invasives species. The booklet was developed in collaboration with other New Zealand Regional Councils, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Biosecurity as well as garden industry representatives. While targeted at the Northern zone of New Zealand; including Northland, Auckland, North Waikato and Eastern Bay of Plenty, Plant Me Instead applies to other countries and

24 WESTERN WEEDS: Australian conservation groups, due to time constraints, do A GUIDE TO THE WEEDS OF not campaign strongly on this issue. We decided that a new group would achieve more than a campaign unit attached to WESTERN AUSTRALIA an existing organisation. By B.M.J. Hussey, G.J. Keighery, R.C. Cousens, J. Dodd Our main goals are to stop more invasive species and S.G. Lloyd (1997) establishing, and to stop established invaders spreading Published by the Plant Protection Society of W.A. (Inc) further, especially those that threaten conservation values. We want stronger laws on invasives, tighter quarantine Western Australia - the Wildflower State! But not all the controls, regular monitoring of harbours for marine 'wildflowers' are truly native to Western Australia, some invaders, and Rapid Response Teams to eliminate new were brought, in recent times, by human beings. There are invaders. We also plan to lift the profile of invasive species. about twelve thousand named species of flowering plants growing wild in Western Australia - 90% of them are Recent political events underscore the need for a group like natives, the other ten per cent have been introduced. Western ours. The United States has recently opened talks with Weeds will help you to identify agricultural, environmental, Australia about a free-trade agreement, a keenly sought and common garden weeds found throughout the State. objective of the Australian government. But the U.S. has opened the negotiations by seeking a relaxation of Western Weeds has 256 pages and describes about 800 Australia’s quarantine laws. One issue of contention is the weeds, 600 have been illustrated in colour. There are high cleaning costs imposed by Australian quarantine on diagrams to explain plant structures and a plain English used farm and mining equipment. An oilrig and associated glossary of botanical terms. Western Weeds also has a equipment imported from Texas in 1996 was found to comprehensive index with both common and scientific harbour 14 tonnes of soil, which was removed at the names of weeds. Weeds are listed under four major groups, importer’s expense. Ferns, Gymnosperms (conifers), Monocotyledons (lilies, grasses or 'narrow-leaves'), and Dicotyledons (other Formation of the Invasive Species Council has attracted flowering plants or 'broad-leaves'). Plants are organised into significant publicity. Although we are not yet functioning at families within each group. The descriptions concentrate on full strength, we have received messages of interest or the characters that distinguish a species from closely related congratulation from various officials and organisations, ones, but also include flowering time, distribution and including the federal agriculture minister. Journalists seek us region of origin. It should be possible to identify most of the out for opinions on pest issues. A number of leading species using this information. This is an essential reference government weed experts have joined up as founding book for farmers, environmentalists, gardeners, members. The time was evidently right for creation of a horticulturalists, and students. group like ours. When we are properly established, we hope to form links with non-government organisations in other Cost: $25 (+GST in Australia) + P&P = $5.50 within WA, countries. With the profile of invasive species growing so $11 for other States of Australia, $15 elsewhere in the world fast, we expert more groups like ours to form in coming View browser pages at: years. http://members.iinet.net.au/~weeds/western_weeds.htm For membership or other enquiries, or to receive a copy of Enquiries to Jo Brown our (electronic) newsletter, please email us on Department of Agriculture [email protected] Australia E-mail: [email protected] Tim Low Councillor, Invasive Species Council The Plant Protection Society of Western Australia (Inc) http://members.iinet.net.au/~weeds/

NEW CONSERVATION GROUP FORMED IN AUSTRALIA: THE INVASIVE SPECIES COUNCIL

Invasive species have done more harm to Australia, an isolated island state with a unique fauna and flora, than to any other large land mass. Rabbits have turned woodlands into deserts, foxes have exterminated marsupials, and the Chytrid Fungus has been blamed for the complete disappearance of ten frog species. In 2001, red imported fire ants, one of the world’s worst pests, were found in Australia for the first time, and a massive eradication campaign is underway.

