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BRIEFS & RESOURCES

FREE Web Seminars on Inventory and Survey Methods for Invasive Plants
Six FREE interactive web seminars on inventory and survey methods for invasive plants are offered by the Center for Invasive Plant Management during January and February 2010. There is no fee for the seminars, but advanced registration is required. Participants will be provided with reading materials in advance of each seminar. Learn more and register here.

Herbicide Effectiveness on Invasive Plants in Wisconsin
(Posted 18Feb10) - Fold-out poster highlights the effectiveness of 32 herbicides on 32 different invasive plants commonly found in fields enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) in Wisconsin. Published by the University of Wisconsin-Extension.

Field Guides for Weed Management
The Southwest Region of the U.S. Forest Service website hosts guides for managing weeds in Arizona and New Mexico. Malta starthistle and saltcedar are currently on the website, and an additional 12 field guides are slated for production over the next year.

Fire Management and Invasive Plants: A Handbook
Published by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, provides practical guidelines for fire managers to effectively integrate invasive plant management activities into their fire management programs.

A guide to nonnative invasive plants inventoried in the north by Forest Inventory and Analysis
This guide, produced by the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program of the U.S. Forest Service, contains distribution maps, short descriptions, space for notes, and numerous pictures of 44 invasive plant species in the 24-state Northern Research Station region (Maine south to Delaware west to Kansas and north to North Dakota).

The Landscape Toolbox
The Idaho Chapter of The Nature Conservancy is working with public and private land management partners to develop a set of tools, the Landscape Toolbox, which enable better rangeland management at landscape scales by integrating existing and emerging field, remote sensing, and landscape scenario modeling methods for rangeland assessment, monitoring, and planning.

Invasive Species Specialist Group
The ISSG promotes and facilitates the exchange of invasive species information and knowledge across the globe and ensures the linkage between knowledge, practice and policy so that decision making is informed. Their website provides a glimpse of invasive species from a global perspective.

Biological Control Agents and Host Plants
A list of noxious weeds targeted for biological control in Oregon from the Oregon Department of Agriculture Plant Division, Noxious Weed Control.

Web Course: Biology of Weeds and Invasive Plants
A three-credit online course offered through the Oregon State University e-campus begins January 4, 2010. Contact steve.radosevich@oregonstate.edu for more information.

Report Discusses Options for European Policy
A report discussing options for developing a European policy on invasive species was recently posted by the Institute for European Environmental Policy. The report includes an estimate of the costs caused by invasives to the European economy.

Webcast Clarifies Aquatic Pesticide Permitting
In October the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offered a two-hour webcast providing updates on the development of a general permit for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). This permit will be implicated in pesticide applications in, over, or near bodies of water.

Pest Threats Website
This site offers photographic keys to help diagnose and identify exotic pest and disease problems that are a threat to the United States.

Exotic Species: Environment In Focus Topic of the Week
The Biodiversity Institute of Ontario discusses exotic or introduced species. Explore top related websites and supplementary reading among other features. (From Earth Portal News).

NEW “Plastic Weed” Models Are Here!
The long-awaited, perennial pepperweed, garlic mustard, purple loosestrife, and salt cedar (tamarisk) models are on sale now. The four original models – spotted knapweed, yellow starthistle, leafy spurge, and Dalmatian toadflax – are also restocked and ready to ship. Visit the CIPM Store for information on how to order.

Call for Abstracts
Abstracts for papers and posters to be presented at the joint meeting of the Weed Science Society of America and Society for Range Management (Feb. 7-11, 2010, in Denver, CO) will be accepted through Sept. 1. View website.

Invasive Species Integrated Curriculum Unit
Developed for middle school teachers, the curriculum integrates the topic of invasive Phragmites into six subject areas. View website.

Nominations Requested for National Advisory Council
The U.S. Department of Interior is requesting nominations for the National Invasive Species Council's Invasive Species Advisory Committee (ISAC). Nominations must be postmarked by July 23. View Federal Register notice.

Northeastern Weed Science Society Sponsors Training
The Northeastern Weed Science Society is sponsoring a Noxious and Invasive Weed Management Short Course for public and private land managers. The four-day course will be held in September in Pennsylvania. View website.

Report Compares Relocatable Commercial Vehicle Washing Systems
This report from the USDA Forest Service compares a range of vehicle washing systems with respect to efficacy, economics, waste containment, waste disposal, and the viability of any propagules that were collected in the cleaning process. View report.

Report Compares Relocatable Commercial Vehicle Washing Systems
This report from the USDA Forest Service compares a range of vehicle washing systems with respect to efficacy, economics, waste containment, waste disposal, and the viability of any propagules that were collected in the cleaning process. View report.

Feds Propose Changes in Noxious Weed Regulations; Open to Comment
USDA-APHIS is proposing several changes to the regulations governing the importation and interstate movement of noxious weeds as well as expanding the Federal list of terrestrial noxious weeds. Proposed rule changes were published in the Federal Register on June 10. Public comments will be accepted through August 10, 2009.

