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RochesterEnvironment.com

Invasive Species Newslinks - Rochester, NY area 

RochesterEnvironment.com

These NewsLinks represent a decade of ferreting out local online NewsLinks to the issue of Invasive Species. 

The more recent stories are on the top and oldest at the bottom of this list.  Looking for something specific. Use Control + F and search for it on this page.

Although many of these links no longer work, I believe that it is important to be able to find that these stories have existed for ferreting out existing or impending environmental problems. The repercussions of pollution or overuse of a resource often takes a long time for us to recognize and when we finally do, it is invaluable to be able to track the history of various issues before they get to a tipping point and became a crisis.

Also, much that mankind has done to change our environment was accomplished without any knowledge of what the environment was like before changing it, but maybe we will be able to heal our environmental if we archive the news stories so we will be able to unravel the events that led up to the disaster. Students, scientists, historians, and citizens alike should benefit from being able to follow the thread of an issue back through time.

2012

• Scientist: Asian carp would thrive in Lake Erie If the Asian carp reaches Lake Erie in large numbers, it may be coming to stay. A new research article co-authored by a government fish scientist in Erie County predicts the Asian carp would be able to reproduce in large numbers in Lake Erie and its tributaries. The study sounds the alarm about what might happen if the invasive fish makes it into Lake Erie, said Patrick Kocovsky, a research fishery biologist at the U.S. Geological Survey's Lake Erie Biological Station at NASA Plum Brook Station.  (1/23/2011)  Sandusky Register  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Invasion of the Great Lakes: Quagga mussels least known, most dangerous invader - News - Voice News The little known quagga mussel is taking over vast stretches of the Great Lakes, dramatically reducing populations of game and commercial fish and presenting a much more immediate danger to lake ecology than its more famous cousin - the zebra mussel - ever did. In fact, the quagga mussel is out-competing and replacing the zebra mussel.  (January 17, 2012) The Voice [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Dollars continue to flow for Asian carp control PORTAGE | Federal and state officials said Thursday that Asian carp control efforts in the Great Lakes would continue this year with congressional commitments to maintain funding similar to the previous fiscal year. U.S. Asian carp czar John Goss said efforts such as environmental DNA sampling, research on fish habits and rapid response fish catches so far are proving effective in stopping Asian carp from gaining a foothold in the Great Lakes. Goss spoke Thursday at the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee's first Indiana public meeting this year.  (January 12, 2012) nwitimes.com  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• NCPR News - Feral hogs invade Champlain Valley, Adirondacks Invasive plants and animals have been a big problem in the North Country for decades, from Eurasian watermilfoil in Lake George to zebra mussels in the St. Lawrence River. But farmers in the Clinton County town of Peru are wrestling with a new invasive animal - and this one weighs three hundred pounds and comes with razor-sharp tusks. (January 9, 2012) NCPR: North Country Public Radio  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Chicago Waterways Study Stirs Debate on Their Future - NYTimes.com A new Army Corps of Engineers study of Chicago-area waterways has stirred the debate over whether to sever the connection between Lake Michigan and inland waterways that was created by the construction of canals a century ago. The study, released on Dec. 7, is part of the Corps’s nearly decade-long process aimed at preventing invasive species, including voracious Asian carp, from spreading between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River ecosystems.  (December 31, 2012)  The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Invasive Species in our area]

