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I1'ALGAECIDE ALGAECIDE AND OXIDIZER

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© applied biochemists I I 1

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Cover p1:oio'rtqi!i by Scott Culpepper. Eurasian watt'rmilforl (A4yrioph i//In ,u s/licutlwl) growing to the water surface in Lake Pend Orielk' located in western Idaho.

Auditing Committee: Si,.l,,;, O,),,r,i,n SI0,5111 (41)7 182.1-72 74 1_se),, ran,r"slw trulgov

Gov ei nnmenta I A flairs

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Resource I)eimm,,nsl naIi,,mi Mas,,i,

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FAPMS Website: www.fapms.org

Editorial

The Tale of Shopping fir 'ii)flhtOCS

A couple walks through a farm-er's niarket looking for sonic I resh

tomatoes. Next to a local toiiiito

grosser they Ii id a merchanVs table 51105%' casing ulliqile biking

water plants. Being do-it-yotirselt

landscapers, the coil pie likes the idea ot ad dim; sonic nice w a I er

pl a Fit, to tl i - r LI gi v, hack-v a i'd

pond. 1 hey buy a lew bundles and

I wad back home. Once at home

the couple toss the plank in their

back-yard pond and wait for the

plants to clean their water and

beau ti iv their pond Hie "pond"

actually turns out to be nIle of

•- Aquatic - kill 2(VuI.29, No. 3

Contents

Apple Snails in Florida .......................... 4

hl/ L.A. (;t'II I/S and W Ill lu//er

State Updates on Aquatic Plant Management Activities: Idaho, Maine, and Minnesota ......... 12 /11/ Mu /tat'! I), Neilterlautl, -1 lionius Woo/I, /o /m Mt Pint/ran miii Citmtries 11. Wl'/IHI',

Florida's Invasive Plant Education Initiative: Lessons Learned Along the Way ................. 19 /)1/ A nfl! Richard

President I'rexidei,I-IiIect Past President Sick, l',,iiiicir I Ii. iii I lisa, liii Slixire I lighlancl,, F oiiuitv LSA( I ( iisiltaiil 4341 ( •e ge E)lvd 51)2 N Palm Ave U 612 I .ake K,,) herine Fir SeIning. FL 33873.589') I'ala)k,i, 132177 ( crux,,,), II 3-1711 8)0 41)2-1,1)12 355-128-2737 02-742-23140

I,, s 1)1), 12)4-1291) fax iv, lliamhri ,i'aoi ,oii, x},, ntiis'c"hii. Ch,,,i,,'.SV.Ilc,Lx,xe(" saj02.t,s,,c, co.Ii,g)nlands.iI.us arniv.Iu

Secreiary Treasurer Editor Slr1rl,_n,i,' Walters lern,it,, Myers Jeftrrv toIIa,i Irosi,ceOne Applied Aquatic Ma,,geneil, Reedy F I-IL Improvement

21))) I( I lox

In is Illl )Ili­ 1)171 I'tmith, I 32768-12(1) U). Box I410

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nvl a a yr (11111 Fax .11)7824-7309 jh,,IIa,,itiwrI id.dsl.tl.i,x

third Year I )r lI- illiani (811111 taller Johnnie l)ww Michael Neiheriand tJn,verxily i,t Florida It lohn, River l\'ak'r Mgnht i:s Army Engim's'r Rese.,r, I, 7922 NW 71 t 'Or-el I )at 'a I & Development

1;aine,.v,lk-, Fl. 32563 1)0. lii's 429 7922 NW 71st Street

152-162-981, Palatka, 1:1.32178 1429 Gai,,sx'v,lIe, II 321,63

362 192-3462 ias 1&,.329.4269 352-69231136

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First Year I •,nxeIl lienI jciliri A. Fverlse,i run Horn, 4919 Svi ana're 5) nil I tv otOrlando, Streets and I 'SAlE Apopka, El 12712 Stonim,,rater 140' N ISthmi Ave 4)17 881.1)271, 1001 I'll. Wi,i,ds A— nu, I ',iI.i)ka, Fl. 32177 It renlunipini'I net Orland,,, IT 32806 386 328-2737

407-246-223-11 cx), 36 :186-328-1298 fax 4( 7']) 4150 tax oliT exertsei1"i lvol'rlando net

lint I l,arrix'ixci.arniv nii

Continued On page 9

Florida Aquatic Plant Management Society

2007 Board of Directors Officers

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Fall 2007

Appte,Snaiisl ,

ick

L.A. Gettys and W.T. Hailer University of Florida I FAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants 7922 NW 71 Street Gainesville FL 32653 Imail: lgettys@ufl.edu

Florida's climate is ideal for a number of tropical speCies, includ-ing apple snails in the genus Iknna-cea. Apple snails are freshwater gas-I ropods with both I u ngs and gills, and sonic are voracious, indiscri iii-nate consumers of aquatic plants. Apple snails can live four years or more in 11w wild; those living in tern pera Ii' cliii id tes undergo it winter resting period do ring Which growth, feeding and crawling stops, but growth, mating and spawning resumes when warmer tempera-tures return. All apple snails have an operculurn - a "trap door" that can be closed in the a pe'rtu re (the mouth of the shell) to seal the soft-bodied snail in its shell. Female apple snails do not bear live voting but instead deposit clutches Of eggs above the water line on the sterns of emergent plants, logs, boats and oilier 'ei'ti-cal structure's. 1-our species of apple snail (one native all(-] three exotic) can he found in Florida, but only two of these species are common.

The Florida apple siiai I (Vtnuaeea paludos(i) (1-gore I) is the largest species of freshwater snail native to North America and fossil records reveal that the Florida apple snail has been present ill the state since the Pliocene era (5.3 to 1.8 mil-lion years ago). This native siia i is corn iiion in the warm waters of ponds, ditches, rivers, creeks a ii LI lakes of southern and ccii t ra I Florida but populations are limited by cooler tent tera lures in north-em regions of the state. 'Ihe Florida apple snail is not considered a threat to most aquatic plants but is instead classified as an integral p..ti'L of

the ecosystem. I his native species serves as a food soLl rce fora iiu tuber Of native fauna, including Iinipkins, ibis, turtles, fish and alligators; in addition, the Florida apple snail is the primary lood source for the endangered Everglades snail kite. The Florida apple sii,t i I grows to a maximum shell height of 70 mm; the ,pit-(, and w borIs of the shell ale rounded and [lie spire slightly proj-ects above the shell. Eggs of the Flor-ida apple' snail are white, 3 to 6 mm in dianietet' and borne in clutches of It) to 80 eggs (Figure 2).