Nature Conservancy's Global Invasive Species Team and INVASIPEDIA Websites Move
The GIST web site and INVASIPEDIA are now available through www.invasive.org. All of Barry Rice's 240 images and John Randall's 911 images that were on the GIST web site have been incorporated into the Bugwood Image Database andwww.invasive.org. View website.

Updates to the Tamarisk Coalition Website
The website for the Tamarisk Coalition was updated recently with several new features. View Website.

Identifying Research Gaps and Priorities for Invasive Plants in California
The California Invasive Plant Council (Cal-IPC) produced a summary of major research needs for California invasive plants that can be used to inform state policy and provide ideas for researchers, especially graduate students. View website.

Wildland fire in ecosystems: fire and nonnative invasive plants
This state-of-knowledge review of information on relationships between wildland fire and nonnative invasive plants can assist fire managers and other land managers concerned with prevention, detection, and eradication or control of nonnative invasive plants. View website.

USA National Phenology Network
Harnessing the power of people and the Internet, the USA National Phenology Network brings together citizen scientists, government agencies, non-profit groups, educators and students of all ages to collect data and share information about the impacts of climate change on plants and animals in the United States. View website.

Mistaken Identity? Invasive Plants and their Native Look-alikes
Targeted at land managers, gardeners, conservationists, and all others interested in plants, this booklet covers over 20 invasive species and their native look-alikes in the mid-Atlantic region. Chapters on controlling invasive plants and a list of useful resources are also included. View 8 MB PDF | View 2 MB PDF.

Wildlife Gardener Website
Wildlife Gardeners promotes environmentally sound practices to preserve biodiversity by encouraging discussions of the preservation, restoration and establishment of native flora and fauna AND sustainable gardening practices. View website.

Great Basin Invasive Weeds Website
This website was developed at Utah State University primarily for students and teachers in grades 7-12; however, it can be used by other audiences, including land managers and the general public. View website.

CIPM Honored with Special Achievement Award
Michael Lusk, USFWS National Invasive Species Coordinator, presented CIPM with the Invasive Weeds Awareness Coalition’s 2009 special achievement award for outstanding work in promoting education and research in invasive plant management and National Invasive Weed Awareness Week support.

Ecologists Put Price Tag on Invasive Species
Research reports costs of invasive species’ damage to ecosystem services. View full story.

Research Needs for Invasive Plants in California
The California Invasive Plant Council has recently completed an assessment that identifies research gaps and priorities for invasives plants in California. View assessment.

University of California Adds Free, Online Pesticide Training for Retail Employees
The University of California (UC) Statewide Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program released a second course in its free, online pesticide training series for retail employees. View full story or View training programs website .

USDA Agencies Sign National Clean Plant Network Memorandum of Understanding
Three U.S. Department of Agriculture agencies announced that a National Clean Plant Network (NCPN) has been established at the department. View full story.

2008 Natural Areas Conference Presentations Online
Audio/video recordings of presentations from this October 2008 meeting are available for viewing online.View presentations

Join the Global Garlic Mustard Field Survey
Join a cross-continental field study on the invasive plant garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata). Download instructions, sample data sheets, and a policy on co-authorship.View website

Share Your Phragmites Samples and Location Data
Dr. Bernd Blossey at Cornell University is soliciting contributions of samples and data on native and invasive locations of common reed (Phragmites australis).Contact Dr. Blossey

CIPM Restoration Resource Database now part of Global Restoration Network
Hosted by the Society for Ecological Restoration, this database can be searched to find resources on restoration, particularly relating to invasive plantsView database

Ecology and Management of Invasive Species
Part of the USFS Rocky Mountain Research Station’s Wildlife and Terrestrial Ecosystems Program, this website offers a list of peer reviewed publications with several links to full papers.View website.

Stemming the Tide: Garlic Mustard Identification and Control
This educational video on the identification and control of garlic mustard is brought to you by Wisconsin Family Forests. Read more about this project at the Wisconsin Township Alliance blog spot. View video.

Invasive Phragmites: What it is, What we can do - This educational video on the identification and control of invasive Phragmites is brought to you by Peaine Township, Beaver Island, Michigan. View video.

Invasive Weed Impact Calculator
A new web site from MSU Extension, lets landowners calculate the impacts of leafy spurge and spotted knapweed. View calculator.

Spatial Invasion Simulator
Model resulting from CIPM-funded research project. Learn how invasive plant establishment and spread can be influenced by plant feedback and seed dispersal. View simulator.

Presentations and Conclusions from the Rocky Mountain Weed Summit Available Online
View presentations and conclusions from the summit held in June 2008 in Fort Collins, CO.

Reporting Alerts in Invasive Plant Science and Management
New detections, range extensions, or taxonomic revelations. For more details, contact Joe DiTomaso.

Special Section on Tamarix restoration from 2006 Tamarisk Research Conference
View “Restoration in the context of Tamarix spp. invasion . . .”, pages pp 90-190 in March 2008 issue of Restoration Ecology.