2011

• Removing Infected Trees | Local News - ROCHESTER'S NEWS LEADER NEWSRADIO 1180 WHAM Sections of the Genesee Greenway in Chili cleared of trees hit by the ash borer. Sections of the Genesee Greenway in Chili will be closed for up to two weeks while loggers remove trees infected by the Emerald Ash Borer beetle. New York State Parks is beginning a project Monday to remove Ash trees that have been infected by the beetle or that are in danger of being infected. The project is meant to slow the spread of the beetle and protect trail users. (December 4, 2011) WHAM-AM - ROCHESTER'S NEWS LEADER NEWSRADIO 1180 WHAM [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• NYS Park officials take measures to beat Ash Borers | www.WHEC.com New York State Park Officials will be cutting down trees Monday along the Genesee Greenway. The two week project is to protect the area from Emerald Ash Borers. Infested trees or trees that are susceptible to infestation will be removed along a 4.5 mile portion of the Greenway between the New York State Thruway and Ballantyne Road in Chili.  December 5, 2011) Rochester, NY News | www.WHEC.com [more on Invasive Spices in our area]
• Proposed EPA ballast water regulations criticized - chicagotribune.com Environmental groups say new standard would continue to spread invasive species | Newly proposed ballast water regulations fell flat Thursday with environmental groups that argued the restrictions would not go far enough to thwart the spread of invasive species. Ballast water, which ships carry for stability, has long been known to transmit foreign organisms between bodies of water. The zebra mussel, quagga mussel and round goby, which have wreaked havoc on the Great Lakes ecosystem, are suspected to have arrived through ballast water.  (December 2, 2011) Chicago Tribune: Chicago breaking news, sports, business, entertainment, weather and traffic - chicagotribune.com#&lid=Home&lpos=Main  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• EPA proposes standards for cleansing ship ballast water, leading pathway for invasive species - The Washington Post TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — The Environmental Protection Agency proposed stricter requirements Wednesday for cleaning ballast water that keeps ships upright in rolling seas but enables invasive species to reach U.S. waters, where they have ravaged ecosystems and caused billions of dollars in economic losses. The new standards would require commercial vessels to install technology strong enough to kill at least some of the fish, mussels and even microorganisms such as viruses that lurk in ballast water before it’s dumped into harbors after ships arrive in port. Environmentalists whose lawsuits forced the EPA to implement rules in the first place said the new proposal is largely inadequate.  (November 30, 2011) Washington Post: Breaking News, World, US, DC News & Analysis [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Army Corps to return Asian carp barrier to higher voltage after month-long tests - chicagotribune.com The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced Monday that it is restoring a higher power setting on an electric barrier designed to prevent Asian carp and other fish from using a Chicago-area waterway to migrate between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River systems. The corps announced in October that it was ramping up the juice in the barrier about 37 miles by water from Lake Michigan. But shortly afterward, power was reduced to its previous level because of concerns that it might be affecting signals on a nearby railroad.  (November 28, 2011) Chicago Tribune: Chicago breaking news, sports, business, entertainment, weather and traffic - chicagotribune.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Burn Notice: Don't Move That Firewood! ALBANY, N.Y. - With colder weather ushering in the home heating season, New Yorkers are being warned not to move firewood more than 50 miles beyond its origin because they might be spreading insects and diseases that can destroy Empire State forests. "Buy it where you burn it" is the slogan, aimed partly at folks who have a house in the country or who vacation there. Leigh Greenwood with The Nature Conservancy says bringing firewood back to town - or buying it in town and hauling it to a weekend home - is a bad idea.  (November 10, 2011) Public News Service [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Attack on ash borer includes predatory wasps, saws Trees intentionally sacrificed to attract the winged pest. Tiny wasps released to feed on their larvae. Purple traps set as trip wires to monitor their travels. The emerald ash borer continues to spread east through New York, and experts say the invasive beetle is expected to infest much of the heart of the state and likely emerge in New England in coming years. But they continue to attack the bright green insect, concentrating this year on a major colony in the Hudson Valley, the farthest east it's come so far, and making it a laboratory for ways to find and kill the hungry beetle larvae. (October 30, 2011) PostStar.com - Glens Falls, Saratoga, Lake George NY area news [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Tree-killing bug's presence expanding in New York - Utica, NY - The Observer-Dispatch, Utica, New York ALBANY — An emerald ash borer has been found in a southern Albany County trap, the first discovered north of a major infestation in the Hudson Valley, state officials said Tuesday. Michael Bopp, a Department of Environmental Conservation spokesman, said the destructive beetle was stuck to a purple trap in Selkirk and federal experts confirmed the finding late last week.  (October 26, 2011) Home - Utica, NY - The Observer-Dispatch, Utica, New York  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Emerald ash borer in eastern Monroe County | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com Emerald ash borer beetle infestations have been found in ash trees in Brighton, Pittsford and Penfield — possibly the first active infestations to be found in Monroe County's eastern suburbs. These latest infestations were confirmed over the past few weeks by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County and Broccolo Tree & Lawn Care in Henrietta.  (October 25, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Current efforts to stop Asian carp not sustainable, experts say  Group floats 3 options for severing Great Lakes-Mississippi River link | Amid concerns that current efforts to stop the influx of Asian carp in Illinois may not be sustainable, a coalition of Great Lakes states and cities on Thursday proposed a controversial plan to install metal and concrete barriers to separate the Mississippi River from Lake Michigan, effectively re-reversing the flow of the Chicago River. The plan was included in the preliminary findings of a study being conducted by the Great Lakes Commission and the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative. The coalition met at the Shedd Aquarium to discuss the findings and announce it was seeking public comment on the proposal. (October 21, 2011) Chicago-area local news: The latest local news from the Chicago Tribune - chicagotribune.com  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Reversal of Great Lakes invasive species rules feared - Utica, NY - The Observer-Dispatch, Utica, New York MILWAUKEE — Just a month before the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is set to release new rules to protect the Great Lakes from overseas ships carrying in invasive species, legislation is moving through Congress that conservation groups say might roll back those protections. The Commercial Vessel Discharge Reform Act of 2011 "would eliminate the federal obligation to prevent the introduction of invasive species into the Great Lakes through vessels' ballast water discharges," states a release from a coalition of conservation groups. (October 18, 2011) Home - Utica, NY - The Observer-Dispatch, Utica, New York [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• MSU sea lamprey research will aid in battle against Great Lakes invader | Lansing State Journal | lansingstatejournal.com “For an ancient species, their use of pheromones is exquisitely complex,” said Dale Burkett, sea lamprey program director at the Great Lakes Fishery Commission. “Most of their brain power is focused on sorting out chemical signals.” But scientists at Michigan State University have discovered ways to turn the creature’s nose against it, new weapons in the constant battle to keep the blood-sucking invaders from decimating the populations of trout, salmon and other large fish in the Great Lakes and destroying the $7 billion industry they support.  (September 23, 2011) Lansing State Journal | Lansing news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Lansing, Michigan | lansingstatejournal.com  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Illinois eats its Asian carp - JSOnline It is a stark reminder that the Asian carp infestation that has overwhelmed stretches of river in the Mississippi River basin and is now threatening the waters of the Great Lakes isn't going to go away anytime soon: The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has hired a Louisiana chef for a made-for-media event later this week to demonstrate just how good these fish can be to eat. It's part of the Target Hunger Now campaign, a state-sponsored humanitarian effort to turn the jumbo jumping carp into "healthy, ready-to-serve meals" for the needy. The program also provides venison to the poor.  (September 20, 2011) Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Breaking news, sports, business, watchdog journalism, multimedia in Wisconsin  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• City has treated 4,300 ash trees | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com Rochester forestry workers finished insecticide applications on the last of 4,300 ash trees last week, a key part of the city's defense against invasive emerald ash borers. The insects, native to Asia, were first detected in New York in 2009. Since that time ash borers have been detected in scattered locations in nine New York counties, six of them in this part of the state and three in the Catskills region.  (September 6, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Invasive Species in this area]
• 08/19/2011: EPA Awards More Than $300,000 to Paul Smith’s College to Control Invasive Species; Grant is One of Nine Awarded to New York for Great Lakes Restoration Work (New York, N.Y.) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded Paul Smith’s College in the Adirondacks a $332,869 grant to implement a recreational boat inspection program that will prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species – including zebra mussels, spiny water flea and Eurasian water milfoil plants – in the headwaters of eastern Lake Ontario in the western Adirondack Park. Invasive species are a problem in much of the Great Lakes region, but have largely not reached eastern Lake Ontario or its surrounding watersheds. “Protecting and restoring the health of the Great Lakes is a priority for EPA and the Obama Administration, and this grant to Paul Smith’s College will help prevent invasive species like zebra mussels – already a problem throughout the Great Lakes – from reaching eastern Lake Ontario watersheds,” said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. “The boat inspection program that this grant will fund is a way to address the problem of invasive species before it has a chance to reach eastern Lake Ontario watersheds.”  (August 19, 2011) U.S. EPA Newsroom - News Releases [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Ballast system may kill Great Lakes invasives | Green Bay Press Gazette | greenbaypressgazette.com DULUTH, Minn. — Researchers have conducted a large-scale test of a new system to kill invasive species hiding in the ballast water of Great Lakes freighters and expect to get test results back next month. Crews recently pumped lye into two of 10 ballast tanks inside the 1,000-foot Indiana Harbor as it left Gary, Ind., treating 1.8 million gallons of ballast water. The chemical then was neutralized with carbon dioxide as the boat traveled across Lake Superior before releasing the ballast water in the Duluth-Superior harbor.  (August 24, 2011) Green Bay Press Gazette | Green Bay news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Green Bay, Wisconsin | greenbaypressgazette.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• State Implements Quarantine to Prevent Spread of Emerald Ash Borer - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today added Orange County to its eastern state quarantine area (Ulster and Greene Counties) to prevent the spread of the invasive Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), a tree-killing beetle. The Emergency Quarantine Order encompasses all of Orange County and restricts the movement of ash trees, ash products, and firewood from all wood species in order to limit the potential introduction of EAB to other areas of the state. The amended order, which includes updated rules and regulations, will go into effect 10 days after filing with the clerks of the affected counties and would remain in effect until modified by further order or permanent rulemaking. With Orange County added, a total of nineteen counties in New York will be quarantined. (August 23, 2011) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• 08/19/2011: EPA Awards More Than $300,000 to Paul Smith’s College to Control Invasive Species; Grant is One of Nine Awarded to New York for Great Lakes Restoration Work (New York, N.Y.) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded Paul Smith’s College in the Adirondacks a $332,869 grant to implement a recreational boat inspection program that will prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species – including zebra mussels, spiny water flea and Eurasian water milfoil plants – in the headwaters of eastern Lake Ontario in the western Adirondack Park. Invasive species are a problem in much of the Great Lakes region, but have largely not reached eastern Lake Ontario or its surrounding watersheds.  (August 19, 2011) U.S. EPA Newsroom - News Releases [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Beetle that's killed 70 million ash trees nears Lower Hudson Valley | The Journal News | LoHud.com In as little as a few weeks, the Lower Hudson Valley could welcome its newest invasive pest: the emerald ash borer, a tiny beetle from China that experts say has killed more than 70 million ash trees across the country. The bug was spotted this summer on the campus of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and is working its way south, experts say.  (August 13, 2011) The Journal News | Westchester, Rockland, Putnam news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, New York | LoHud.com  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Wild boars go hog-wild as upstate threat - Times Union ALBANY -- Capital Region homeowners know the frustration of having deer devour their bushes or rabbits ravage their bulbs. Now there's a new animal poised to chomp its way through our yards: wild boar. Don't worry, wild boars aren't tearing up local lawns or golf courses the way they are in Florida and Texas, but the large, rambunctious creatures have been spotted in Washington County and the Adirondacks. Wildlife experts report they have a solid hoof-hold in parts of Central New York and the Southern Tier. (August 13, 2011) Albany, Troy, Schenectady, Saratoga News, Weather, Sports, Capitol | timesunion.com - Times Union [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Great Lakes eels are a conservation challenge | Great Lakes Echo Something slithers beneath the surface of the Great Lakes and it’s not a sea lamprey. It might look similar, but the mysterious American eel isn’t a sucker. And it’s in trouble. Its population is decreasing dramatically and no one is sure why. The fish is native to Lake Ontario, but man-made locks and canals expanded its range to the other lakes, said Steve Patch, a fish and wildlife biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (August 11, 2011) Great Lakes Echo - Environmental news across the basin [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Negative Image Aside, Asian Carp Are a Boon - NYTimes.com When federal and state environmental regulators spent a few days at Lake Calumet in Chicago earlier this month fishing for Asian carp with stun guns and half-mile-wide nets, their hunt seemed to underscore the carp’s status as the Midwest’s ecological enemy No. 1. The subject of endless debate over the best control strategies, Asian carp, an invasive species, have earned a place of dread in local lore. None, however, were found in the Lake Calumet search, and some scientists say the ecological concerns may be overblown. For many people, Asian carp are proving more boon than bane. Bolstered by government support, the Asian carp harvest has leapt thirtyfold in the past decade, creating a new industry, attracting fishermen and entrepreneurs, and feeding people all over the world.  (August 12, 2011) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Alien Invaders Make Home in the Finger Lakes! | Happenings Alien invaders are referred to by several names, and I am not talking about UFOs, extraterrestrials or Martians. Zebra mussels, sea lamprey, and purple loosestrife are examples of alien species—also known as introduced, non-native, or exotic species—that have managed to spread from their native region and establish in new environments. The non-native species I mention above are all examples of non-native invasive species, as they cause economic and/or environmental harm to the recipient region. However, not all non-native species are invasive. For example, the honey bee, ring-necked pheasant, and brown trout are also non-native to North America, but we typically do not categorize them as invasive since they benefit humans. Invasive species can also be native to a region if their impact on resident ecosystems is perceived to be negative; examples of native invasion species in North American include the American crow and Canada goose.  (August 1, 2011) Finger Lakes Institute August 2011 Happenings [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Invasive species rule threatens St. Lawrence shipping - Technology & Science - CBC News A New York state regulation intended to protect the St. Lawrence Seaway from invasive species may cripple shipping and hit Canada's economy hard, the shipping industry warns. The new state regulation, which goes into effect in 2013, requires all ships entering New York waters to carry on-board water treatment systems and show they have extremely low levels of organisms in ballast water that may include invasive species.  (August 10, 2011) CBC News - Latest Canada, World, Entertainment and Business News [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• New green ships to flush out Great Lakes invaders - The Globe and Mail On a clear day, flying west out of Pearson International Airport over Lake Ontario reveals a constellation of cargo ships crisscrossing the water to busy ports in Toronto, Hamilton and Detroit. Although they look like toys from this height, these vessels can measure more than 200 metres long and carry upward of 25,000 tonnes of wheat, corn or iron ore. At full speed with their cargo holds full, these massive ships can burn through one tonne of freighter fuel an hour.  (August 10, 2011) Home - The Globe and Mail [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• ENVIRONMENT: Bored to death by the emerald ash borer - News Articles - Rochester City Newspaper With its vibrant, metallic green shell, the tiny emerald ash borer is almost a thing of beauty. Or it could be, if it wasn't so destructive. The invasive beetle, which is native to Asia, has laid waste to vast tracts of ash trees in states west of New York. The beetle caught some communities by surprise early in its decade-long spread, leaving tree casualties totaling in the millions, consisting of every variety of ash. Clear-cut streets became emblematic of the infestations.  (August 11, 2011) Rochester NY News, Events, Restaurants, Music, Entertainment, Nightlife - Rochester City Newspaper [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Invasive clams reach Finger Lakes | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — Dive teams that spread underwater mats to smother invasive Asian clams in an Adirondack lake this spring are now sifting the sandy bottom of a lake in New York's Finger Lakes wine country to determine how widely the water-befouling mollusks have spread there. An interim report released last week on a $475,000 effort to eradicate Asian clams in Lake George said mats spread on five acres of lake bottom have killed more than 97 percent of the clams. But it recommended additional work, such as suction harvesting.  (Aug 1, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Drop the wood! NY cracks down on destructive bugs | Press & Sun-Bulletin | pressconnects.com With the stepped-up enforcement, New York is following the lead of states to the west that have battled the pest now threatening New England, where sticky purple hanging traps are popping up on trees to provide early warning. The stakes are high: Timber products are a multibillion international business employing about 26,000 people in New York alone. And research hasn't yet yielded a way to destroy the borers en masse.  (July 27, 2011) Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York | pressconnects.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• NCPR News - New York's tough ballast water rules attacked in Congress New York state is facing new pressure to scrap tough ballast water regulations that are set to go into effect next year. The rules are designed to stop invasive species from reaching the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Great Lakes. But as Brian Mann reports, Republicans in Congress say New York should be stripped of hundreds of millions of dollars in Federal EPA funding if the regulations aren't scrapped. (July 27, 2011) NCPR: North Country Public Radio [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Emerald Ash Borer Found In Orange County - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation State to Expand Quarantine New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens and New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (DAM) Commissioner Darrel J. Aubertine today announced a new discovery of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) on the U.S. Military Academy at West Point campus in Orange County. The EAB is a small but destructive beetle that infests and kills North American ash tree species, including green, white, black, and blue ash. Commissioner Martens said: "DEC, with its federal and state partners, is committed to working in the Hudson Valley and western New York, to slow the spread of EAB. Our collaborative Slow Ash Mortality initiative uses early detection, prevention, outreach and regulatory enforcement to slow the growth of EAB populations. Awareness and preparedness are the best defense available to stop the sprawl of EAB to new areas."  (July 21, 2011) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Keeping out Asian carp | The News-Messenger | thenews-messenger.com PORT CLINTON -- Measures the government is taking to keep the invasive Asian carp -- a species that threatens to topple the Great Lakes ecosystems -- out of Lake Michigan are working, officials said Thursday. The electric barriers on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal system near Chicago have held back the fish and appear to have kept the species from entering the Great Lakes, said Maj. Gen. John W. Peabody of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which regulates the barriers.  (July 8, 2011) The News-Messenger | Fremont news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Fremont, Ohio | thenews-messenger.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Agency warns NY: Beware the giant hogweed | www.WHEC.com (AP) A monster plant with flowers the size of umbrellas and sap that causes blisters and blindness is spreading across New York. It's the giant hogweed, an invasive species, and the Department of Environmental Conservation is asking for help locating outbreaks so they can send crews to nip it in the bud. (July 5, 2011) Rochester, NY News | www.WHEC.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Scientists favor divide for Great Lakes, Mississippi | wisconsinoutdoorfun.com | Wisconsin Outdoor Fun Wisconsin Hunting, Fishing, Camping| Wisconsin Hiking, Biking, ATV TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — No additional study is necessary to prove that separating the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River systems is the only way to prevent invasive species such as Asian carp from migrating between them and doing serious ecological and economic harm, a team of scientists said Thursday. In a newly released paper, the scientists said opponents of severing the manmade link between the two watersheds were spreading myths, including that electric barriers are enough to stop the unwanted carp from entering Lake Michigan through a Chicago-area shipping canal. (July 1, 2011) wisconsinoutdoorfun.com | Wisconsin Outdoor Fun | Wisconsin Hunting, Fishing, Camping| Wisconsin Hiking, Biking, ATV [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• New York: Invasive Insect Infestations Spread Further North, Threatening Hemlock Forests In New York, climate change may make it easier for an invasive species to continue its spread to hemlock forests further to the north. The threat comes from the hemlock woolly adelgid, an aphid-like insect that feeds on hemlock trees. The species gets its name from the fuzzy, white masses that the females produce. The adelgid uses its long mouth to extract nutrients from hemlock needles. This disrupts the flow of nutrients in the tree. Needles dry out, turn color, and drop off. Larger limbs start dying off within a couple of years. Trees become badly damaged and in many cases die after several years. (June 24, 2011) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Emerald Ash Borer Detected In Buffalo - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation Collaborative Control Efforts Underway to Contain First Infestation Found in Erie County The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced an infestation of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) was found in the City of Buffalo's South Park. This is the first EAB infestation to be detected in Erie County. EAB is a small but destructive beetle that infests and kills North American ash tree species, including green, white, black and blue ash. "The discovery of the Emerald Ash Borer in Buffalo is extremely unfortunate but not surprising," DEC Commissioner Joe Martens said. "Despite multi-state efforts to curtail its expansion, EAB has spread across the northeastern United States over the last decade. DEC is coordinating with federal and local government partners across the state to prevent the further spread of this destructive insect, especially outside of the quarantine areas. Awareness and preparedness are our best defenses, both of which are emphasized in DEC's strategic Slow Ash Mortality (SLAM) program."  (June 16, 2011) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• New emerald ash borer finds in western NY parks - WSJ.com BUFFALO, N.Y. — A destructive beetle that's been killing ash trees from the Midwest to upstate New York has been found at parks in Buffalo and Rochester. Environmental officials say one emerald ash borer infestation involves about a dozen trees in Buffalo's South Park, the first find in Erie County. A city official says Thursday 2 percent of the city's street trees and 10 percent in parks are ash.  (June 16, 2011) Business News & Financial News - The Wall Street Journal - Wsj.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Ash borers take up residence in city park | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com Welcome to NYIS.INFO, the website of the New York Invasive Species Clearinghouse. NYIS.INFO is your gateway to science-based information, breaking news, and new and innovative tools to prevent, detect, control and manage biological invaders in New York. NYIS.INFO links scientific research, State and Federal management programs and policy information, outreach education and grassroots invasive species action to help you become part of the battle against invasive species in and around New York. (June 16, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Emerald Ash Borer Infest Rochester Trees - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com Rochester, N.Y- Several trees are infested with the deadly Emerald Ash Borer in and around Upper Falls Park on St. Paul Street. City Forestry officials say seventeen ash trees in the area are infested and one of them has died.  (June 15, 2011) Home - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Emerald ash borer burrows way into budget debate | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com WASHINGTON — The policy debate over how to reduce the federal deficit has reached the insect level. The emerald ash borer became part of the debate earlier this week when New York's senior senator protested proposed cuts to the Agriculture Department's budget for eradicating invasive species. The beetle, a native of Asia, is destroying ash trees in 14 states in the Midwest and Northeast.  (June 10, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Senator: Millions of trees at risk due to emerald ash borer - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Finger Lakes, N.Y. — U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer said today millions of trees statewide, including 125 million in the Finger Lakes region, are at risk due to the emerald ash borer insect invading the state.  (June 09, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Invasive Asian carp could take to life in Lake Erie, researchers say | Detroit Free Press | freep.com Two researchers have found that western Lake Erie and its tributaries, including the Maumee River, would make a fine home for Asian carp. There's already proof: Three Asian carp have been found in Lake Erie in the last 15 years, and the invasive species appeared quite healthy and to be growing rapidly, said Duane Chapman, a U.S. Geological Survey scientist and one of the authors of the new paper. (June 3, 2011) Detroit Free Press | Detroit news, sports, community, entertainment, and classifieds. Serving Detroit, Michigan | freep.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Rochester ash trees to be treated against ash borer | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com City crews began treating public ash trees in southwest Rochester with an insecticide this week, the start of a massive effort to save nearly 4,400 such trees citywide from the emerald ash borer beetle. The project will move through the city counterclockwise.  (June 03, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Recycling in our area] [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• WXXI: City Begins Defense Against Emerald Ash Borer (2011-05-31) ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) - Forestry crews in Rochester are starting to treat more than 4,000 ash trees throughout the city to protect them from a destructive beetle. The Emerald Ash Borer beetle has killed tens of millions of ash trees in 15 states. It was discovered here in Monroe County last year.  (May 31, 2011) WXXI NewsRoom [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Ash borers are here to stay | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com The 2011 population of emerald ash borers is about to emerge from upstate New York ash trees and fly off in search of new trees to colonize — and ultimately kill. The extent of their spread likely won't be known until later this year, however. Experts predict that the invasive insects eventually will decimate New York's 900 million green, white, blue and black ash trees. (May 30, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• A Great Lakes Invader is Doing Some Good - Chicago News Cooperative When University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee professor John Jannssen found a round goby in Calumet Harbor in 1994, he feared the worst. The small fish with an almost endearing wide-eyed stare reproduces prolifically and eats voraciously. Jannssen and other scientists expected it to gobble up the eggs of prized sport fish and hog the mussels and snails that other fish would normally eat. Today millions of round gobies are thriving in the waters of Lake Michigan off Chicago and throughout much of the Great Lakes. But as is often the case with invasive species, their ecological impact has not been devastating, but complicated–even beneficial in some cases. (May 26, 2011) Chicago News Cooperative - Reporting and Analysis About What Matters in Chicago [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Watertown Daily Times | Invasive species imports flagged WASHINGTON — Ships on the St. Lawrence Seaway receive much of the blame for bringing pests from foreign lands into the Great Lakes waterway, but this week environmental groups are turning to another culprit: pets gone bad. The shipment of exotic fish and other aquatic life threatens the St. Lawrence River and Great Lakes ecosystems about as much as any ship, say advocates for tighter controls on invasive species. They are spending two days this week lobbying lawmakers to pass legislation requiring more scrutiny of animals and plants proposed for shipment into the United States. (May 25, 2011) Watertown Daily Times | Local News, Sports, Features, and Community Information for Jefferson County, St. Lawrence County, and Lewis County in Northern New York [more on Invasive Species in our region]