'Ihe thi'ee exotic snails foLind in Florida I titan (P liauslrwu), chan-neled (P o,i,alhnlala) and island (P. nis,,larinii) apple snailsi are South American in origin and are' closely related, so they share a gre'a t number Of characteristics and are c'xtre'niely difficLilt to ide'ntify. Snails ill this group cannot be identified by shell size or color, since these traits are highly variable and strongly nitlticnced by snail age. bod mailability and environmental conditions. Vilest: snails in the canitli-culaia complex can tie separated using niolecntar nicihods, lint field identifi-cation ni these South American snails relies primarily on differences ill egg size and color.

ii tan (P. ,l,ui,l rut) and clian-

neled P eaalu'ileti) apple snails are

J-i,c'urt' I Shells of common apple siiails in Florida. left: Island apple snail (Ii. insular,,,,,) - exotic from South America. Right: Florida apple snail (1'. j,,,l,,dos,t) - Florida native. Photo cozerk'si/ l.in Gt'ttys.

ttiie'oiiiiTioti in Florida. An isolate'd population of titan apple snails has persisted ill soul!) Florida since' the 1980s but has tot been found anywhere t'lss' in the state'. ilie titan apple snail can grow as large as 90 to 120 mm in height and produces bright-green eggs that are 3 to S turn in ci ia meter; eggs ire compressed during clutch deposition, resli I hug in polygon-shaped eggs arranged ill an i rregi Ia r, hone'vcomh-I ike cI u tch. A single pOpu Li lion of chan-neled apple sna i Is has been reported in North Florida bitt has not been totitid anywhere else' ill [lie' state. Tile channeled a pple snail can grow as large as 75 miii ill height and pro-duces bright orange eggs that are 2.2 to 3.5 mm ill diameter and arc' laid in cI ii tciics of 200 to 600 eggs.

'l'lie most common South Ameri-can apple snail in Florida is the, island apple snail W. i,,s,,Iari,,u). Reports of widely distributed popu Ia t ions of Soti th American apple snails were noted in Florida fl tile mid ILNOs; these snails were

VuIuii' 29, \n.

Too Many Weeds Spoil

the Fishing .'

-: k

)

9.-

Exotic invasive aquatic plants such as Hydrilla, Eurasian Water Milfoil,

Curlyleaf Pondweed, Water Chestnut and Water Hyacinth can be

detrimental to a healthy fishery in lakes across the country.

These invasive plants when left unmanaged can alter the ecosystern of

lakes and reservoirs, causing a decline in the fishery, as well as interfering

with other valued uses of waterhod ins.

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Figure 2. lg clutches of common apple snails in Florida. Left: Island apple snail (P. insularutn) - exotic from South America, Right: Florida apple snail (I'. /)(?lIl(I()sll) - Florida native. Photo courtesy Joe Richard.

originally misidentified as channeled apple snails, but DNA evidence has revealed that these snails are actually island apple snails. The island apple snail (Figure 1) can grow to 110 mm in height and p rod LI ces red 1<) bright

pink eggs that i it' tip to.31.5, nim in ii ia meter a id are laid in ci Li tehes of up to 1000 eggs (Figure 2). The island apple snail is widely ii istrib-tiled throughout R'xas, Georgia and Florida and DNA A cv idence has shown that most Florida popula-tions 01V closely related I o island apple snails in the Uruguay livt'r ill Argentina.

Most apple snails are voraciot i', indiscriminate feeders and have been i mit roil uced to other parts of the world as biocontrol agents to manage aquatic weeds; for exam-ple, snails effectively controlled water lettuce (1 isIi(l sl ía! a'Ii's) in the Caribbean. Unfortunately, the snails also feed on mia live Plants, resulting in detrimental effects to the native fauna that rely on endeniic plants for food and shelter. Cultivated aquatic plants are not immune to feeding damage from apple snails; in fact, a density of 8 snails per ill-' can reduce rice yields by 90 . Exotic apple snails can be a seri-oiis threat to human health as well, since they harbor parasites like the rat I ti ng worni (which causes eosinophi lie mcningoencepha litis), flukes, and sch istosomes that can cause dermatitis.

Applicators are used to seeing the familiar clutches of large, white eggs produced by Florida apple snails, but many are now report-ing huge mi itibers of clutches of the bright pink to red eggs laid by the island apple snail as well. Although island apple snails have been in Florida since the mid I it seems that popula I ions of this exotic snail have increased d ra-mat ica I ly in the last 2 to 3 years. This development is not surpris-ing, since island apple snails are I rolific breeders that can produce eggs almost year-roil lid in tropical climates and they produce up to 1000 eggs Per clutch. Island apple snails are experiencing a population explosion and pose a significant threat to the health and integrity of Florida's wetlands and waterway's. It is important to limit the spread of these South American snails to

Vo(umt' 2'). No.3

( QV41~ vM Quality Vegetation Manment

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healthy habitats Ilirutjh irolcssonal, ethical and re-

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prevent t decimation of the aquatic plants that are needed for our eco-system to function properly. We must also identify methods that will successfully control this exotic species without negatively impact-ing the native Florida apple snail, which is the primary food source for the endangered Everglades snail kite.

Chemical control of island apple snails is not a viable option. Florida apple snails and island apple snails share the same habitat, so the use of molluscicides would kill native apple snails along with island apple snails, Research is currently under-way to assess the environmental impact of exotic snails on Florida's ecosystem and to identify effective control methods, but for now the most effective method to reduce habitat expansion of island apple snails without harming popula-tions of Florida apple snails is to prevent hatching of eggs borne by exotic snails. Clutches can be easily identified as belonging to native or exotic snails, since the Florida apple

snail produces up to So large, white eggs ill each clii tell while island apple snails produce up to lOOt) red to bright pink eggs in each clii tch. Si lice cI ii tclies arc deposited above the Water line, locating and remov-ing target clutches is possible. I latching of eggs is greatly reduced w ii en clii tcli es are sti bme rged for more than one week, but it eggs are simply dropped in the water a lie r removal, the clii tch could float until it hinds on a surface (for exaiiiple, the leaf of a waterh vaci nth) that will allow it to renlain above the water line. A better solution is to scrape clutches off , place theill in a container and then keep them in a freezer for a few days before disposal. Scott ting for exotic egg cI niches must be done on a regular basis, since eggs can hatch as soon as 10 days alter deposition if tern-peratu res are W,11-111. Scouting 111d manual removal is tedious heca use a single female island apple snail can deposit Lip to 3 cI u tches of 1000 eggs each perji'e'k almost year-round, so removing even a fraction

Of clutches from a single habiiat takes a huge amount of time.