CIPM Website Has a New Look and Function
Explore the new CIPM website! In addition to giving the website an aesthetic makeover, we added navigation buttons at the top of the page that provide information about our programs and services (Research, Outreach, Policy, etc.), and restructured our popular Resource Directory (right side menu) to improve navigation through our extensive library of invasive plant information. We welcome your comments about these new changes. Email us at weedcenter@montana.edu.

2008 MIPN Meeting PDFs Available Online

PDFs of most of the presentations from the 2008 Midwest Invasive Plant Network's Annual Meeting & Symposium in Indianapolis are now available at www.mipn.org. A link at the top of the main page will take you to the meeting agenda and PDFs of the PowerPoint presentations. These presentations cover a range of topics including climate change and biofuels in relation to invasives.

XID Services Releases Weed ID DVD
XID Services has released the 1,200 Weeds of the 48 States and Adjacent Canada DVD. This is the follow-up to the highly successful 1,000 Weeds of North America CD and is the most comprehensive weed identification database ever produced. It includes an interactive key with a graphical user interface, illustrated glossary, and county level distribution maps (courtesy of BONAP). Price is $49.95. View information on how to order.

Climate Change: The Science of Impacts
From the USGS Fort Collins Science Center. Discusses the cascading effects of climate change, including invasive plants in riparian areas. View website.

Don’t Move Firewood
Moving firewood is a leading, but preventable, cause of the spread of invasive forest pests. View website.

Wildland fire in ecosystems: fire and nonnative invasive plants
RMRS-GTR-42-vol. 6. 368 pages. View publication (PDF).

Challenging Cheatgrass
From Forest Service Rocky Mtn Research Station, April 2008. View publication (PDF).

New Weed Alerts from MSU Extension
Whitetop, houndstongue, leafy spurge, yellow starthistle, knapweed, saltcedar, toadflax. Download or contact MSU Extension Publications for free copies.

The Weedy Truth about Biofuels
From Invasive Species Council of Australia. View website

Biofuel Crops: Panacea or Pandora’s Box?
Press release from WSSA on risks of using invasives for biofuel crops. View press release (PDF)

Turn Cows into Weed Managers
Part of a cooperative project between Grant-Kohrs Ranch, MT, and Utah State University. Cows learned to eat Canada thistle, leafy spurge and spotted knapweed; info from Livestock for Landscapes. View site.

Updated Conservation Directory for 2007 from CPC now online
Search by expertise and state; maps and related fields also updated. Very useful directory to agencies, nonprofits, and more. View directory.

2007 Editions of PNW Handbooks Available Online
2007 Editions of PNW (Pacific NorthWest) Insect Handbook; PNW Weed Mgmt Handbook, and PNW Plant Disease Mgmt Handbook are available online. View publications.

CWMAs, How-To and Funding Resources (from CIPM)
(Posted 1 Aug 09) Explore an extensive library of how-to guides, funding resources, help, advice, inspiration, and examples of CWMAs around the United States. View website.

Free Online Pesticide Training Course Available for Retail Employees
The UC Statewide IPM Program offers a free online pesticide training course for garden center employees, Master Gardeners, etc. View registration information.

PNW IPC Logo Contest

The PNW IPC is holding a contest to develop a logo for the organization. The prize will be a free autographed copy of "Invasive Species in the Pacific Northwest" from the University of Washington Press, edited by PD Boersma, SH Reichard and AN Van Buren. View other IPC organization logos for ideas. Please send your entries to info@pnw-ipc.org by February 28th

JOBS

Invasive Plants Instructor - UAF-CES
University of Alaska - Cooperative Extension Service IPM/Invasive Plants Program is seeking a Term Instructor (Faculty). Complete details and application.

Project manager for Invasive Plant Management Plan - A consortium of 10 small parks in the National Park Service in UT, MT, ID, and WY is looking for a project manager for a comprehensive invasive plant management plan and Environmental Assessment. View project info.

Agriculture Literacy Specialist
MT Dept. of Ag, Helena. Part-time position focusing on grades 4-8 to enhance the ability of Montana teachers to increase student knowledge about agriculture while meeting statewide mandatory curriculum standards. Apply by October 31, 2008. View posting

Sweet Grass County Noxious Weed Program Coordinator/ Supervisor
Full benefits, wages DOE. Job description and applications are available at the office at 515 Hooper St., Big Timber, MT, or by calling 932-5146. Apply by November 14, 2008. View posting

Western SARE Request for Applications for 2009 Program
View application requests. Deadlines vary from May 30 to Dec. 5, 2008, depending on the program.

Invasive Species Control and Upland Restoration. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Current Closing Date for Applications: Feb 25, 2010. View guidelines.

2009 Montana Noxious Weed Trust Fund Guidelines
Proposals due December 1, 2008. View guidelines.

August 2007 Tamarisk Coalition Newsletter
Includes a list of 178 funding opportunities for tamarisk issues and riparian restoration. View newsletter (PDF)