• EAB: If you see something, squish something | 520 - An Environmental Blog | Rochester Democrat and Chronicle It’s Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week, here in New York and in various other places afflicted by the green menace. Gov. Andrew Cuomo is said to have proclaimed it EAB Awareness Week, though I’m not sure how into the ash borers he really is. The Department of Environmental Conservation, which is into the ash borers and the 900 million Empire State ash trees they threaten, issued this statement.  (May 24, 2011) 520 - An Environmental Blog | Rochester Democrat and Chronicle [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Federal, state officials announce plan to protect Great Lakes from Asian carp | cleveland.com CHICAGO -- Federal and state officials announced on Monday an updated plan to prevent Asian carp from escaping the Chicago River system, or other waterways, and establishing themselves in Lake Michigan and the other Great Lakes. However, the program falls short of totally cutting off the Illinois waterway -- as sought by officials around the Great Lakes trying to protect a $7 billion sport and commercial fishing industry.  (May 23, 2011) Cleveland OH Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - cleveland.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• DEC Announces Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation Urges All Residents to Help Fight Infestation and Tree Damage The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Awareness Week will be held from May 22 - May 28, 2011 to encourage state residents and visitors to become better educated about the emerald ash borer and the destruction it causes to trees. In observance of EAB Awareness Week, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo issued a proclamation urging all New Yorkers to exercise environmental stewardship to protect trees from infestation that can be devastating to landscapes, habitats and forest product industries. DEC Commissioner Joe Martens said, "New Yorkers have a shared commitment to stewardship of our environment. EAB is a destructive invasive species that threatens the health of our forests and our goal is to educate residents about how they can help protect our trees. (May 23, 2011) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Bug is raising a 'stink' downstate | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com HIGHLAND — An invading stink bug is on the move in downstate New York and there's more to worry about than just its bad smell. The Asian brown marmorated stink bug has been spotted in the Hudson Valley and — based on the trail it left behind to the south — experts are worried crop damage will soon follow.  (April 23, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more in Invasive Species in our area]
• Watch list predicts Great Lakes’ future nonnatives | Great Lakes Echo As many agencies try to rid the Great Lakes of foreign plants and animals causing ecological havoc, a team from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently identified the region’s “future” invaders. Staff compiled a “watch list” of 52 nonnative crustaceans, fish, plants and invertebrates. Perhaps to no one’s surprise, two species of Asian carp—bighead and silver—topped the list. Five Great Lakes states continue a court battle to close Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal locks to stem the carp’s advance.  (April 13, 2011) Great Lakes Echo - Environmental news across the basin [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Great Lakes agency fears lamprey program cuts - chicagotribune.com TRAVERSE CITY, Mich.— Proposed cutbacks in federal spending could wipe out years of progress toward controlling sea lampreys in the Great Lakes and restoring fish species devastated by the parasitic invaders, officials say. The U.S. and Canadian governments have cooperated since the 1950s on reducing the population of lampreys, eel-like creatures that slithered into the lakes from the Atlantic Ocean through shipping canals. A combination of trapping, sterilization and application of poisons in streams where they spawn has dropped their numbers by about 90 percent, enabling fish such as lake trout to begin recovering. (April 10, 2011) Chicago Tribune: Chicago news, sports, weather and traffic - chicagotribune.com#&lid=Home&lpos=Main [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Foundation grant boosts invasive species program - AdirondackDailyEnterprise.com | News, Sports, Jobs, Saranac Lake region — Adirondack Daily Enterprise KEENE VALLEY - The Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program has received a private foundation grant of $170,000 for invasive species prevention and control in 2011, it announced Monday. "I have been impressed with APIPP's leadership on the problem of invasive species and with the effectiveness of the program since its inception," said Alexander Gilchrist, one of the Wallace Research Foundation board of directors. The Wallace Research Foundation does not accept unsolicited funding requests. (March 30, 2011) Adirondack Daily Enterprise  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Great Lakes barrier may be too weak to stop carp | Reuters (Reuters) - Voltage coursing through electrical barriers designed to keep invasive Asian carp out of the Great Lakes may need to be raised to keep out juvenile fish, U.S. officials said on Friday. The Army Corps of Engineers has mounted a multimillion-dollar effort to keep voracious Bighead and Silver Carp that now infest the Mississippi River Basin out of the Great Lakes, where scientists predict they could decimate the lakes' $7 billion fishery.  (March 25, 2011) Business & Financial News, Breaking US & International News | Reuters.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Asian carp threat prompts crisis exercise - Windsor - CBC News Federal, Ont. experts practice emergency response to possible carp invasion in Great Lakes | It's not every day emergency response experts gather to test their readiness to deal with a fish. But the Asian carp is no ordinary fish, and so on Friday, a boardroom in the Peterborough offices of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) is being turned into a temporary war room of sorts. It marks the first time government experts have come together to simulate an invasive-species emergency. "We've run emergency-preparedness exercises before for influenza outbreaks," said Eric Boysen, director of the MNR's biodiversity branch. "We've done them for ice storms. We said we want to run one for Asian carp."  (March 14, 2011) CBC News - Latest Canada, World, Entertainment and Business News  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Asian carp fight gets boost in Washington | Detroit Free Press | freep.com WASHINGTON – Two Michigan members of Congress say legislation that would force the Army Corps of Engineers to come up with a plan to keep invasive Asian carp out of Lake Michigan in the next year-and-a-half has a good chance of passage, with Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin on board. U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Democrat, held a news conference today on the legislation which she is writing along with U.S. Rep. Dave Camp, Midland Republican who will push the bill in the House.  (March 3, 2011) Detroit Free Press | Detroit news, sports, community, entertainment, and classifieds. Serving Detroit, Michigan | freep.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Going Green: Emerald Ash Borer - YNN, Your News Now The emerald ash borer is lethal to a very popular tree in New York State, the ash tree. It was first discovered in the western part of the state, Cattaraugus County, in 2009. “Unfortunately, last year we found a very large infestation in Ulster County and that infestation is also believed to be in Greene County too right up against the western shore of the Hudson River. That is where we see the front line of the emerald ash borer movement east so we're putting a lot effort this year into determining the exact location of this invasive species working with the United States Forest Service and several other state partners,” said Rob Davies, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.  (February 27, 2011) TOP STORIES - Rochester - YNN, Your News Now [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Asian carp chief outlines federal government efforts - JSOnline Official questioned on pace of Army Corps' study | President Barack Obama's Asian carp chief appeared in downtown Milwaukee Tuesday to outline efforts the federal government is taking to protect the world's largest freshwater system from one of the region's most dreaded invasive species - the jumping, ecosystem-ravaging carp. "We've all learned to live with different waves of invasions," said John Goss of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. As Goss spoke, he stood in a downtown conference room that overlooks the blue waters of a Lake Michigan that in recent years has been rocked by such noxious invaders as sea lamprey, alewives, zebra mussels, quagga mussels, round gobies, spiny water fleas and the fish-killing viral disease known as VHS.  (February 15, 2011) Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Breaking news, sports, business, watchdog journalism, multimedia in Wisconsin  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• New mussels becoming Canandaigua Lake nuisance - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Canandaigua, N.Y. — The zebra mussels that have called Canandaigua Lake home are being pushed out by a new invasive species — the quagga mussel. Bruce Gilman, professor of environmental conservation and horticulture at Finger Lakes Community College, said the quagga mussels have probably been in the lake for a year or two, given their length of about two centimeters. At this point, Gilman suspects they make up the majority of the lake’s mussel population.  (February 15, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Asian carp aren't only invasive threat to Lake Erie | thenews-messenger.com | The News-Messenger A small invasive fish is competing directly against an important native fish species for food in Lake Erie, according to new Ohio Sea Grant research. Invasive round gobies feed at roughly the same time of day as native smallmouth bass, allowing gobies to greatly affect bass, the lake's third most popular sport fish. Dr. Chris Winslow, of Kutztown University and research students at The Ohio State University's Stone Laboratory, used results from SCUBA diving, videotaping and trawling to determine that round gobies feed from early morning through early evening, which directly overlaps with smallmouth bass activity. This causes the goby to have a large impact on juvenile smallmouth bass feeding behavior.  (February 3, 2011) thenews-messenger.com | The News-Messenger | Fremont news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Fremont, Ohio [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• E.P.A. Plans New Limits on Toxic Chemicals in Drinking Water WASHINGTON — The Obama administration said Wednesday that it would impose limits on permissible levels of a new set of toxic chemicals in drinking water, including the first standards for perchlorate, a dangerous compound found in rocket fuel and fireworks that has contaminated water supplies in 26 states. (February 2, 2011) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia  [more on Water Quality in our area]
• The Canadian Press: Obama's Asian carp director says government moving quickly as possible to protect Great Lakes TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — The U.S. federal government is committed to keeping Asian carp out of the Great Lakes and is putting a strategy in place as quickly as possible, despite complaints of foot-dragging, the Obama administration's point man on the issue said Thursday. John Goss, Asian carp director in the White House Council on Environmental Quality, said agencies had made significant progress in 2010 that includes adding a third tier to an electric barrier south of Chicago and erecting fencing to stop the unwanted fish from reaching Lakes Michigan or Erie by hopscotching across tributary waterways during flooding.  (January 28, 2011) Canadian news press - Canada news by The Canadian Press [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Study looks to correct 'sad history of invasives' | greenbaypressgazette.com | Green Bay Press Gazette Great Lakes analysis includes Asian carp  | By 2015, a regional study will determine the necessary action needed to keep many invasive species from inhabiting the Great Lakes, the Mississippi River and many connected waterways. (January 26, 2011) greenbaypressgazette.com | Green Bay Press Gazette | Green Bay news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Green Bay, WI [more on Invasive Species in our region)
• Local anglers: 2015 too late to block carp | thetimesherald.com | The Times Herald "Too little, too late," is what local fishermen and environmentalists are saying about a $25 million U.S. Army Corps of Engineers study of the possible separation of the Mississippi River and Great Lakes watersheds. The study, to conclude in 2015, is designed to provide Congress with feasible options for separating the watersheds to prevent transfer of aquatic nuisance species, including Asian carp. The public can voice opinions and ask questions about the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study through March 31 during meetings in various locations throughout the affected areas. (January 19, 2011) thetimesherald.com | The Times Herald | Port Huron, Mich. news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Port Huron, Mich., Michigan [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Invasive species are 'waiting on the doorstep' of the Great Lakes, scientists say | MLive.com While public attention has been riveted on the Asian carp’s progress toward Lake Michigan, scientists are mapping out just what the next invasion might be and what, if anything, could be done to stop it. A team of university and government researchers has identified 75 species that could find their way into the Great Lakes basin over time. Some of them are bad actors.  (January 14, 2011) Michigan Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - MLive.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Invasive species rules stall | detnews.com | The Detroit News Conservationists warn slow progress on ballast water, Asian carp may prove costly | A year after the Asian carp's threat to the Great Lakes threw a national spotlight on invasive species, critics say no definitive action on the issue's two key focal points has been made. Ballast water from oceangoing ships, considered the largest source of invasive species in the Great Lakes, remains largely unregulated. And the Mississippi River system, where the Asian carp is firmly entrenched, remains connected to the Great Lakes.  (January 17, 2011) Detroit News [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Great Lakes states, cities fast-track own research on Asian carp - JSOnline Study will focus on how to re-engineer Chicago canal to block fish | Even as grumbles are growing that the U.S. Army Corps is lumbering along at a barge's pace on its study to figure out how to block Asian carp from swimming up the Chicago canal system and invading Lake Michigan, the Great Lakes states and cities are fast-tracking their own research into how to block the leaping, ecosystem-ravaging fish. Congress gave the Army Corps orders in 2007 - and then money in 2009 - to figure out how to stanch the flow of nuisance species such as Asian carp between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi basin. The Army Corps is just now getting to the meat of that $25 million study, and agency officials say it likely won't be done until 2015.  (January 11, 2011) Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Breaking news, sports, business, watchdog journalism, multimedia in Wisconsin [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Carp gain access lane to Lake Erie - Outdoors - The Buffalo News Those notorious leaping Asian carp now appear to have inland-waterway access to Western New York waters. "Bighead and silver carp have been identified in the Ohio/Allegany River watershed system and in smaller tributaries," said Donald Zelazny, Department of Environmental Conservation Great Lakes Program Coordinator.  (January 8, 2011) The Buffalo News - breaking local news, sports, business, entertainment, weather and multimedia [more on Invasive Species in our area]