Florida's tropical climate pro-vides an ideal habitat for coloniza-tion by a vast array of exotic spe-cies. The negative impact of exotic Plant species on native plants in the ecosystem is widely understood, but invading snails are not always seen as a threat due to a number of fac-tors. One of these factors is red iiced visibility; for example, exotic apple snails in Florida are typically sub-mersed, so if a few snjils are actu-ally visible, 111,111y more are present below the suit ace ot t lie Water a id the severity of an infestation may be grossly underestimated. Another factor is that exotic snails are readily available ill many pet and ltlar41111 shops, where they are purchased as Pets but are likely released into the ecosystem when they become too large or when the novelty wears off. As we know, sonic exotic aquatic plants en feted Florida Ui rough this pathway as well and the mindset of those releasing the organisms is the same, to wit: "If I can buy

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Joe Collins, Government Acct. Coordinator terrence.whitecar®uap.com

PH 352-222-0655 Dan McMillan, Aquatic / VM Secialist

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Office 877-482-7411, Fax 321-226-0213

Volume 29, No.3

is it the stoic, it must he ok. I'm

doing this (fill in the blank -

snail, hvd rilla plant, python, etc.) a

favor k freeing it from its prison of

doniesticatioii, and so on. A third

factor that intl ucilces the peicei 'ed

impact of exotic snails is a Pool-

11 IlLiVI'St,111d i IlV, ot the importance of

n)aintaining the integrity of the ceo-

svst€'ni and food web. Island cippk'

snails could threateii Florida appk'

snails by corn pet I ng for resources,

which could disrupt the food web

since the na Ii vi,' snail is an i rn por-

La nt food s u rce 101- a Wide variety

Of' fauna, including the eiidangered

[vergladi's snail kite. Island apple

snails an' typically much larger than

the native a pple sila i I, so one iii gilt

think these eXt ii ic snails could Id serve

as a better food source for the snail

kite; unfortunately, the snail kite's

beak has evol 't'd to perfectly pluck

liii,' Florida apple snail from its shell

and the bird is tillable to extract the

edible bud ' from any except the snlallest of the Ill ucll-la rgei' exotic

apple snails.

File inlportancc of halting the

invasioil of Florida by island apple

snails cannot be overstated and we

must ensure tlta t ea lv jill esta lions

of these snails are stopped. They

cause direct damage to the flora of

011 1' i'cosvsteni by Consuming lit I ge

qtiantitit's Of n1ua tic plants and tiles'

compete with Florida apple snails for habitats and resources, which

to rther endangers the Everglades

snail kite. File best method to control

island apple snails at this poi it is the

i'emoval dIld destruction of thei i egg

clutches, but Iii is process is ted ioiis

since island apple snails prod tice

massive iluailt i ties of clutches

and i't'nht ivi ilr; even a traction of

cI u tclles 11'0111 a single ha hi tat takes

a Il uge a nioti nt of Li me. Resea 'cli

is currently u ndertvav to ident i1'

more efficient and effective con-

trol methods to help in the battle

against this exotic species. 'l'his

effort may reduce the likelihood of

a popu 1,1 tion explosion of isla id

a pple snails a id could liel p lessen

the severity of damage to Florida's

flora, fauna and ecosvsfeiu.

Editorial t ominuoi 1mm pug',;

their iieli',llI)oi'llOOil storiiitvMCI- ponds that ICakf jill)) ,i major river sysleni. I lit' plants they purchased Ilappened to he one of the noxious t,ii&l like 1vVatt'r I lyaeinthi (I II)'rilnl t ru'."ljs's) that many States tight to control.

liii'-, fictional stoi'y is based on ,i real pi'olileuii Of uiuter-i nmtv ,inil inter-state sale of .uiluatit' plants. When you buy a plant at a local nursery, do VMI s1011 to think whether the plant is a nuisance ill ,inother (oh ntv Allot her stilt' Most people don't, they figui n' that it the plant is or sale in ,u retail nuirscrv then it 111tist be a legal plant. While Feili'i'al retul,itions 111-01libil plants on the F ei',ul Noxious Weed I ist ti'ouu coniung into the country ,nid niterstate tr,111s-p0itit iOil, it is up to intl 'id uia I l,itt's to regulate plmls tvithil their st,ite lines. ('heck out the A1uavine section (it this issue for a real example of this pi'ohleill.

Allot remember to keep send i iig in hose articles and photu Igraplls for the

01 ,il, i / Ill)'.

I li/i

3 1

4 ,

14 3.

• Aquatics is circulated to approximately 2000 environmental manag-ers, landscape managers, governmental resource managers, and commercial applicators.

• Aquatics is a resource for the people who buy and use aquatic products and services.

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• Your advertisement not only provides the reader pertinent information, but your support helps maintain the quality of this publication.

Please call Outdoor Tech at 850-668-2353, and ask Debra for more information. Thank you for your interest.

The wonderful world of water management. AQUARIUS You condo it... we can help. f' SYSTEMS

Phone 262-392-2162 Toll free 800-328-6555 www.,iquorius-systems.com

l-,utt 2007

The beauty of Sonar* is measured by what it does not do.

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...', kgbiiiui.

- " ',4- :e)P

IMI A beautiful lake can turn ugly once invasive aquatic weeds like hydrilla or Eurasian watermilfoil take over. But before

you introduce non-selective grass carp or launch a mechanical harvesting program, consider what Sonar Aquatic Herbicide

does not do.

Sonar does not eliminate desirable vegetation. SePRO has the technology to manage application rates and monitor

the treatment progress to ensure that invasive species are removed with minimal effect on native plants and the lake's

ecosystem. After treatment, desirable native species are allowed to thrive and often become more abundant, creating a more

diverse habitat.

T,aderna,k of SePRO Corporal. AIwas read and toidra label deoctorrs .-Copyrhl 2005 SePRO Corporatroe

a t$' S .

frfr1

13

Sonar does not harm fish or waterfowl nor carry any restrictions for using treated water for swimming, fishing, boating or

drinking—when used according to label directions—which is unique among aquatic herbicides.

The one thing Sonar does do is restore a lake to its more natural, pristine condition. Sonar has been used by wildlife groups

to successfully restore numerous aquatic habitats. In addition, a lake treated with Sonar often requires fewer re-applications than

lakes treated with other aquatic herbicides. That's because results can last for more than just one season.

For more information about Sonar Aquatic Herbicide and the entire line of SePRO aquatic Sonar products, visit our web site at www.sepro.com or call 1-800-419-7779.

SePRO Corporation Carmel, IN 46032 Restores Aquatic Habitats

State Updates on Aquatic Plant Management Activities: Idaho, Maine, and Minnesota

Introduction Michael I). Netherland ItS Army Engineer Research and Development Center Gainesville, FL 32653

Aquatic Plant Management in Florida is an integrated endeavor that includes personnel and resources fioiii federal, state, and county entities, and a large con-tingent of private coil) panies. I he subtropical climate, abundance of natural shallow lakes, and introduc-tion of numerous exotic invasive plants has kept, and will continue to keep, aquatic managers in very busy. Given the long history and tiumer-otis resoti rces that have gone into aquatic plant management in I lorida, it is often hard to imagine that many states are just beginning to experience introductions of invasive species, and therefore, much newer to the process of developing aquatic plant manage-ment programs. One only needs to attend the regional Aquatic Plant Management Society (A PMS) meet-ings (Florida, Mid-South, Midwest, Northeast, Sou ti Carolina, Texas, and 'A'estern) to develop a feel br the different approaches (often between neighboring states) to aquatic plant management. The diversity of water bodies (e.g. reservoirs, kettle lakes, canals, etc.), plant species and associ-ated problems, state regulatory envi-ronments, and management philoso-phies can vary to a Wide degree.