It was against this backdrop that a new conservation group formed in Australia in 2002, the Invasive Species Council. We believe we are the first group in the world created solely to lobby against invasive species of all kinds (as opposed to groups that tackle other issues besides invasives). Existing

25 CONTROL OF INVASIVE VERTEBRATES • Draw up joint databases and programmes on exotic IN THE ISLANDS OF PORTUGAL AND species. • Develop any prevention, control and eradication SPAIN TENERIFE, 12-14 FEBRUARY 2003 programmes for introduced species that may be necessary to mitigate their effects on biodiversity. A symposium was held on controlling invasive species on • Support the exchange of experiences on prevention, Spanish and Portuguese islands, as part of a LIFE Project control and eradication programmes. financed by the European Union with the collaboration of • Provide support for research into introduced species and the Council of Europe and the Spanish Ministry of the their effects. Environment. Other participants are the Governments of • Promote information, dissemination, awareness and Madeira and Azores (Portugal) and the Government of environmental education programmes. Baleares and the non-governmental organization, Buitre • Recognise that these objectives require specific Negro (BVCF) from Spain. resources that cannot be paid for exclusively by island regions, and which should be addressed in the Conclusions community context, through specific programmes for the • European Union LIFE funds have had a significant conservation of nature and the biodiversity of European contribution to the start of work regarding the islands. knowledge, control or eradication on invasive alien species in the islands of Portugal and Spain. Further information: • There is evidence that non-indigenous vertebrates, in Jean Luis Rodriguez Luengo, Biologist of the Biodiversity particular cats, rats, rabbits, mouflon, Barbary sheep and Service of the Canary Government (Spain). goats are an important risk factor for biological diversity [email protected] in those islands. • It is recommended that public bodies and agencies Source: Gobierno de Canarias: increase their efforts to prevent bio-invasions, and to www.gobiernodecanarias.org improve early detection and eradication • It is recommended that non-endemic vertebrates are taken out of natural areas, after the appropriate risk and viability analysis; priority should be agreed to small ITALIAN PUBLICATION ON islands and islets; measures have to be adopted to INVASIVE VERTEBRATES prevent re-invasion. • It is recommended that control and eradication tasks are Copies of a volume on introduced invasive vertebrates by carefully planned and prioritised, assuring their Riccardo Scalera are available (in Italian only) from the continuity until its objectives are achieved. Such tasks Head of the National Forestry Corps, Dr. Giuseppe Di needs to be covered from the legal point of view in Croce, Ministero delle Politiche Agricole e Forestali, species recovery plans, in planning instruments of Direzione Generale delle Risorse Forestali Montane e protected areas, in specific plans and, where appropriate, Idriche, Gestione ex Azienda di Stato per le Foreste in regional law and regulations. Demaniali, Via Carducci, 5, I-00142 Rome, Italy • It is noted that the problems posed by invasive alien species need to be tackled transversally, promoting Invasioni biologiche. Le introduzioni di vertebrati in Italia: participation of the public bodies and agencies, the un problema tra conservazione e globalizzazione. Collana scientific community and the civil society. Verde, 103. Corpo Forestale dello Stato. Ministero per le • It is noted that there is a need to develop research lines Politiche Agricole e Forestali. Roma. 368 pages. on the impact of introduced species on threatened species and ecosystems, and on the collateral impact of eradication methods on non-target species. • It is noted that information, publicity, public awareness and environmental education are fundamental tools in the prevention and control of alien species, so it is recommended that public bodies in islands adopt co- ordinated strategies.

Information, dissemination, raising awareness and environmental education are fundamental tools in the prevention and control of exotic species, so island authorities are recommended to adopt co-ordinated strategies.

Declaration A declaration was also signed by presidents of the governments of the autonomic regions of Madeira, Azores (Portugal) and Canary Islands and Balearic Islands (Spain): Including the resolve, within the framework of their competencies, to undertake to:

• Put in place the specific legal instruments, adapted to the situation of the islands, to facilitate the prevention of undesired introductions and control and eradication actions.

26 2nd Annual Invasive Weed Clean – Continued... WEED ECOLOGY IN NATURAL AND The main goal of this year’s effort was to minimize AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS flowering of Mikania micrantha in order to reduce the risk of the plant spreading to other parts of Palau and to the By B D Booth, Department of Plant Agriculture, University abundant native forests. The flowering season for Mikania of Guelph, Canada, S D Murphy, Department of micrantha in Palau is late October to early November. Environment and Resource Studies, University of Waterloo, This is why a mass effort around this time of year to clean- Canada and C J Swanton, Department of Plant Agriculture, up the weed will likely continue for the next several years. University of Guelph, Canada. Another goal of the clean-up was to increase awareness of landowners of the infested sites and to get them to This recently published textbook links ecological theory to take responsibility for controlling the weed throughout the our understanding of natural and agricultural weeds - year. providing a bridge between basic and applied ecology. Its 288 pages include examples from weed and invasive species This first annual clean-up in 2001 also focused on Mikania literature to illustrate the ecological principles discussed. micrantha but had about thirty volunteers participate and Weed Ecology is suitable reading for final year was a one-day effort. Learning from our experience in 2001 undergraduates and graduates. Paperback price: £35.00 where the amount of work involved was extremely under (US$60.00) estimated, this year’s effort extended over a six-week period involving much wider collaboration from PNRC For further information: CABI Publishing Online Bookshop agencies, the Koror State Government, and youth and http://www.cabi- school groups. Over the six-week period more than 300 publishing.org/Bookshop/book_detail.asp?isbn= individuals were mobilized and through their participation 0851995284 were made aware of some of the issues surrounding invasive alien species. Source: CABI