2010

• Federal rules urged for ballast from ships using Great Lakes | Great Lakes Echo LANSING — Several years after Michigan and other Great Lakes states imposed tougher regulations on ships, there’s still a call by environmental groups, biologists and shippers for federal rules. State standards for ballast developed piecemeal, and Carl Lindquist, the executive director of the Superior Watershed Partnership and Land Trust based in Marquette, said they were a step in the right direction. But ballast water is still carrying invasive species, he said. “The current policy, while well-intended, is not comprehensive enough to address the issue,” said Lindquist, “The bottom line is that oceangoing ships continue to introduce invasive species into the Great Lakes ecosystem.” (December 14, 2010) Great Lakes Echo - Environmental news across the basin [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• ENVIRONMENT: Bracing for ash borer - News Articles - Rochester City Newspaper The sighting of the destructive emerald ash borer in Chili earlier this year has put other Monroe communities on notice. The ash borer is a small, shimmering blue-green beetle whose larvae burrow through the cambium of ash trees, essentially disrupting a tree's circulatory system and killing it. Preventing infestations can be pricey. The trees can be preemptively cut down or they can be chemically treated, but both options have significant price tags. For example, Rochester City Council plans to spend $460,500 to treat up to 4,700 ash trees - at an estimated $45 a pop, though cost varies depending on size - and to remove 400 others.  (December 15, 2010) Rochester NY News, Events, Restaurants, Music, Entertainment, Nightlife - Rochester City Newspaper  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Cornell Chronicle: On-farm method controls invasive beetle After 21 years of work, Cornell researchers are spreading the word about an on-farm biocontrol method to solve the problems caused by the destructive invasive species alfalfa snout beetle (ASB). The 30-page "Rearing and Applying Nematodes to Control Alfalfa Snout Beetle" manual that condenses the Cornell research on the pest is available online free of charge. (November 29, 2010) Cornell Center for a Sustainable Future - News [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Rochester seeks to save 4,700 trees from ash borer | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle City officials want to treat and save, at least for now, up to 4,700 ash trees but will cut down an additional 400 in advance of the deadly emerald ash borer. Mayor Robert Duffy asked City Council this week to authorize $460,500 from the city's insurance (November 29, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• $25M study of invasive species suggested | greenbaypressgazette.com | Green Bay Press Gazette CHICAGO — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' plan to study how to prevent invasive species — including the voracious Asian carp — from migrating between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River watersheds, is a "massive and complex" effort that could take years.  The primary focus of the estimated $25 million study will be on Chicago-area waterways, where canals provide the only direct connection between the two basins. But the Corps also will look at other areas where flooding could allow invasive species to slip from one watershed to the other. (November 26, 2010) greenbaypressgazette.com | Green Bay Press Gazette | Green Bay news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Green Bay, WI [more on Invasive species in our area]
• Asian carp create nagging fear in Lake Erie towns - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Wheatley, Ontario — Well before dawn, Todd Loop takes his fishing tug onto Lake Erie in pursuit of yellow perch, walleye and other delicacies — a livelihood that has sustained his family for three generations but faces a future as murky as the freshwater sea on a moonless night. Already ravaged by exotic species such as the sea lamprey and quagga mussel, the Great Lakes soon may be invaded by Asian carp, greedy giants that suck plankton from the water with the brutal efficiency of vacuum cleaners. Scientists are unsure how much damage they would do, but a worst-case scenario has them unraveling the aquatic food web by crowding out competitors and decimating a fishing industry valued at more than $7 billion. (November 27, 2010) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• City culling invasive maples from Cobbs Hill | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle City crews and volunteers have been cutting down and uprooting trees in Washington Grove, the highly prized old forest on the slope of Cobbs Hill. They're trying to save the forest by removing the trees — specifically, the Norway maples that have appeared amid the ancient oaks and hickories.  (November 15, 2010) emocratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York  [more on Climate Change in our area]   [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Officials find signs of Asian carp above the electric barrier | freep.com | Detroit Free Press The Army Corps of Engineers has found new signs of Asian carp beyond the electric barrier in Illinois that was built to hold the big fish back. On its website, the Corps noted that it found signs of bighead and silver carp, the two types of Asian carp previously found near and just inside Lake Michigan, at several spots beyond the barriers in testing Oct. 13. Officials did not immediately return calls to discuss those results. (November 9, 2010) freep.com | Detroit Free Press | Detroit news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Detroit, MI [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Environmental invaders - News Articles - Rochester City Newspaper Cutting down groups of mature trees in a park usually doesn't sit well with the public. And some people were upset when Sierra Club volunteers and city crews began taking out Norway maples in Washington Grove Park. | But there was a reason for it: the Norway maple tree is an invasive species that grows relatively quickly and can crowd out important native species, says Peter Debes, a Sierra Club member who's been involved with the project (November 9, 2010) Rochester NY News, Events, Restaurants, Music, Entertainment, Nightlife - Rochester City Newspaper  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• USDA Funds Efforts for Asian Longhorned Beetle Eradication   New York State Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker today announced that the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets has received $1,168,350 from the USDA’s Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to further its efforts in eradicating Asian longhorned beetle (ALB).  This invasive insect has the potential to be one of the most destructive and costly invasive species to enter the United States.                 “If funding levels remain steady, we are projecting eradicating ALB from New York State in 2033,” the Commissioner said.  “While that may be a reality, we believe that date is too far out and presents too much risk to our forests and street trees.  This bug is a serious threat to sugar maples, our state tree.  Maples are the most abundant tree in New York’s forests, making this bug the single greatest threat to the health of our state’s woodlots, urban street trees and city parks.  We are committed to rid this pest from New York State as soon as possible, and, well before 2033.” (October 21, 2010) New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Indiana finishes marsh fence to stop Asian carp - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Fort Wayne, Ind. — Indiana authorities say they’ve finished work on a 1,177-foot chain-link fence designed to keep Asian carp from crossing into the Great Lakes in the event of flooding. Experts say flooding might let Asian carp cross from the Wabash River system into the Maumee River, which enters Lake Erie at Toledo, Ohio. That could threaten the Great Lakes’ $7 billion-a-year fishing industry. (October 21, 2010) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more in Invasive Species in our area]
• White House 'Asian Carp Czar' Outlines His Strategy For Eradicating Species : The Two-Way : NPR Almost a month ago, the Obama administration appointed an "Asian carp czar." John Goss, who reports to an office in the White House, oversees the government-led effort to eradicate the species. In an interview with NPR's Robert Siegel, he detailed his game plan, which includes "removal of carp from the Chicago area, strengthening the electric fish barrier system — also on the South Side of Chicago, and a number of research projects into long-term solutions." (October 7, 2010) NPR : National Public Radio : News & Analysis, World, US, Music & Arts : NPR [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Dixon joins efforts to stop Asian carp from infesting Lake Erie - ObserverToday.com | News, Sports, Jobs, Community Information - Dunkirk | The Observer BUFFALO - At its Sept. 23 session, the Erie County Legislature unanimously approved a resolution submitted by Legislator Lynne Dixon, District 12, which puts the Legislature on record urging federal and state officials to step up efforts to prevent Asian carp from infiltrating the Great Lakes. "The issues and dangers that come with an infestation of Asian carp have been widely reported. Our elected leaders in Albany and Washington must respond to this threat and stop it before it becomes a major hazard for anyone using Lake Erie," Legislator Dixon said. "The Legislature strongly asks our state and federal leaders to take all necessary precautions to protect the lakes."  (October 10, 2010) ObserverToday.com | News, Sports, Jobs, Community Information - Dunkirk | The Observer [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• STATE REMINDS CITY RESIDENTS OF ALB QUARANTINE REGULATIONS Call 311 for Proper Wood & Debris Disposal Due to Asian Longhorned Beetle   New York State Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker today reminded New Yorkers that they are not to move down trees and firewood from New York City proper due to the presence of the Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB). Most of New York City proper and parts of Long Island are under quarantine to prevent the further spread of this devastating beetle. “My heart goes out to the homeowners and residents impacted by yesterday’s storm,” the Commissioner said. “The areas most affected by the storm are within the ALB quarantine area. People that are cleaning up downed trees and limbs are asked to respect the regulations in place to help prevent the spread of this insect, which has been detected in both Brooklyn and Queens. City, state and federal inspectors are out in force to assist with the proper clean up and enforce the regulations of the quarantine to safeguard New York.” (September 17, 2010) New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets [more on Invasive Species}
• City Takes Steps to Prevent Ash Borer Infestation - YNN, Your News Now The City of Rochester is taking preventive action to avoid infestation of the emerald ash borer. Thursday morning, crews from Rochester’s Forestry Division began cutting down 300 ash trees along city streets and parks. They hope to stop the spread of the exotic beetle to thousands of other city ash trees. (September 16, 2010)  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• State Expands Quarantine For Emerald Ash Borer - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation 18 Counties Now Under State Regulation to Slow the Spread of Tree-Killing Beetle New York State Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker and Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Pete Grannis today added 16 counties to existing state quarantines that restrict the movement of ash trees, ash products, and firewood from all wood species to limit the potential spread of the invasive Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). The quarantines are in response to new findings of EAB in the State. "It is quickly becoming evident that the Emerald Ash Borer, which was first detected in New York State last year, is more widespread than originally hoped," said Commissioner Hooker. "It is no surprise that we are finding this pest in other counties, but it is our intent to try and slow the human spread of this pest by expanding the quarantine area and regulating the movement of firewood and ash wood and nursery products in those areas. We look to our fellow New Yorkers to assist in this effort and follow the quarantine orders in the respective areas."  (September 9, 2010) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Ash wood to be quarantined | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle New York state and federal officials plan to announce new quarantines in hopes of slowing the spread of the destructive emerald ash borer. The legal designation will restrict movement of ash wood from inside the quarantine zone to places outside of it. The state-designated zone will include Monroe, Livingston, Genesee and other western New York counties. (September 6, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New Yor [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Protecting Endangered Ash Trees - RochesterHomePage.net The arrival of the emerald ash borer in our area has a number of people concerned. So now the rush is on for homeowners to protect their ash trees. The current advice is to be proactive before it's too late.  (August 21, 2010) RochesterHomePage [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Invasives_Press_Release The Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK) urges hikers to give their boots a good brushing after each hike to remove any seeds of invasive plant species and help prevent their spread to other wild areas.  “Because of the rapid spread of invasive species such as garlic mustard, Japanese knotweed and wild parsnip, hikers should include a whisk broom or brush as part of their hiking gear,” said Neil Woodworth, executive director of the Adirondack Mountain Club. “By giving your boots or shoes a good brushing before leaving the area, you can help prevent seeds from spreading to the next trail you hike.” (August 3, 2010) ADK: Your Voice for Wilderness  [more in Invasive Species in our area]
• MICHIGAN: Asian Carp hearing set in federal court in Chicago (2010-08-17) A hearing has been set in a multistate lawsuit that demands tougher federal and municipal action to prevent Asian carp from overrunning the Great Lakes and decimating their fishing industry.  (August 17, 2010) Michigan Radio - Your NPR News Station  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Commissioner Grannis Urges Compliance with Firewood Transport Regulations to Limit Further Spread of Invasive Species - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation EAB Now Confirmed in 7 NY Counties On the heels of additional discoveries of the invasive Emerald Ash Borer beetle in forests in multiple parts of New York including the Catskill Forest Preserve, Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Pete Grannis today urged all New Yorkers and visitors to comply with the state's stringent regulations prohibiting the movement of untreated firewood, the major vector for the introduction of this insect. New York's firewood regulation prohibits untreated firewood from entering the state, and restricts intra-state movement of untreated firewood to no more than 50 miles from its source. The commissioner noted that the restriction is an important tool because Emerald Ash Borer and other damaging invasives such as the Asian Longhorned Beetle and Sirex Woodwasp are known to become established in new areas when infested firewood is moved from one place to another.  (August 17, 2010) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Emerald ash borer threatens millions of Monroe County trees | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle Decision time is nearing for Rochester-area residents and institutions that own ash trees: Try to save them, or let the emerald ash borer have its way? The tiny green pest, native to eastern Asia, was found last week in southern Chili, its first confirmed appearance in Monroe County. Dead or distressed ash trees are evident alongside the rolling corn fields there, and officials say perhaps 100 trees have been affected.  (August 16, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Tree killing insect closing in on Ontario County - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Ontario County, N.Y. — The tiny beetle munching its way through ash trees is getting closer to Ontario County. Experts Monday confirmed the tree-killing insect called the Emerald Ash Borer in Chili in Monroe County. This makes Monroe County the fifth county statewide to have the invasive beetle threatening ash trees. First discovered in the state more than a year ago in Cattaraugus County, it is also in Livingston County and was last month found on private properties in Ulster County and near Ontario County in the town of Bath, Steuben County.  (August 10, 2010) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Charles Schumer targets ash tree menace | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle Saying the arrival of emerald ash borers in Monroe County was "a wake-up call," U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer came to Chili Wednesday to pledge extra federal aid for combating the invasive insects. The ash borers, first documented in Monroe County last week in a section of Chili about four miles from the site of Schumer's news conference at Black Creek Park, are blamed for killing tens of millions of ash trees in other states.  (August 12, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• CTV Toronto - Suspected Northern Snakehead fish caught in Ontario - CTV News There are fears a potential threat to the Great Lakes ecosystem has found its way into Canadian waters, after an Ontario woman landed what may be a vicious, invasive species of fish. When lifelong fisherwoman Amy Merry decided to try a new fishing spot on the Welland Canal that links Lakes Erie and Ontario last weekend, she didn't expect to reel in a voracious foreign invader. (August 8, 2010) CTV Toronto  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Ash borers confirmed in Monroe County | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle Invasive emerald ash borers have been found in Monroe County for the first time, with the discovery of ash trees in southern Chili that have been damaged by the insects. A specimen was found in an ash-borer trap near the infestation site as well, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation.  (August 10, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Beetle Invasion Creeps Close To Rochester - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com Caledonia, N.Y.---For eight years a tiny pest has created major problems for ash trees from Michigan to New York. The Emerald Ash Borer is a tiny beetle--commonly found in Asian countries--that has spread throughout 15 states and sits less than 20 miles from Rochester according to the Department of Environmental Conservation  (August 5, 2010) Home - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Tree-Killing Beetle Detected In The Catskill Forest Preserve - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation Separate Detection in Livingston County; Firewood Outreach Planned for Watkins Glen Race Week New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis announced the discovery of a well-established Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) infestation in northern Ulster County that includes land within the Catskill Park's Forest Preserve. EAB is a small but destructive beetle that infests and kills North American ash tree species, including green, white, black and blue ash (August 4, 2010) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Ash borer menace hovering at Rochester's doorstep | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle The emerald ash borer, an invasive insect that has killed millions of ash trees in other states, has been detected in Caledonia, Livingston County. The ash borers were first found in New York state last year in a stand of ash trees in Cattaraugus County. They turned up last month in Steuben and Ulster counties.  (August 5, 2010) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Invasive Species in our aerea]