All A PMS regional chapter inem-hers should receive Aquatic,., maga-zine, and in order to provide our readers with a better understanding Of regional issues we plan on includ-ing various state Updates in ii pcom-i ng issues of Aqualics. These updates will take the form of describing newer and existing management programs, new species introductions or spread of existing plants, new or existing regulations, and other items

of interest involving ma nagenien t of aquatic plants. 1 hese state updates are being provided to give aquatic managers, researchers, regtt lators, and applicators a better appreciation Of the issues that exist outside of their own region.

For this issue we have chosen to include updates on three northern-tier states: Idaho, Maine, and Mm-miesota. In Minnesota, the Depart-ment of Natural Resources conti n ties to promote public education, fund research and operations, and eva I u-ate potential for further spread of existing invasive species and intro-ductions Of new invasive species. In both Idaho and Mi nmiesota, the state legislatures have allocated signi Ii-cant funds to combat the threat that invasive aquatic plants pose to valu-able water resources. While Min-nesota's fight with Eurasian water-milfoil (Mmiriaplmill/tomi siicaimiiml) has been well pu hI icized, I doubt that our readers would pick Idaho and Maine as hotbeds of aquatic plant problems. These states are develop-ing prograllis, in response to i titro-d net ions ot iii vasi ye species, such

as hyd ri I Ia (Hijdrill'm ' i'r!aciIIa1a) and variable w ate mi il foil (MmIri i 11/1 11)11

Iu'to'nijilimjllmoii) in Maine and I asian watermiltoil in Idaho. While hyd rilla andktm rasia mi waternii I Ioi I

o are well knwn to our readers, 'ari-able watermilfoil is generally consid-ered a desirable native to the soulit-em US. 1 he aggressive spread and growth of this native plant in low alkalinity lakes of Maine and New Hampshire illustrates the regional ila tot re of aquatic plant problems and potential for seemingly benign plants to become problematic tinder the right conditions. Idaho has moved towards large-scale management of an emerging Eur-asian wit terni i I foil problem, and this new program is described

below. In contrast the opera t iotia I management progra nt in Ma i tie rem a ins limited in scope; however there is a significant emphasis on identifying new introductions, pre-venting spread, and taking appro-priate act otis, it necessary.

Idaho: Invasive Aquatic Plant Management Activities 'I'hoinas Woolf Aquatic Plants Program Manager Idaho I )epartnient of Agriculture

Idaho folks ha 'e the t'epu tation of doing things their own way. Idaho was the birthplace of the (.00perative Weed Management Area (CWM A). 'Ihe CWMA concept focuses on involving all landowners in a water-shed or region, developing integrated ilia nagenient plans, amid defining roles amid partnerships that allow for the blurring oil jurisdictional lines of ownership. CW M As now cover 11101V me than 82 percent of the state. Due to the success achieved ill Idaho, (.'WMAs have become a national tiiodel for sotc-cessfu I weed muatiagetuetit across the country. It was with this rugged, indi-vidual istic spirit that Idaho addressed the looming threat of aquatic invasive species in the state.

Eurasian Walerni i I loil North Idaho is home to the

majority (if the tiatutal lakes in the state. 'Ihie area is characterized by (d)00-foot peaks adjacent to 1100-foot deep, 30-mile long clear natu-ral lakes. I listorically this legion's economy was driven by the mining amid ti timber md ustries, but over the past several decades' tOUrisni has grown into a dominant regional i mid u st my - in Ia rge part ii ue to the majestic lakes amid rivers that char-a cte rile the area.

It is unclear exactly when or how

12 \/ 1u me 29, No.3

Lii ra'- iiii vat&'rriii I toil (A I t/riv/'!iif/titn

S)tJL I 1I IIUI I-) as illtrl L ce1 to "iirtii Idaho, but the probleiiis associated with the weed became apparent over the last 3 \'ears. People began to take notice of clogged marinas, tangled sivillinling beaches and decreased native aquatic plants. It I'.cillie bvious that the plant was qti ickly

expanding its range and sonieth I ng needed to be done to protect Idcihio's 'c'citerbod les Mid the econoni ies I ha depend oil them.

In 2003, '•evera I torwa rd-tIn nking state leg isia tort brought tliei F con-cerns aboti t this plant to the rest of the state. Ali assessnieilt of the known distribution of the plant revealed that ifs cii rreiit range only occupied ci traction of the 5tcitCS susceptible v,i terbodie. this tact and the threat to the lakes dud to the hivel hoods of people who rely on them on vi need the Idaho State Legislature to take action liii' legislation drafted at the State 1-louse djct,ited all iiieSsiv' StlulCl based on the eradica

,ion

of existing

Eurasian waternijl toil populations stcife'cvide. In April 2006, the Ida ho State I egislaf ii re and the Governor approved $4-million for the specific

I p c,e 0i I riiin \Vd lettit if Ii I

Iji,iLl Ii cit IOu 11'0111 liii v,itt,'r 11011 II'S lii

the state of IticihO. 'I'll(, Idaho State Department of

Agricu I Iii re's (ISI )A) Noxious Weed Progra Iii was ch,i rged with adni ink-tering this new plogra iii. Although Idaho is leader in tIn' field Of terres-trial

weed ma ncigt'nien t, tile state had never before ciii iiuinist&'ii'd it major aquatic 1_lIclult ctiiiti'cl program. With just three en pit wet's, tilt , Nt ix oils Weeds Progra iii developed diii liii pie-iiieiited a iiirilti-niillitin d0licii' I inidiuig program ill the span of two months. Phcise I of the I'iil'clsicin wateruiiilIoiI Eradication Program Was up and run-ning by the summer of 2006.

The I iiiiding pu'ogua ni solicited fuuiding proptiscils stcitewide from (_o tiii ties, I ri lies, Lake Associ a - tions and the public. In the spirit of-the (tAt MA concept, projects were iOCcl II v driven and were encoti r-

age t ( I tie [dl IOR'll It) fli('t't It)(J I

"Ind concerns. I tutid ing appl cat jilils were presented to an iii teragencv review pdIlCl for project scoring usiilg predetermined scoring crit('-ria. Following scoring, the review panel nii't and discussed each pro-

05,i I ci tid made IecOlii mend cit Ions to 151 )A's director.

Iii Phase I, 3,040 acres in the st,lte were sticcessltilly (recited in 16 projects tlirouglunit the state. Public education and outreach prOgrciulis were also instituted to raise public clWci ieness cibOtit tlii' iSsLlC. In addi— ion, extensive so rveyi ng helped

to develop ci better pict ii re Of the distribu tioii of I'Ll IciSlcili vltei'ni ii foil hi rotlghlou I the state.