The PNRC with the Bureau of Agriculture as the lead agency, have prepared a medium-term maintenance plan for the identified Mikania micrantha infested sites. While eradication is possible, it will require ongoing surveillance, spraying, and cutting throughout the year combined with a pre-flowering mass effort over at least the next five years. Based on some successful eradication efforts in neighboring countries like the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), it is hoped that each succeeding year’s clean-up in Palau will become a smaller effort as more areas move into permanent year-round control leading eventually to eradication.

Tarita Holm, National Biodiversity Coordinator, Office of Environmental Response and Coordination Republic of Palau [email protected]

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27 Aliens is the bi-annual newsletter of the Invasive Species partnership with New Zealand (as a Party to Convention on Specialist Group (ISSG). Its role is to put researchers, managers Biological Diversity (CBD)) and under the umbrella of the Global and/or practitioners in contact with each other and to publish Invasive Species Programme (GISP). This initiative is a recent information and news of alien invasive species and issues. development, and any interested individuals or Contributions should focus on conservation issues rather than institutions/agencies are encouraged to participate. economic, health or agricultural aspects of alien invasions. News of upcoming conferences, reports, and news of publications are The Global Invasive Species Database is freely available on also welcome, especially where they are of major international online at www.issg.org/database. The development of the relevance. Please send your contributions, marked “for database, and the provision of content for it, are ongoing. consideration for Aliens” to [email protected] Priorities range from a focus on the some of the world’s worst invasive species to a focus on areas where information and The New Zealand-based Invasive Species Specialist Group resources are comparatively scarce, including small-island (ISSG) is a specialist group of the Species Survival Commission developing states and other islands. The database has images and (SSC) of the World Conservation Union (IUCN). It is chaired by descriptions for a wide variety of invasive species. Records for Mick Clout. The goals of the ISSG are to reduce threats to natural these species include information on the ecology, impacts, ecosystems and the native species they contain - by increasing distribution and pathways of the species, and most importantly, awareness of alien invasions and of ways to prevent, control or information on management methods as well as contact details of eradicate them. experts that can offer further advice. The database also provides links to numerous other sources of information. Aliens-L is a listserver dedicated to invasive species. It allows users to freely seek and share information on alien invasive IUCN Guidelines for the Prevention of Biodiversity Loss species and issues, and the threats posed by them to the Earth’s Caused by Alien Invasive Species biodiversity. To subscribe, send an email without a subject header http://iucn.org/themes/ssc/pubs/policy/invasivesEng.htm to: [email protected] OR [email protected] with the message : subscribe Aliens- ISSG Office: School of Geography and Environmental Sciences L. When you have subscribed you will get a message with University of Auckland (Tamaki Campus) instructions for using the list. Most subscribers are English Private Bag 92 019 speaking, however, if you would like your message translated into Auckland, New Zealand English before posting it, please contact Phone: #64 9 3737 599 x85210 [email protected] (we can currently deal with short Fax: #64 9 3737 042 (Attention: ISSG) messages in Spanish, Italian, Dutch, French, Arabic and Chinese). E-mail: [email protected] for general inquiries E-mail: [email protected] to contact Aliens editor, or Cooperative Initiative on Invasive Alien Species on Islands. The IAS mainstreaming issues aims of the Cooperative Initiative on Invasive Island Alien E-mail: [email protected] for more information on the Species on Islands are: to enhance empowerment and capacity in Cooperative Initiative on Island Alien Invasive Species key areas of invasive alien species (IAS) management on islands; E-mail: [email protected] to contact the database to facilitate cooperation and sharing of expertise; to help enable manager. local, national and regional entities to identify invasive alien species problems, work out solutions and implement them resulting in improvement in the conservation of island biological Websites: ISSG: http://www.issg.org diversity. ISSG will undertake the facilitation of this initiative, in IUCN: http://iucn.org

The following organisations are gratefully acknowledged for their support of the work of the Invasive Species Specialist Group:

US State Department New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Manaaki Whenua-Landcare Research Limited IUCNUniversity of Auckland, School of Geography & Environmental The World Conservation Union Sciences The New Zealand Department of Conservation The Pacific Development and Conservation Trust National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII), USA Printed on 100% recycled paper

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