• EPA, Union Spar Over Staff Scramble for Great Lakes Effort - NYTimes.com The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is an ambitious project, aimed at cleaning up contaminated waste and invasive species with billions of federal dollars.  Congress approved a budget last year of $475 million for the initiative, and appropriators are on track to hand over another $300 million for fiscal 2011. But it is unclear whether U.S. EPA is adequately staffed to oversee the mammoth task.  (July 30, 2010) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Scientists rush to keep Asian carp out of Lake Erie | thenews-messenger.com | The News-Messenger PORT CLINTON -- While lawmakers in Indiana, Michigan and Illinois wrangle over a possible Asian carp invasion of the Great Lakes, scientists are working to decide what, if anything, can be done to stop the quickly spreading fish and other invasive species. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded $2.5 million to researchers at the University of Notre Dame, and the U.S. EPA is poised to contribute another $2.25 million for the project. The money will be used by researchers to identify cost-effective countermeasures to the Asian carp and other non-native species.  (August 2, 2010) thenews-messenger.com | The News-Messenger | Fremont news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Fremont, Ohio [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• AUGUST IS FOREST PEST AWARENESS MONTH IN NEW YORK STATE |State to Increase Awareness of and Survey for Invasive Species in New York Forests   New York State Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker today announced that the Governor has proclaimed August as Forest Pest Awareness Month in New York State.  Working with their northeast neighboring states, officials in New York are taking the opportunity to educate citizens throughout the State about the risks associated with forest pests and pathogens, and the actions they can take to help safeguard New York’s valuable and abundant forests.  To help protect forest health in New York State, citizens can become informed about how to identify and report unusual bugs at www.beetlebusters.com and www.stopthebeetle.info.  They should also only use firewood from local sources when camping or recreating outdoors, and never move firewood from dying trees.  July 30, 2010) New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• New York, Vermont Receive $10M to Protect Lake Champlain - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com Burlington, VT (AP) - State and private organizations in Vermont and New York are getting $10 million to help protect Lake Champlain. (July 27, 2010) Home - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Asian Carp swims closer to Great Lakes | WIVB.com BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - The destructive Asian Carp is swimming closer to the Great Lakes these days, threatening to invade our waters. New York's Junior Senator is staging a fight to keep them out. {July 23, 2010)  Buffalo News, Buffalo Weather | News Channel 4 Buffalo, NY | WIVB.com  [more in Invasive Species in our area]
• Emerald Ash Borer Detected in Steuben and Ulster Counties - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation Additional Investigation Planned after Invasive Beetles Found in Traps New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis and state Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker today announced the discovery of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) on private properties in the Town of Bath, Steuben County, and Town of Saugerties, Ulster County. The EAB is a small but destructive beetle that infests and kills North American ash tree species, including green, white, black, and blue ash. The first detection of EAB in New York was in the town of Randolph, Cattaraugus County, in June 2009. Since the Randolph find, state and federal officials have implemented an extensive monitoring effort that includes the deployment of approximately 7,500 EAB purple traps in ash trees in high risk locations including major transportation corridors.  (July 22, 2010) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Invasive beetles found in Steuben County - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Albany, N.Y. — An invasive beetle called the emerald ash borer has been found on private properties in the towns of Bath (Steuben County) and Saugerties (Ulster County) in July. This beetle is small yet destructive, infesting and killing North American ash tree species including green, white, black and blue ash. There are 900 million ash trees in the state, making up 7 percent of all trees in the state, and they are now at risk.  (July 22, 2010) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Lake invaders: Experts fear numerous laws won't be enough to stop invasive species Officials also want to stop the spread of aquatic critters such as the zebra mussel and a deadly fish disease called viral hemorrhagic septicemia. VHS attacks the gill tissue first, then moves to the internal organs and blood vessels, which eventually become weak and cause hemorrhaging in internal organs and muscles. Currently, fish infected with the disease have been found in Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, Lake Winnebago and the Mississippi River. (July 12, 2010) Cap Times [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Doom Feared as Asian Carp Advances - Green Blog - NYTimes.com With the country’s attention riveted on the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the news in late June that a live Asian carp had been caught in the Chicago Area Waterway System, just six miles from Lake Michigan, registered only a small blip on the radar of the national media. But for state and local officials in the Great Lakes region, the arrival of the carp on the doorstep of Lake Michigan is an environmental crisis of the first order. (July 12, 2010) Energy and Environment - Green Blog - NYTimes.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Clip Syndicate Video: Obama Urged to Act on Asian Carp This holiday weekend, countless people will be out enjoying the Great Lakes. But our wonderful waterways face a serious threat -- Asian carp. Lawmakers are now turning to the president to try to stop the dangerous fish.  (July 2, 2010) WJBK FOX 2 Detroit, MI   [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• WUWM: News - Can We Hold Back the Asian Carp? - Part 1 A lot of attention has been focused recently on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. There is fear that the Asian carp could be making its way through the canal to Lake Michigan, ravaging its habitat. The canal was completed well over a century ago, to reverse the flow of the Chicago River so the city would not spew sewage into the lake.  (July 7, 2010) WUWM: Home [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• ENVIRONMENT: Trees threatened - News Articles - Rochester City Newspaper There are over 5,000 ash trees along city streets. But the city's Department of Forestry wants City Council to approve removing 300 of them to thwart the advance of the menacing emerald ash borer. | The beetle, which is native to Japan, has already infested ash trees in more than a dozen states and Canada. (July 7, 2010) Rochester NY News, Events, Restaurants, Music, Entertainment, Nightlife - Rochester City Newspaper [more on Energy in our area]
• The fish that could eat Lake Erie : Capital Connection : The Buffalo News The fish that could eat the Great Lakes is only 6 miles away from Lake Michigan now — maybe. The big, ugly and unbelievably hungry Asian carp has been making its way up the Mississippi for two decades and now appears to be closer than ever to migrating en masse to the world's largest body of fresh water. (July 5, 2010) The Buffalo News [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• What are those purple boxes doing in the trees? - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Upstate New York — The phone has been ringing off the hook at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ontario County with questions about the curious-looking purple objects dangling from trees. Hundreds of the rectangular, three-sided traps were placed in ash trees in right-of-ways countywide in June.   It is part of a national program targeting the invasive, tree-killing insect called emerald ash borer. (July 4, 2010) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Alarms raised over Asian carp A century ago, reversing the Chicago River and building a complex system of channels to steer sewage away from Lake Michigan was considered one of the great engineering feats in world history. As concerns mount about Asian carp, momentum is building to re-engineer Chicago's waterways to allow for the passage of boats and ships, but not harmful invasive species. (July 2, 2010) Windsor Star | Latest Breaking News | Business | Sports | Canada Daily News  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Indiana says it's way ahead of Asian carp :: The SouthtownStar :: News Environmentalists raised an alarm Thursday about Asian carp found spawning in the Wabash River in northern Indiana and the possibility that flooding could push them into other waterways that lead to the Great Lakes. But Indiana wildlife officials said they're way ahead of the voracious fish. (July 2, 2010) The SouthtownStar  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Rochester officials ask for funds to control effect of emerald ash borer | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle Even as federal officials are urging holiday travelers to help prevent the spread of an invasive tree-killing pest, city of Rochester officials are seeking approval to begin cutting down ash trees in anticipation of its arrival here. In a budget-related request submitted last week, Rochester officials are asking City Council to approve the transfer of $150,000 from a reserve fund to pay for the removal and replacement of about 300 ash trees on city property in the coming months. (July 3, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New Yor  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Council Releases Plan to Combat Invasive Species In NYS - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation Report Identifies New Process to Categorize Non-Native Invasive Species The New York State Invasive Species Council today submitted its final report to Governor David A. Paterson and the State Legislature. The report, "A Regulatory System for Non-Native Species," recommends giving the Council authority to develop regulations for a new process that will prevent the importation and/or release of non-native invasive species in New York's waterways, forests and farmlands. The report, prepared by the nine-agency Council and co-led by the Department of Agriculture and Markets and the Department of Environmental Conservation, introduces a new process for assessing each invasive species for its level of threat and its socioeconomic value, and for categorizing species into distinct lists for appropriate action.  (June 28, 2010) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation  [more in Invasive Species in our area]
• Lawmakers demand action to keep Asian carp out of Great Lakes : Capital Connection : The Buffalo News WASHINGTON — Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand and Rep. Louise M. Slaughter on Friday demanded stronger action from the Obama administration to head off the increasingly likely invasion of the destructive Asian carp into the Great Lakes. Gillibrand, D-N. Y., urged the federal government to temporarily shut locks in the Chicago area that could allow the invasive fish into the lakes, where scientists fear they would devastate the existing species. (June 28, 2010) The Buffalo News  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Invasive Asian Carp Reach Great Lakes (June 24) -- They can grow to 4 feet and 100 pounds and eat 40 percent of their body weight daily. They have knocked jet skiers unconscious. Scientists have been warning of their invasion for years. And now an Asian carp was found this week for the first time beyond the electric barriers meant to keep the invasive species out of the Great Lakes. Scientists fear that the carp will become established in the Great Lakes, starving out sports fish and killing the region's $7 billion fishing industry. (June 24, 2010) Breaking News & Analysis, US, World, Sports, Celebrity & Weird News [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• www.WHEC.com - Giant Hogweed eradication underway in region You may have seen the giant flower heads along the side of the highway. Resist the temptation to take one home and use it as a floral accent on the back patio, and don’t touch it. The flower looks like a giant Queen Anne's lace, but it's called Giant Hogweed.  And believe it or not, it was brought to our country in the late 1800's as an ornamental plant.    And its sap is worse in many cases than poison ivy, because it burns the skin.  (June 15, 2010) www.WHEC.com - Rochester, NY News [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Emerald Ash Borer Infestation Discovered In Additional Woodlands Of Cattaraugus County - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation Infestation Still Within Quarantine Area New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Pete Grannis today announced that additional trees in the Randolph (Cattaraugus County) area have been discovered to be infested with Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), a tree-killing beetle first confirmed in New York last year. DEC foresters have detected emerging insects on private woodlands south of Interstate 86, but within the previously established EAB quarantine area.  (June 4, 2010) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Battle raging against toxic green behemoth | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle Spread out along a pretty little creek that flows through the back of a Wyoming County farm are clusters of vibrant-looking plants with oddly oversized dark-green leaves and stalks bearing purplish streaks. And on Friday morning, three New York state technicians set out to kill every one of them. The plants are giant hogweed, whose sap causes severe, long-lasting skin reactions on people who come in contact with it, and has been known to blind people who get it in their eyes. (May 29,2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Asian carp bill gains traction | detnews.com | The Detroit News Washington -- Chances improved Thursday that a bill ordering an immediate closure of Chicago-area locks and canals to keep invasive Asian carp out of Lake Michigan will head toward passage. (May 7, 2010) The Detroit News | detnews.com | Saturday, May 8, 2010 | News, sports, features, blogs, photos and forums from Detroit and Michigan [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Supreme Court leaves Asian carp issue hanging - Chicago Breaking News The U.S. Supreme Court did not take up the lock closure issue in conference on Friday as expected, delaying a decision that could have far-reaching implications for Chicago-area boat and shipping traffic. (April 19, 2010) Chicago Breaking News [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Wildlife Federation Wants Drastic Anti-Carp Measures - Chicago News Chicago - The National Wildlife Federation is calling for drastic steps to protect the Great Lakes from Asian Carp. The plan, approved unanimously at the federation's national meeting in Houston, calls for setting up a barrier to separate Lake Michigan from the Mississippi River Basin. (April 12, 2010) Chicago News and Weather | Fox Chicago News [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Non-Native Plant Species Invading The U.S. - Science News - redOrbit Brooklyn Botanic Garden researchers has released a 20-year study which offers a grim outlook on the future of some native flora in the United States, according to a recent Associated Press (AP) report. (April 4, 2010) redOrbit – Science, Space, Technology, Health News and Information [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Asian carp search-and-destroy mission falls short | greenbaypressgazette.com | Green Bay Press-Gazette TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — An initial six-week mission to catch and kill Asian carp lurking on the Great Lakes' doorstep turned up none of the despised fish, suggesting few if any have eluded an electric barrier designed to block their path to Lake Michigan, officials said Monday. (March 30, 2010) greenbaypressgazette.com | Green Bay Press-Gazette | Green Bay news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Green Bay, WI [more In Invasive Species in our area]
• What the Cells Tell | Politics | Chicago Reader The scientist who developed the new eDNA test says there are already Asian carp in Lake Michigan. The test that detected the Asian carp's environmental DNA, or eDNA, above the electric barrier is new: it was developed in the past year by New Zealand scientist Lindsay Chadderton and scientists at Notre Dame. They say this is the first time DNA testing has been used on such a scale to find evidence of invasive fish in freshwater, and they think their method will ultimately be used around the globe to detect invasive species and protect endangered ones. (March 25, 2010) Chicago Reader [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Asian carp search turns up nothing - JSOnline Fishery crews have spent the past month chasing Asian carp with nets and fish-shocking tools on the Chicago canal system near Lake Michigan. They've landed zero Asian carp. Asian carp experts predicted this was a likely result when the fishing expedition started in mid-February. (March 17, 2010) Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Breaking news, sports, business, watchdog journalism, multimedia [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Lake Ontario fishery "complicated" but thriving | syracuse.com So, what's up with the Lake Ontario fishery? As the name of a recent popular movie notes, "It’s Complicated." It’s also important, as the lake’s sports fishing industry generates thousands of jobs and substantial economic spinoffs by pumping millions of dollars each year into the state’s economy. A 2007 statewide angler survey estimated that angler expenditures for fishing trips to Lake Ontario and its five major tributaries were $114.5 million. (March 12, 2010)  Syracuse NY Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - syracuse.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Scientist promises urgent quest for methods to prevent Asian carp from overrunning Great Lakes | Markets | Market News | Canadian Business Online (AP) - Scientists are stepping up the quest for new poisons and other tools that could prevent Asian carp from gaining a foothold in the Great Lakes, Obama administration officials told a congressional panel Thursday. (February 26, 2010) [More on Invasive Species in our area]
• EPA admits blame for invasive species  | A 41-page report from the Environmental Protection Agency released this week that acknowledges that, until recently, the agency hasn't done enough to keep invasive species out of the Great Lakes. The admission in the "Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan" comes as environmentalists and anglers alike are in a tizzy over the potential invasion of the dreaded Asian carp. (February 25, 2010) The Detroit News | detnews.com | Friday, February 26, 2010 | News, sports, features, blogs, photos and forums from Detroit and Michigan [More on Invasive Species in our area]
• Asian Carp Invasion of Great Lakes - 13WHAM.com - Rochester News, Weather, and Sports Rochester, NY --- Asian Carp could be on their way to Lake Ontario and the Finger Lakes.  It’s a scary possibility that many are hoping against.  Asian Carp are considered invasive species and their presence in the largest freshwater system in the world could doom populations of other fish such as trout or salmon. (February 24, 2010) Home - 13WHAM.com - Rochester News, Weather, and Sports [More on Invasive Species in our area]
• Scientists to explore sex lives of gobies Study aims to control invasive fish | University of Windsor researchers are hoping to exploit an invasive species' romantic side -- and save the Great Lakes sport fishery in the process. The researchers have snagged a $446,690 grant for a three-year study aimed at tricking female round gobies into thinking males of the species are nearby (February 24, 2010) Windsor Star - Breaking news Ontario, business, sports, entertainment and more [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Michigan Messenger » Federal carp control strategy is widely criticized | Obama's split-the-baby plan displeases both sides in dispute | A $78.5 million dollar federal plan to keep Asian carp from becoming established in the Great Lakes is drawing criticism from diverse groups that say the proposed temporary closure of the locks in Chicago area canals will disrupt the economy without stopping the spread of aquatic invaders. (February 15, 2010) Michigan Messenger [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Feds pass on surest solution to Asian carp advance - washingtonpost.com TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. -- The surest way to keep rampaging Asian carp from gaining a foothold in the Great Lakes is to sever the link between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River basin, created by engineers in Chicago more than a century ago. (February 11, 2010) washingtonpost.com - nation, world, technology and Washington area news and headlines [more on Invasive Species | Great Lakes]
• 02/03/2010: ASIAN CARP REGIONAL COORDINATING COMMITTEE TO HOLD FEB. 12 PUBLIC MEETING IN CHICAGO Chicago (Feb. 3, 2010) – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, on behalf of the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee, will hold a meeting in Chicago on Feb. 12 to discuss plans and get recommendations on Asian carp control efforts. The committee will answer questions and listen to comments from the public. A second meeting will be scheduled in the near future elsewhere in the Great Lakes basin. The meeting also will be available via live web stream at: http://www.epa.gov/greatlakes/live. Those who cannot attend the meeting in person can submit questions on the Web site. (February 3, 2010) U.S. EPA Newsroom - News Releases [more on Invasive Species]