In all effort to improve the state's fiedgi iuig (alb('it well-funded) aquat i CS program, 151 )A sought ciii ex ter- ii cii p rogra iii n ici tic peer review Of the program totlowi ig tin' completion Of Phase 1. In September 2016, ISDA invited the University of Florida (ljl) (enter or 1ltatk' and Inva-sive I 'lan Is to convene cliii Chair all independent panel of recogn i'ed

clillicif iC pIiiit Ilia uiigi'n It'll t experts to review the stiles Etulcislciri \Vcltei niiltoil program and provide short- ii iii I lI1: kit it rt'coun ii it rid a It 'i i I

I _____BECKER UNDERWOOD

Fax 5 15-232-596 I c,4),,,,,p&, Id— ,h,cl.n;

. -LE

"Ilk

IL P.

th

I

pr();raIII i III i)lO\einelll lfld eiihiiice-

nieiit. I lie paiiel was coiiipo'-ed of

Dr. Joe Joyce, LF (chairman), I )rs. 13111

I hiller and Ken Langeleiid ( U I ), leff

Scha di (Florida Depa rt rnent Of Irivi-

loll Illen Li I Protection), ilecti& in), ('hi p Wi'!Iing

(Minnesota Department of Natu ra I

Resources) aiid Robert Leavitt (Cali-

fornia I )epartiiieill of Agricuilti ic).

( 0!It'ttiV(I\', the six iine!ists had

niore than 1(1) 'ears of experience in

aquatic plant illanageluelli and had

published more than 41)1) papers Oil

the sil hject. To ensure their i ndepen-

dence, tilt' palielists were tree of any

con n&'ct i oil to Ii U Si ilSS in ti'i'ests or

organitat iOflS ill Idaho.

A C0V of the Peer Panel Report

can he found on ISDA's websi Ic

(vwv.agri. idalio.gov / ). the review

provided vaitiihle inioriiiation to

151 )A stall and its ct n iperators. ISDA

incorporated many of the panel's

reConl rneiid at ions ill the progra ill

and continues to work with the

University ot honda to improve the

state Of aquatic pla iii illanagelllerlt

"know how in Idaho.

In 2007, the Idaho I egisla tune

approved an additional $4-million

dollars to the pogl'iltll and allowed

tile ISI)A to hire a lull time Aquatic

Plant Program Manager. Phase I1 of

the progra ill I isti Riled mon it( In ng

and sampling reqLui'ellleilts ill order to gage tied ilileilt cit icaev and to

irii p rove pn g ra ill eli i ci ei CV. l'li ase

II of the program wrapped tip ill

the fall of 2007 with 3,045 of acres

treated and a significant red nd ion ill

Eurasian waternliltoil.

Since its inception ISDA's I In rasian

watermilfoil program has: • Iniated 8,088 idies Of Iliraslall

ivatermiltoil over lilt' l,ist 2 years. • iti rveved 152 Wa Ierlaod is for new

and e\i'-.tiilg Luri'iiii ivateniiiiltoil li(1llulltiOils.

• Qtiallti iiai'ly surveyed 41,260 acres in 32 waierhodies to deli leate treat-mcii t a rca s, gage t na Iii len I cIt ects ind to docu nent native species.

• I'roduced a vn'iely Of edticitii.iiial \itlt'0S intl litetituit' 1(1 iniprove the pIlic utiderstinding and ai•are-Cuss of n1u1,1 tit plint rulated issues.

• I )evelopcd a statu'tvide sir rvev pro-tocol that '-ailitIirtIi/0ssan1ptirlg and su rvc\i ng met hods.

• Iiiitiitt'l .1 .i,Ilu'\\itl( -tritiu'v 10

asi',t pioi',rinl ippll('itll' ii [lit' developnit'iul Of trcal nient plar or lilt vid iiil ' ierhod it'-.

• I )e\eloped a tvebsite that displivs survey resti Its and lake initirniatioll

In addition to tile Eurasian

watermiltoil program, Idallo also

added several aqia tic pii ills to its

N ()Xi OIlS Wt't'tl I a w in 2007. 1 lese

species mclude parrot kather Milled

(Myr,'ophill/rint ilitiuiiriiiui), Brazilian

elodei (Lt';tut iIr,tui), tviter Ilvacintil

( !_ic/t/teriiia reis) lull Ilyd rilla.

While you might wonder why a

state like Idailo would idd these

tropical aquatic plant species to its

weed list, it's a little known tact that

Idaho has a tremendous amount of

geothernla I lv-heated iva ten. FR rida

alligators overw ill ten ii icely just east

of Boise. And on the 'al I-ia xa" side,

Idaho has j1ISt coin pitted till Aquatic

N iiisance Species Plan (ANS) for

the state tli noHV ,,Il the Ida ho iii vasi ye Species Council and is in the process

Of (stabi isli i rrg an La rlv I )etect i ni

aild Rapid Response (III)RR) moni-

tori rig network ton (lie ilotorious

quagga ( L)n'ti 'i/ui

sis) and zebra mussels ([),'eissel:ul

jio/ynioiplui). Slav Wiled as Idaho

gets its boots wet!

Maine: Invasive Aquatic Plant Management Activities 1(0 111 \lcPItedrmn Maine I )EP

In 2006, three nt'w iii tesia I ions

of i\i iii iiJiij//toii /u/in p/i 1/11 um went'

doctimeiited. Ihe new ilfestations

welt found ill llit'se water bodies: • I nit' ( ) uiuut' Ru ti ill Vitt'rhoro • -,kt'Itu,n iint'.iut' on flit, Siw River iii

I )aylon

• (liii ii',i I aLt' ill j\cion and nil Ilit, \101H,-,; New il,iiii1,-luil , i,,,i,ti

' ]' Ile I attIc ()ssi pit' and Saco River

li't' dovnstrt'aill of (itiit'i M.

/I/fi///t(ilf-iiltt'sfet] \ylfer hodit's. Al.

/wtt'uu';ilui/lion niav exist but 1115 yet to

be d (icu lilt' n led ill oih ti' rca clles of

01050 ni 'cns.

The ur'.'at Fast i.cikt' infestation,

apparently a single plant, was Spot-

fed by New I Iampslii ix' volunteers

and removed i Ill Illed iately truly

ra pitt espollsi'. lo uiitt', 110 i'et'l1l('

geice of this Al. /iiteiiI/iln/ilnni has

been build. Iou r i iivasr vi aquatic plants

art' k ilowil to exist in Maine Likes,

ponds, and rivers: M. licleroji/ui/-

huh in 26 waters (2 of these are the

hybrid With M. lay: in:) anti I Ii Irilla

irIuih1a/a, M. 5/I/ill/lI/fl, aild Piifa-

/iii,'i'fiiii tre/I/Is ill tint' i'ater each.

Regulations for herbicide use A slate waste discharge license is

leq in rid for ii ischa rges of aqua tic

hìerbicides in Maine. According to

Mai ilt' 'tatult', such d isdllarges must

be approved by the Departnleil I 01

Environmental Protection (DI'l') and

(-ond tided bV the I) F P (or all agent

Of I )iP) For tilt' purpose of restor-

i ng biological communities affected

by an iilvasivi' Species. ']'Ile 1)11' is

cii ritu II v trt'a ti rig Il/u ill//il alt] Al.

s/n((i/iInI Liiider l'vo iltlivicltial ivasti'

discharge hic'ilses.

yl,e ability to respond rapid lv

10 110W nllt'stations has bt'ei coil-

strained by tile timu' required for

developnlenl and revit'w Of i ndi-

'idual waste discharge I iceilses. lo

facilitalt' rapid response when lienhi-

ci d t' list' is deemed ilt'c('ssa ry, Ni a inc

DEP uow has a ( ;enenal Permit for

herbicide use by thi' DlIP's Invasive

Aquatic

Species Program (IASI').

'I Ile ( •eneral Permit was signed in

I tule 2007.

(;rants Competitive small grailts (up to

$2,000 each) are available to muilici-

palities and lake associations to sup-

port i nivasive aquatic plant pnt'vei-

I ion and cont rol programs. DEP Coil-

I iltiuS to search for ways to illdi'easi'

grailt I unds for local control projects

\'lli It' illai 111 ill Ing flit' Sta ti 's st long

spread prevention p ix igna ill.

Thanks tt I a hill passed Ill 2007 to

Lill 2007 15

I*- 11,

Current Chelated Copper with EDA Controls HydriLla, Brazilian ELodea,

Naiads, CoontaiL, WatermitfoiL, Water Hyacinth and Water Lettuce and other submersed

and floating plants.

Current provides fast uptake by target plants, results are evident in 3-7 days. The superior formulating agent in Current complexes Copper ions keeping them available longer in hard or turbid water. Rely on Current for slow moving and quiescent bodies of water including lakes, potable water reservoirs, ponds, and fish hatcheries.

( iment and Symmt iy av F 'A reqist ereci ) 2006 Phoenix Environmental (Cm, LLC. All rights reserved, Current and Symmetry ire trademarks ol Phoenix Erivirorrmeirtal (ire, I [C. Always read amid lollow Litni iIircctioie

a lumen • a

• UTITI:1 II I

Far or'.

' ---111.....- •-•.- Ziair111.6"—

Im...-

,

A...

Symnietrli

Tm

Trvir Algae Chelated Copper with TEA Controls filamentous, planktonic and branched algae.

Symmetry requires less copper per acre than soluble copper products and provides maximum copper availability for algae control. Symmetry stays suspended longer in hard and turbid waters to turn over a top performance on free-floating and branched algae.

<3

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cide tank mix.. weeds wont love a fighting

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Whether you are treating woody brush on the shoreline or surface and submersed vegetation, you (an substantially increase herbicide efficacy with Ode Kick or

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reduce administrative costs, Maine

I) I ~ P dill ici pates tip to $75,000 in new revenue start ing in 2008. The

first priority 01111 IS illonev will he

to increase grants for local invasive

aquatic plant control efforts.

New infestations It's too early to tell if 2007 will

add new infestations of invasive

aquatic plants to 11w current list of'

29 infested waters in Maine.

For More iI1fOFIiiLtiol1

Please check the IASP's website

http://www.iiiaitie.gov/dep/bIWLI/ topic/invasives/index.htni or eiiiiil iiiilfoil@niairie.gov.

Minnesota: Invasive Aquatic Plant Management Activities Charles II. Welling Minnesota DNI( Eurasian Walermiltoil Coordinator

In Minnesota there is niuch con-

cern about non-native, invasive

Species. During its 2007 session,

the Minnesota legislature increased funding for the liivasive Species Program of the Department of Natural Resources (MR). R). Once the

increases are fully phased-in, the budget of the progra ill IS expected to he $1.9 million. l)tiriuig 2006, the

most recent year for which com-

plete information is available, the DNR's Invasive Species Program

had a total budget of $2 million, of

which about $40() thousand was spent on (0111 rol of, and research on, iilvasiVe aqua tic phi nts. JSCC report: ww w.d ii I.state.11111.us / eco / pubs_i iivasi yes, lit 11111

Subniersed invasive species that

concern most Minnesotans are Eur-asian watermilfoil (Mjrioji/ii,l1uiii

S14011 11111) a nil curly-leaf pondweed (/olan,ogeton ci'i.yiIiv) Eurasian watermilfoil, or simply milfoil, wa.s discovered in Minnesota in 1987

and now is known to occur in 198 bodies of water ill the state. Most

control of ni ii foil is aimed at pro-viding relief from nuisances caused by the plant for users of Our lakes. The DNR is supporting research

to i niprove our ability to predict

the future distribution and abun-dance of miltoil. In Minnesota, we

have observed variations among

lakes in the abundance ol miltoil,

which 111.1\' be related to genotypic

variation a morig different popula-tions of miltoil, possibly including

the recently documented hybrids between I-ti rasian watermil toil and the native northern watermilfoil.

Curly-leaf pond weed is believed

to have a rn veil in Mill nesot a aboti

100 years ago and oecti rs ill at least 740 bodies of water in the state. In most Minnesota lakes with curly-leaf, the 111,1111 I linetiolls a a wi iiter

aililual. lurions sprout in earI' tall, plants are alive ii iider the ice during winter, begin to grow

actively at low water temperatures

alter 11 rea k-up, reach maxim ti I i

standing crop between mid-May

and Ill d-J U ni, and seiesce shortly

thereafter, usu,l I lv by the fourth of July. Minnesota lakes where cu rlv-

leaf becomes abu ildan t often have

high levels Of nutrients, particularly

phosphorus, and low water cIa

tv. The l)NR is stipporti ig pilot projects on eleven lakes to deter-

mine whether control of cur]v-leaf

Call lead to ml provements in water

quality and increases in native sub-

mersed plants.

In addition, the I)N R is address-

ing two species of in vasive, non-

native emergent plants: purple lo Ises t rile (Lit!!: ru vu sal ia na )a 11 flowering rush (R li/mill Is u; vlsi/a! us), and is closely watching for intrusion

1w other invasive species established t'ls'\vilvi&' in North America.

IS Vultinu' 29, N(.3

Florida's Invasive Plant Education Initiative:

& rtrncrila Ic z 'clap riven f with Ii

(,',,clu'rs.

/ t'lritv: I! ioctrvv fin!

I,', mutt,'

/tt!.

Amy Richard Education Initiative Coordinator, UF/I FAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants

It sei'riis to he sinking in: alter 100-plus years of aquatic plant control in Florida, there is no silver bullet that Will solve our iiivasivL' plant problems. That is, as long ,is Florida's 17 million residents ci nd 84 million annual visitors'' continue to unwittingly iitrod uce invasive or potentially invasive plants, into our backyards, cityscapes and natti ia I areas. Public perceptions and behav-mrs must change or we're riiost cer-tainl' destined to be spraying, hack-ing and pulling huge infestations of invasive plants for a very long time

tut how does one get the message across to the public sector a group that seems to embrace anythi nt

litt1,: / mnhi'lJ,i.vi',IttIcrIct.t!t; c

irt'ws/?IL) Kit

e\t it R 111(1 harbors ci deep-seated mistrust of pesticides (e\cept for the weeds in their own hack yard)?