2009

• Rochester | 24 Hour Local News | TOP STORIES | Invasive Water Species Damaging Environment There is a long list of invasive species making New York State home. Cornell University says these species are damaging crops, infecting waterways, and causing disease in livestock and even humans. But, researchers say we are part of the problem. (January 11, 09) Rochester | 24 Hour Local News | TOP STORIES  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Coast Guard plan aims to prevent invasive species from entering nation's freshwater systems | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle Twenty years after the pervasive zebra mussel was first detected in the Great Lakes, the U.S. Coast Guard is preparing rules to prevent new invasive species from infiltrating the nation's freshwater systems. Ecologists, environmentalists and public officials have mixed feelings about the rules. Some expressed their sentiments during a public comment period that ended earlier last month. (January 4, 09)  democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Watertown Daily Times | Protecting lakes Strict measures needed to control invasives  | The U.S. Coast Guard has been taking comments in recent months on proposed national standards to halt the introduction of foreign species that can be detrimental to the ecosystem. (December 7, 09)  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Ash borer menace is confined to discovery area so far | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle With winter approaching, it appears New York has dodged major problems from the invasive emerald ash borer, at least for this year. The bright-green beetles, which have killed tens of million of ash trees in other states, was discovered in June in a stand of trees along Interstate 86 in Cattaraugus County. The borer larvae have now hunkered down until spring, and there's no evidence they have spread any farther (November 28, 09) [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Beetles brought in to Lansing to battle hemlock-killing infestation | stargazette.com | Star-Gazette Defenders released at Cornell site | There's a new predator prowling the woods around Cayuga Lake. It's a bit smaller than an apple seed, so hikers need not worry, but the tiny beetle Laricobius nigrinus could be a savior for the area's hemlock trees.  (October 29, 09) stargazette.com | Star-Gazette | Elmira news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Elmira, New York [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• NY Call on U.S. Coast Guard to Expedite Action to Stop Invasive Species - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation Stricter Standards for Ballast Water Discharge Can Curb Invasive Species Pathways Looking to stop the rapid spread of invasive species, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Pete Grannis today urged the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) to expedite new restrictions on the ability of ships to discharge ballast water in America's waters. Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation (October 29, 09)  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Army Corps of Engineers examines Central New York issues with invasive species | News from The Post-Standard - Syracuse, NY -- Two experts with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are visiting Central New York waterways this week to scout out the problems posed by invasive species. But any effort by the Corps to try to control invasive species will be at least a year or more in the future, they said, and will be determined by the availability of federal money to pay for the work. (October 21, 09) Syracuse NY Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - syracuse.com [more on invasive species in our area]
• State Reminds Western New Yorkers of EAB Quarantine - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation Storm Debris May Contain Invasive Insects - Ash Trees, Firewood Remain Restricted from Being Moved Outside of Cattaraugus, Chautauqua Counties New York State Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker and Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Pete Grannis today reminded crews cleaning up the damage from devastating storms that hit Western New York this past weekend of the quarantine that is in place to prevent the spread of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) - a tree-killing beetle recently discovered in the state. The quarantine, which encompasses Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties, restricts the movement of ash trees, ash products, and firewood from all wood species in order to limit the potential introduction of EAB to other areas of the state. (August 13, 09) New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
• New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Restricts Movement of Certain Wood Products To and From Cattaraugus and Chautauqua Counties | New York State is implementing a quarantine to prevent the spread of the invasive Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), a tree-killing beetle. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Department of Agriculture and Markets (DAM) are establishing a quarantine encompassing Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties that will restrict the movement of ash trees, ash products, and firewood from all wood species in order to limit the potential introduction of  EAB to other areas of the state. (July 24, 09) New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets
• New York gears up to battle emerald ash borer | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle For the thousands of western New York residents whose property is home to millions of now-endangered ash trees, the advice from Albany is to sit tight. "The best thing to do is for people to take a deep breath," said Robert K. Davies, the New York state forester. "We are not advising people to go out and start chemically treating their ash trees, or to start cutting down their ash trees." (June 29, 09) democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York
• The Nature Conservancy in New York - Statement from The Nature Conservancy on the Discovery of the Emerald Ash Borer in New York Albany, NY — June 22, 2009 — New York State Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker and Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis last week announced the discovery of an emerald ash borer (EAB) infestation in Randolph, Cattaraugus County, New York. (June 23, 09) The Nature Conservancy - Protecting Nature, Preserving Life
• State fights beetles threatening ash trees : Home: The Buffalo News A hardwood tree commonly found throughout the state — and used to landscape yards or make baseball bats — is coming under siege. The culprit is a voracious, half-inch predator. (June 19, 09) Buffalo News  
• Emerald Ash Borer Found in New York State - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation Surveys and Monitoring in Cattaraugus County Area To Help Delineate Spread of Invasive Beetle New York State Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker and Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis today announced the discovery of an Emerald Ash Borer infestation (EAB) in Randolph, Cattaraugus County. The EAB is a small but destructive beetle that infests and kills North American ash tree species, including green, white, black and blue ash. This is the first time it has been detected in New York. (June 17, 09)  Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation
• DEC and Partners to Track Possible Spread of Invasive Beetle - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation Emerald Ash Borer Traps Are Being Deployed Throughout the State The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), along with other federal and state agencies, is setting baited traps in ash trees across upstate New York in an effort to search for possible infestations of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), a tree-killing beetle. The public will soon be seeing the purple prism traps deployed in treelines throughout New York, with a concentration in areas adjacent to neighboring states and Canadian provinces that have already detected this potentially devastating invasive species. (June 5, 09)New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
• New book examines foreign species' effects on lakes - Muskegon News - The Latest News, Blogs, Photos & Videos – MLive.com WEST MICHIGAN -- For more than 25 years, environmental journalist and author Jeff Alexander has sounded the alarm, warning readers of the impending danger of invasive foreign species in the Great Lakes. (June 4, 09) Michigan Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - MLive.com
• Another invasive species enters Great Lakes - St. Catharines Standard - Ontario, CA Lake Ontario has a newly imported invasive species, and it's here to stay. Bloody-red shrimp, first discovered in the Great Lakes in 2006 and multiplying rapidly, could pose ecological and economic risks to Lake Ontario. Like zebra mussels, the notorious molluscs that wreaked havoc on municipal water supplies and hydroelectric companies upon their arrival, the shrimp are native to eastern Europe and were likely brought over in the ballast water tanks of ships (May 29,09)
• Risk Guide Fights Back Against Costly Aquatic Invaders MONTREAL, Quebec, Canada, April 23, 2009 (ENS) - Economic losses and the environmental impact caused by invasive species exceed $100 billion dollars annually in the United States alone, according to the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, which today issued risk assessment guidelines for alien aquatic invasive species in North America. The guidelines will be used as a tool for North American resource managers to assess the risk of introducing nonnative species into a natural ecosystem. (April 23, 09) Environment News Service
• WXXI: New York Ash Trees in Jeopardy (2009-04-17) Ash trees are a major portion of our natural forests in western and central New York...and the ash tree is now in trouble. (April 17, 09) WXXI NewsRoom
• Voracious goby extends its range to deeper water, threatening Great Lakes, scientists say - Grand Rapids News - The Latest News, Blogs, Photos & Videos – MLive.com A half-century after alewives disrupted Great Lakes fisheries and trashed beaches, another invasive fish is engaged in a biological conquest of the world's largest freshwater ecosystem. (April 13, 09) Michigan Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - MLive.com
• Schumer aims to fight threat from alga - The Daily Freeman News: Serving the Hudson Valley since 1871(DailyFreeman.com) BOICEVILLE — U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer announced Wednesday he will ask the Senate for $15 million to protect streams from an “invasive” species of alga that could decimate the Hudson Valley and Catskill regions’ recreational fishing industry. (April 11, 09) The Daily Freeman: Serving the Hudson Valley since 1871 (DailyFreeman.com)
• Invasive species grow to 188 in Great Lakes There are now 188 invasive species identified in the Great Lakes and while chances of ridding the water of established populations is considered slim, steps are being taken to control them and the public is called upon to help. (March 30, 09) The Windsor Star
• Watch for Great Lakes invaders moving inland, group told - JSOnline Green Bay - University of Notre Dame professor David Lodge has some advice for inland lakefront property owners worried about unwanted organisms invading their seemingly isolated waters: Keep an eye on the Great Lakes. (March 19, 09) Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
• Congress Approves Funds For Invasive Species Prevention - KBJR-TV- msnbc.com Congress has granted nearly 1–million dollars to help slow the spread of invasive species into the Great Lakes Chain. (March 15, 09) Breaking News, Weather, Business, Health, Entertainment, Sports, Politics, Travel, Science, Technology, Local, US & World News- msnbc.com
• Great Lakes scourge infects West - JSOnline Quagga mussels are clogging Hoover Dam, colonizing lakes, rivers  While federal lawmakers continue to squabble over how to stop overseas ships from dumping unwanted organisms into the world's largest freshwater system, the Great Lakes' most vexing invasive-species problem has gone national. (Feb 21, 09) Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

2008

• DEC Invites Public Comments on Measure to Protect Forests Against Tree-killing Pests - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced it has proposed making permanent a regulation to restrict the import, sale and transport of untreated firewood to aid in the fight against the spread of tree-killing pests and diseases. A public-comment period on DEC's proposal runs through Feb. 9, 2009. DEC encourages interested parties to weigh in on the proposal - which can be viewed on the DEC website -- at two public hearings or through written comments (Dec 10, 08) New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
• New York Applauds New Federal Regulations on Firewood - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation New federal requirements mandating that firewood imported from Canada be treated to kill pests and diseases will help protect New York trees from invasive insects and deadly infections, state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) officials said today. (Dec 4, 08) New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
• New Law Means Buy Local Firewood - Customers should be careful choosing their firewood this year, to prevent an even bigger problem than a cold house. With home heating costs skyrocketing, wood burning stoves and fireplaces are becoming a more popular way for people to heat their homes. (Nov 23, 08) R News: As It Happens, Where It Happens
• Spiny Water Flea Confirmed in First "Inland" Water - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation The spiny water flea, an aquatic invasive species, has been confirmed as present in the Great Sacandaga Lake in the southern Adirondacks, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced today. Previously, it had been identified in the Great Lakes. This is first time the spiny water flea has been confirmed in an "inland" body of water. (Oct 30, 08) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation
• DEC partners with Adirondack Park invasive plant program - ALBANY – The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Wednesday announced the signing of a five-year contract with the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program, an award-winning program focused on detecting and eradicating invasive species such as garlic mustard, Japanese knotweed and purple loosestrife in the Adirondack Park. (Oct 5, 08) New York State News on the Net!
• DEC grants available for eradication of invasive species - ALBANY – New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis Thursday announced that grant applications are now being accepted for projects proposing to eradicate terrestrial invasive species. Terrestrial invasive species is defined as a plant or animal that lives or grows predominately on land. Applications will be accepted until October 31, 2008 (Sept 25, 08) New York State News on the Net!
• Ash Borer's Not in New York Yet - ROCHESTER, NY (2008-08-06) The Cornell Cooperative Extension service says New York has a reprieve on the arrival of the Emerald Ash Borer, a pest that kills ash trees. (Aug 6, 08) WXXI Public Broadcasting Council
• Relax: Tests say bugs harmless - Federal officials have determined that insect specimens caught in a Niagara County bug trap were not the emerald ash borer, whose arrival could devastate the region's large ash tree population. Two bugs found last Tuesday in a U.S. Department of Agriculture trap near Olcott were sent to Michigan for testing. Officials now say the bugs were the click beetle, which is common to upstate and poses no danger. (July 22, 08) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York
• Rochester area could lose all ash trees to 'green menace' | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle Some call it the "green menace" — a bug smaller than a penny that already has laid waste to millions of ash trees in the upper Midwest. Now there is suspicion that the emerald ash borer has made its way into New York state. (July 21, 08) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York
• Boaters Upset Over New Federal Rules - Boaters across the state are wondering what the federal government is thinking. A new federal rule could require recreational boat owners to pay hundreds of dollars for a water pollution permit. A federal court in California ruled last year that the EPA should regulate how ships discharge water taken from the ocean, then dumped in fresh water. The rule is designed to limit pollution and limit the spread of invasive species. July 6, 08) R News: As It Happens, Where It Happens
• Rare Insect Infects Local Trees - 13WHAM.com Rochester, NY --- A rare insect has returned to Monroe County after a nearly ten year absence. The insect is known for killing hemlock trees, and it’s now an uninvited "guest" of the Seneca Park Zoo. (July 4, 08) - 13WHAM.com
• Watch for ash borer, Webster tree expert warns | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle The emerald ash borer gets its name from the adult's metallic green color, and eggs are laid just below the bark of an ash tree. The adults emerge in early summer and eat the leaves for about three weeks, mate and lay more eggs. Once they're in the tree, they are hard to detect. (June 1, 08) democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York
• Tree Killer Beetles Moving Toward New York - 13WHAM.com (Rochester, N.Y.) - A tiny, but devastating bug could be making its way to the Rochester area. (April 02, 08) - 13WHAM.com
• Watertown Daily Times | Invasive species litigation targeted ALBANY — State Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo wants to make sure New Yorkers' interests are protected in federal litigation involving invasive species in the Great Lakes. Several American and Canadian shipping companies and associations are challenging a Michigan law requiring all ships to treat their ballast water to rid it of non-native invasive species before dumping it into Great Lakes waters. Ballast water is contained in large tanks and is used to keep oceangoing ships stable during transport. (March 3, 08) Watertown Daily Times | News for today, history for tomorrow!