Ihere is one proven way to reach adults; educate their children. After raising two sons, I know this to be true. At times, I've even found mvsel t gru nibling about the et fec-t iveness of various school-based eLlLIi itiOri,il campaigns. -ninietirires it was it real pain in the inst. For example, thanks to their school recy-cling lessons, my two young si nis "encou raged" me to save Al our ca is, bottles, newspapers a rid plast ii. refuse a rid then drive a sniel lv van-load to the local recycling center every month - i0 miles, round trip.

This idea of "teaching through our children" hit home lg,lill a few \/i'ci rs ago while I was chatting with a volunteer from the Irout I ,cikc' Na tire Center in First is. 1k'

said one of the reasons he was so dedicated to volu nteering was that

it gave lii nil a sense of hope to see how environmentally aware today's youth tire compared to when he was a kid hack in the 40s. He WdS

impressed with their knowledge Mid en thnisiasm for envirorlrnerl-Li I issues that his generation never even discussed: water conservation, catch-and-release fishing, recycling, proper disposal of car oil. 11111111111...

50ti lids like it good place to start for an education program about iriva-Si ye species.

8iiiiil,u' sentiments are what prorii pted (t hi' ]ate) Vic Raniey to Iciunich a statewide invasive plant ed ticat ion initiative It the University of Florida /I FAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants (CA I la), three year's ago. With uriwciverirlg sup-port from ii t lie Florida Department of l/nvirtiiiniental Protection / Rur'eau of I niv,isive Plant Management (131PM), the pr'ogr'arii is now going strong. I he partnership represents more

hi ilt 2007 19

THE VALUE OF BASF:

PEACE OF MIND

)2001 BAS! Corporation. Al! rights reseivd.

F1.1

tliiii 1 eai's of COtlitllitni('itI to itivasi ic plant education on the part Of the 131 PM and CA I I', who [gel her have produced an impressive col-lection of educational Materials and websites about Florida's native, non-iiative and invasive plants and plant manageinen t, in general. I lowever, after a iiumber of years spent pro-d [icing materials, it was clear that a more concerted effort was needed to get these ntateria Is into the hands of educators, along with a clear, concise message aboti t the problenis associ-ated with exotic plants invading our native habitats.

In the Classroom The first year of this new in it Ia-

live was spent meeting with groups of teachers and educators at venues around the state and gauging en thu-siasin for the topic. We started by showing them what we already had developed and then asked what was needed to build it in to cu rn-i'tila they could use; it also has to jive with Florida's Sunshine State Standards before I 1ie' can even con-sider teaching it. lhei r fervor for the subject something that promised to bring real-life science "relevancy" into their classroom - took us by surprise. After a few more workshop sessions, we had a much better idea Of what was needed to teach this material.

I he seond year prod uced a core set of four PowerPoint' lessons and rela ted acti V itie, a long With a website that teachers can use as a resource (http: / / plants.i las. ufl .edu / education). Now in oit r third year, our goal is to refine these initial mate-rial', 11.111 1101' and build on them to

first two Via rs, we began to ask, "How does one 'break the spell" that computers and other hi-tech gad-get my a re having on our kids?' and encourage them to focus on the quiet mysteries 01 plant Ii ft'? How do we get them to even notice those green, leafy silent invaders that can cover large sections of our natural areas and backyards?" And what about all of those years spent lea riling about how great plants are? Now, we have to break the news that not all plants are "good." For those of us who are

to rally interested in the subject, it's an easy sell. But what about i nd i vid ua Is who doilt even "see" plants. In some ways, liii' invasive ani ma I species campaigns have it a little easier. Even the toughest kid can relate to the hazards of invasive Gambian rats in the Florida Keys (a rodent that ca n grow as big as a cat) or a l3ur111ese python wrestling with alligators in the Everglades. Yi Ices!

W lien faced With this di 1cm iiia, we went back to the experts - the teachers. A fter all, they deal with these same challenges on a daily basis. Based on feedback from revieN sessions with teachers of all grade levels, we'll be working this year to take our newly developed lessons (previously vetted for accu-racy content and formal) mid creat-ing motion graphic "novels" with sound, animation, and other visual

"Iilitliit'i' I'lii,tt tutu/i ii'itli I),'. IIiiIlt'i

I Iii ii'. of Florida IV/IS.

ci ffects that, according to the experts, Will he more etfecti vi' at captu rug the attention and imagination of students. Ihese lessons will then be bu ill into a ca tidy of web-friendly formats that. will he easily viewed from coni puters, i phones, etc.

Along with their new lessons, participants will return to their classrooms this attttoiin with a Wealth of hands-on learning nia ten-a Is: I reshwater Plant Bingo; "Mag-nify it!" activity/lesson (complete with classroom sets of hand lens) to facilitate learning about flower parts, leaf shapes, etc.; freshwater plant jigsaw puzzles and artificial aquatic plant kits (to teach about the various types of plants -emersed, sit hniersed, floating, etc.), plant IL) flash cards, L)VL)s, l'owerl'oint(tm) lessons, fact sheets, etc. etc.

For a more complete listing, visit: lit t p: / / pla n ts.i las. nfl .edti / ed rica-tion / teach test tech tni I

Main education wehsite: http:/ / pla nls. i las. ii Ii .edu / education

l'hoto gallery of this summer's workshop: http: / / plants.i tas.uI I. edu / education / Ofili7workshop/ silent _i ii vaders_workshop.Ii tni I

For more informal ion or if you know ,i teacher who iiiighit he inter-ested in this program, please contact Amy Richard at UF/ IFAS Center

to Aqua tic and Invasive Plants

C ca te a SPCCIRIIII of activities that teach-ers and students can draw from and get excited about.

After focusing on the "basics" of our invasive plant message for the

21 l.iII 2007

I(ltI(1tI()I1 Initiative, 1st Annual Suntiner Plaiii Camp (for teachers only)

Aside from curricula development, we've also learned that an effective way to create further excitement and inter-et ill this sLtblect is to hold a summer invasive plant camp for teachers (aka piolessiona I development workshop).

Our Otir first Ili Il-scale training event was

held .1 unc 10-14, 2007 and represented

the culmination ola long and li'uitliil

year. And what it finale! Ihe tour and a hall-day workshop

provided participants with 44 hours

of' pro ltssiona I developinen t credits and included upland and aquatic plant field trips, hands-on plant II) sessions, lab act i vi tics, class room Icc t u res and breakout sessions fur more curricu Ia

development. Even a 11cr days of non-

stop learning and doing, these teach-

ers were fired rip, which

is just what we were

hoping ('of-. The goal

(if the workshop was

to grab the attention 1)1'

a select group ot' teach-

el-s and inspire them to take this new knowledge back to their classrooms

(participants were chosen

brough an application pro-

cess which also required a recommendation from thcii

school principal).