2007

• New leader against alien species -- Page 1 -- Times Union - Albany NY Wildlife biologist to head new state office in effort to control invasive plants and animals that enter New York  ALBANY -- A 54-year-old state wildlife biologist will lead the state's fight against invasive species like zebra mussels, which choke upstate lakes, and the approaching emerald ash bore, an Asian beetle that is killing millions of trees in the Midwest. (Dec 27, 07) Albany NY News - Times Union - Serving Albany, Saratoga, Schenectady, Troy
• Pest threatens ash trees - Rochester, NY - MPNnow Canandaigua, N.Y. - An invasive insect species that has attacked ash trees across the Great Lakes states of Michigan, Ohio and now Pennsylvania has not reached New York — yet. But Russell Welser of Ontario County Cornell Cooperative Extension said that it's just a "matter of time" before the emerald ash borer makes its way into this area. (August 28, 07) Homepage - Rochester, NY - MPNnow
• State warns emerald ash borer a threat to state's trees - The emerald ash borer, an insect that has destroyed millions of ash trees in the United States, is making its way toward New York. In an effort to prevent or minimize an infestation, the state Department of Environmental Conservation is urging that users of firewood burn only locally available wood and not transport wood to distant campgrounds or state parks. (July 31, 07) The Ithaca Journal: RSS - Local News
• Meet the beetles - Rochester, NY - MPNnow Only a half-inch long, the Japanese beetle can do "a fair amount of damage in July and August" as it munches on more than 600 different kinds of common garden plants, trees and crops, said Russell Welser of the Ontario County Cornell Cooperative Extension. Fair amount? That might seem like an understatement to some gardeners who have seen their raspberries and the other fruits of their labor go the way of the little invaders. (July 30, 07) Messenger Post Newspapers
• The Buffalo News: Home: Invasive pests claiming new habitats in New York State Boring beetle, lake mussel, fruit virus among species devastating to ecosystems First the American chestnut, then the elm. Forest experts say New York will soon add another well-known species, the ash, to the list of trees nearly wiped out by aggressive insects and diseases imported from elsewhere. (July 30, 07) The Buffalo News

2006

• Help Prevent Invasive Insect Infestations: Don't Move Firewood! It's time to head off to open the camp in the spring. The firewood left over from winter won't get used at the house during the summer, so it makes sense to toss it in the truck to take up to camp. But because spring and summer turn out to be warm, that firewood doesn't get burned right away. It stays there neatly stacked and covered all summer until fall, when a warm fire is a necessity at the end of a long chilly day outdoors. --New York State Department of Environmental Conservation - Protecting NY's Environment and Managing its Natural Resources
• Effort is under way to control problem-causing foreign critters, plants — Invasive species. The words alone sound ominous. But until they hear "zebra mussels" or the name of another plant or animal that has affected their life, many Rochesterians are still befuddled by the term. They don't realize that invasive plants and animals can boost bacterial growth in their lakes, clog their sewer pipes and drive out their beloved bluebirds. That's precisely why state environmental leaders spent the past two years dissecting the issue before releasing the final report of the New York State Invasive Species Task Force in December. The report delineates the state's problem and proposes some solutions. This week, Gov. George Pataki proposed $2 million in funding to get the effort started. (January 21, 2006) Democrat and Chronicle

2005

•  DEC speaker: Controlling invasives takes teamwork -— New York state can't afford not to take action to control invasive species like zebra mussels and Eurasian milfoil -- but success requires collaboration, state official Lynette Stark said today. Stark, a representative of the state Department of Environmental Conservation, was in Rochester speaking to local arborists, nursery owners and landscapers.  (November 16, 2005) Democrat and Chronicle

2004

•  City Newspaper: News & Views: News articles: The silent invasion Six-hundred miles west of Rochester, in suburban Chicago, is a structure that just might save Lake Ontario. Connecting the Chicago and Des Plaines Rivers, the Chicago Ship and Sanitary Canal links up two of the continent's largest water systems: the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes watersheds. At the bottom of that canal lies a $9 million underwater electric fence that's keeping species on one side from migrating to the other. (August 24, 2004) City Newspaper
•  Democrat & Chronicle: 'Dog-strangling' vine choking upstate — Tangled, toxic, tough — and everywhere. Meet swallow-wort, a vine-like member of the milkweed family. Over the past decade its growth has been explosive in the Northeast, with the Lake Ontario basin — including Rochester — at its epicenter. (August 5, 2004) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Democrat & Chronicle: Danger lurks in hogweed It's 8 to 15 feet tall with flowers, but packs a skin-blistering sap. For more information on giant hogweed or to report a sighting, call Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County's Gardening Helpline at (585) 473-5335 or the Wayne County extension office at (315) 331-8415. (July 17, 2004) Democrat and Chronicle
• Beetlemania — hungry insects will target weedy plant  - Thousands of tiny beetles have been growing up on 10 closely watched plants at Charter School of the Dunes in Gary this spring. Thousands more of the galerucella beetles make their homes at Westville Correctional Facility in LaPorte County. When the school-raised beetles are released along the Grand Calumet this summer, they will feed exclusively on purple loosestrife — a pretty, but prolific species of plant invader. (June 8, 2004) News - Post-Tribune (Northwest Indiana)
• Democrat & Chronicle: Algae problem's solution delayed — Doing something about algae at Ontario Beach has taken a back seat to trying to prevent the Asian carp from getting into the Great Lakes. For five years, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been working with Monroe County to look at ways to control the algae at Ontario Beach. About $1million in federal funds has already been spent looking for remedies. But the project is on hold. ”We don’t have the money for it at this moment,” said Corps of Engineers spokesman Pat Jones, who is based in Buffalo. (April 28, 2004) Democrat and Chronicle

2003

•  Finned invader hits Lake Ontario - Plant-eating grass carp can destroy aquatic environments, scientists say -Biologists have discovered a grass carp, a dangerous invasive fish originally from Eastern Asia, living in Lake Ontario at the mouth of the Don River in Toronto. The grass carp was caught inadvertently a few weeks ago by staff at Toronto and Region Conservation during an assessment of the size of fish communities in the Lower Don River, one of the city's most polluted waterways. (November 29, 2003) http://www.globeandmail.com
•  Task force to target nature's nasty invaders - ALBANY - Non-native plants and animals pose a threat to New York's ecosystem and its economy, Gov. George Pataki said Monday in creating a task force to study invasive species. (August 13, 2003) The Record
•  DeWine Pushes Bills In Congress To Protect Great Lakes (Washington, DC-AP) - Senator Mike DeWine is pushing two bills to help protect the Great Lakes from invasive species. One bill would establish the National Invasive Species Council to coordinate activities by federal agencies and develop a national plan for dealing with the problem. (March 7, 2003) WOKR-TV 13 || ROCHESTER

2002

• WXXI: Despite Regulations, Invasive Species Enter Great Lakes (2002-12-03) A Great Lakes Researcher says there are now more than 160 non-native species of plants and animals in Ontario and the upper lakes, and their numbers are growing despite regulations that were designed to solve the problem. Doctor Edward Mills is with the Cornell University Biological Field Station in Bridgeport. Ten years ago, Doctor Mills and his colleagues cataloged 139 so-called "invasive species" in the Great Lakes. They found 59 plants, 25 fishes and 14 mollusks including the infamous zebra mussels. (December 2, 2002) Public NewsRoom
• Democrat & Chronicle: Fish invasion imperils lake — SYRACUSE — Scientists say it is only a matter of time before a new invasive fish species makes its way into Oneida Lake, where it could spread disease and damage recreational fishing.  (October 13, 2002)  Democrat and Chronicle
• Democrat & Chronicle: Big alien fish closing in on Lake Ontario? — PITTSBURGH — Massive carp that have been known to jump some 10 feet out of the water and wallop boaters in the Mississippi River have been spotted in Lake Erie -- much closer to Lake Ontario than previously reported. Only a couple of bighead carp have been caught in Lake Erie, though some biologists believe they spotted one July 17. (July 31, 2002) Democrat and Chronicle:
• Big Carp Threaten Lakes A big fish that can dominate waterways once it shows up is the cause of concern for scientists.
  The Asian carp hasn't arrived in Lake Ontario yet. Scientists say it's just a matter of time before the fish -- which can weigh as much as one hundred pounds and can measure four feet long -- show up. (July 223, 2002) RNews: News Front - Rochester, NY's Only 24 Hour News
• Study Shows Perils of Importing Non-Native Species - Documenting the ecological perils of introducing non-native species to control pests, researchers said on Thursday parasitic wasps brought to Hawaii as part of sugar cane farming had become the dominant players in a native ecosystem. (Friday, August 17, 2001) WASHINGTON (Reuters) 

2001

• Giant hogweed invades area No one knows how the Asian plant, which can burn the skin, got to western New York. SOUTH BRISTOL - It looks like overgrown Queen Anne's lace but it's a toxic weed.  (Wednesday, August 15, 2001) Daily Messenger
• New lampricide direction PLATTSBURGH — New York has no lamprey-control treatments planned for this fall, but state experts are helping Vermont plan for treating tributaries there. (Friday, August 3, 2001) Press Republican Online

2000

• Wetlands wildflower has deadly beauty Loosestrife chokes out habitats of Tier's native species  (August 15, 2000) Press & Sun Bulletin 
• Bug power harnessed to fight weed  BASOM, N.Y. -- "Weed" almost seems too harsh a word for the stalks of tiny purple flowers growing in western New York's marshes and roadside ditches. (July 19, 2000) DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
• Bugs enlisted in war on dreaded plant invader Purple loosestrife sends beautiful, purple-pink blossoms skyward in a tapering cone, but to ecologists it is the botanical equivalent of the zebra mussel, driving out native vegetation and degrading wetland habitat. (July 15, 2000) BuffaloNews.com

1999

• Man tells fish story with a bite Angler's toothy canal catch turns out to be a pacu,
  not a piranha as he had feared ---8/03/99 DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE Digital