Next year's workshop is already in the planning stages. In the mean ii iii e, we're looking torwa id to hearing and seeing what new ideas and methods these newly trained teachers will be using in their classrooms this

year. A 11cr witnessing firsthand their

energy, en th usia sin and corn in In iei it. I have no doubt that, at some point,

a small troop o I' kids th roti u h - out the state will begin braving the wilds of' their own backyards or local

ponds, niagn ill cr in hand, ill search ot yet another silent invader'. (1)1' course,

that will only be alter they've beaten the "next

level" of' their computer

game.

One can only hope.

AQUAVINE New: Aquatic Plant Identification Series UF/IFAS Publication # DVD 084

'Ibis lout-disc set covering over

100 aqtlat IC plant species was cre-

ated for the benefit of aquatic

'-lan t managers, i'cgu lators,

tudents and the general mb] IC. Everyday language

is used to describe these plants in two to three minute segments. Nar-rated by I )r. Kenneth Langeland.

Disc One: Float- ing and Floating-leaved Plants, 28 minutes. Fea-

turing 14 of the most common Iloafing and

bating-leaved plants in Florida.

Disc Two: Emersed Plants, 81

minutes. I'eatu ring 37 of the most common emersed plants ill Florida. Disc Three: Submersed Plants, 62 flhitiiites. leatur

ing 24 of the i

C0111111011 solar

plants in Finn

• Disc Four: Grasses, Sedges and

Rushes, 110 tiiitiutes. Featuring 40 aquatic and wetland grasses, sedges and rushes ill Florida.

Aquatic Plants Being Sold at Local Farmer's Market in Santa Barbara, California

Although Water I Iyacinth is

considered a problem in parts of the

Central Valley of California, there

are no restrictions on its sale in Santa

Barbara Cou lily, CA, according to a

California I PC board member. These plants were being sold at a Farmer's

Market with the following adver-tisernetit: "Water hyacinths, Cleans water, Fish food, Good with Fi sli. lrg $3.00, Med $2.00, Small $1.00"

This Farmer's Market example

gets Ken Langeland (University of

Florida) and Pun Schmitz (Florida

Department of Environmental Pro-

tection) asking the question: "Are the

Federal aquatic plant I isting regul1-tioiis adequate?" 131011 suggests that categories be created for Federal Noxious Weeds. For example: ('at-

egory A species like hydrilla, should be banned nationwide, whereas a

Category P species, like water spin-

ach (lpomoea aquatica) should only

he banned by a few states like Florida

where they can be invasive due to

local cli mat Ic conditions. That way

the business community is not penal-

ized for an all or nothing type of

federal regulation and this approach

may result in an easier and less time consuming process of I isti rig new ha rmfui I invasive plant species.

by Amy Richards

'1') \uliiiis- 2Q, '4o3

By Jim Schmidt, Applied Biochemists.

Collectively, problematic ,i Igae

are perhaps some of the most chal-lenging aquatic plants (yes, let's

not torget they are plants) facing and frustrating applicators. There are numerous different forms and species adapted to growing on the water 'All-face, lying on or attached

to the hot toni sediments, or even

suspended throughout the water

column. Identification is difficult

without a microscope, and abun-dance measurements req iii r'e labora-

tory rnetliods. Unlike macrophytes,

algae do not have vascular sys-tenis. 'l'herefore, they transfer very little material, if any, from cell to cell. Controlling them requires the algaecide's active ingredient to con-tact each and every cell, including

those "buried" ill floating lilamen-

tons mats; suspended in plank-

tonic blooriis or hidden deep down

HI 1/It' (lt' C1111, 1 III I, iiiiii' )!41tlt III 1

in mucilaginous henthic (bottom)

niasses. Add to this the fact that

different species have a range of seni-

sitivities to various product formula-

tions, and then factor in the reality that a fixed amount of algaecide

will only control a certain biomass (amount) of algae, gives one lots of

excuses as to why effective control is

not always achieved.

Mitch of what applicators have

learned about algae control has

come from trial and error ex per i - ences irsi ng Various rates of ii itt en'-ent product formulations. Within

the limits of FI'A registered prod-uct label rates, practical experience leaches them the more alcae there

is, the more product often ieeded 'l'he decision as to whether single or multiple applications are made is dictated by environmental conidi-

lions and dosage restrictions. Skilled

professional applicators have also learned the basics of not just apply-

i ng the Product to the water, hut plac-ing it as close to the target algae as

possible. Using high pressure sprays to break up sit rtace mats; injection with drop hoses or sinking granular formulations to contact benthic mats; or evenly applied at the water sLi rlace

for suspended blooms are common, learned techniques.

Relatively rapid contact plus an

even distribution 01'd sit i table dose

of the algaecide's active ingredient

in and around these algal cells, is critical for effective control. There-

fore, understanding someth i rig about the basic chemistry and char-acteristics of the algaecide form u-lationi anti the water can be very helpful ill choosing the most effec-

ive product. Applied Biochemists

has worked With Clemson Un iver-

sit's Dept. of Forestry and Natural

Resources over the past six years ill evaluating

dose-responses plus risk issessmen ts for VIriOLIS lgaecide formulations. this has resulted in the development of wlia

is called an Algal Chal-

lenge 'lst (AC'!'). This

laboratory assessment

measures the effectiveness of differ-

ent algaecides and rates in the actual

site Water containing problem algae. Dozens of algal forms from dozens

of sift's have been "challenged" over these past years with both single and

coninbiniation product treatments. A database is under development and

continues to be expanded as this

reseam'ch continues. Not surprisingly,

this effort has provided scientific doc-

nmneiitatiorm for some of the practical

knowledge a 1ipl icators learn from

their field experiences. I loweven; the

ACT has also provided answers for controlling some of the more trouble-some species they encounter.

Calendar

Sept 20-22, 2007 California Invasive Plant Coun-

cil Symposium

Bahia Resort I lotel, San Diego,

CA. www.cLil-ipc.org

Sept 28, 2007. (eoi'gia Exotic Pest Plant Con n-ci! Invasive Plant Control Workshop hop Invasive plant Control in the

Coastal Plain region: Statesboro,

GA

www.gaeppc.org

October 2-4, 2007

31st Annual Florida Aquatic

Plant Management Society Con-fe re nice Iii Iton St I 'etershu rg. St. l'eters-bin n'g, I' I. www.fapiiis.org/ riieeling.h till l

October 5-7, 2007

Florida Native Plant Society

Members Retreat

Pine Lake Retreat Center, (]er-niiont, El

www.fnps.org

October 30-Nov 2, 2007 Nor[h American I ,ake Man-

agenient Society International

Syniposiu ni

Coronado Springs Resort (Walt

Disney World), Orlando, FL.

www.nalniis.org

November 1-2, 2007

34th Annual Conference er'ence on Eco-systems Restoration & Creation

Hillsborough Com iii U 'm ty Col-lege. Plant City, H

www.hccfl.ed ii! depts/ dcl p /

e'c )con f'. 11 tri'm I

November 12-15, 2007

2007 Annual American Water Resources Association Confer-

ence. Embassy Suites I lotel, Albu-

qnrt'rque, NM. www.iiwra.org

[:all 2007 23

••••'• _

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