ROCKPORT, Texas - Its cultivation is banned in Texas, but it is poised to become a lucrative crop in other states if proposed new federal rules are approved. Conservationists are concerned that some species being considered for bio-fuel status by the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) will cause more problems than they solve.

Arundo donax - the "giant reed" - once welcomed in Texas as an ornamental windbreak, is now spurned as an invasive "hazard," says National Wildlife Federation legislative representative for agriculture policy Aviva Glaser.

"It crowds out native species along rivers; it uses a lot of water; it creates a fire risk; it spreads very quickly. There's a huge economic and ecological hazard that is associated with the invasion of adrundo donax."

Ranked 10th-worst troublemaker on the Global Invasive Species Database, the giant reed is also categorized as a noxious weed by the Texas Department of Agriculture. Glaser says EPA officials can learn a lot from Texas, where multi-million-dollar eradication efforts have failed to keep pace with the giant reed's dominance of waterways.

Every year, the EPA requires that a greater percentage of the nation's fuel supply be derived from plant-based ethanol. Corn has been the main source, but with a drought-related shortage - as well as longstanding concerns about the amount of land and water corn uses - the agency is expanding its list of approved crops. While Glaser applauds efforts to promote alternative energy sources, she warns it is crucial to take a "look before you leap" approach.

"There's a lot of interest in looking at different types of plants that can be more environmental friendly - and that's a pretty good idea. But it has to be done in the right way. Every plant has a different risk of becoming invasive, so we think we should be starting with those lower-risk species."

Large-scale cultivation of arundo already is gearing up in some states. Backers call it a manageable "miracle crop" because it grows extremely quickly and uses much less land than corn. Opponents say it is simply impossible to contain, because nature has myriad ways of helping it spread.

The Austin-based Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center tracks alien species through its "Texas Invasives" database, which lists 785 areas where the giant reed has taken over. Sightings are compiled by volunteers, such as Rockport resident Kris Kirkwood, a member of the citizen-scientist group, Texas Invasives. She says it has been spreading fast in south Texas.

"Every place there's water, there's a stand of that stuff. It doesn't provide good food and cover for wildlife, but it's so thick that nothing else can grow there."

This week, 208 scientists and ecologists from around the nation - 27 from Texas - sent a letter to the Obama administration warning against the risks of promoting invasive crops. A decision is expected at any time.

The Texas database is available at www.texasinvasives.org. The global database is at www.issg.org. The scientists' letter is at http://bit.ly/RhcTRb. The EPA rules proposal is at Federal Register.




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Colorado Parks and Wildlife wants to hear from all Coloradans about their updated 2025 State Wildlife Action Plan, a blueprint for preserving at-risk wildlife over the next 10 years.

Since the first plan was launched in 2005, the number of active bald eagle nests has grown from less than 50 to nearly 300.

Madison Martin, deputy director of the Colorado Wildlife Federation, said the plan has also helped peregrine falcon populations and the state's river otters.

"Not only is it fun to see them out in their habitat when you're hiking or enjoying other outdoor activities but they're really crucial for the water systems here in Colorado," Martin explained. "Seeing them playing means that there's a healthy ecosystem going on."

Martin cautioned the work is far from over. The plan identifies 626 "Species of Greatest Conservation Need" including Colorado's iconic bighorn sheep, native cutthroat trout and golden eagles. The plan's list includes 249 butterflies and other invertebrates, six amphibians, 19 reptiles, 35 fish, 48 mammals, 74 birds and 195 plants. More information about the plan and submitting comments is available online at EngageCPW.org.

Kacie Miller, State Wildlife Action Plan coordinator for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, said the new plan aims to maximize limited resources by bringing state agencies, partner organizations and residents across the state together to advance conservation efforts.

"We really want to have it be the place where people can learn about these species and their habitats, and also what's needed or what's threatening them," Miller outlined. "We can all be working together to leverage each other's work."

Martin pointed out the public comment period offers Coloradans a once-in-a-decade chance to speak up for the species and landscapes that matter to them. She added if there are species or habitats not in the plan but should be, scientists need to know.

"It's incredibly important for the public to take a look at this, make comments," Martin urged. "Because essentially what we're trying to do is improve the species and the habitats in your backyard."


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A small fox that lives on the Channel Islands off the coast of southern California is thriving after near extinction. The island fox - found nowhere else on Earth - was listed as endangered in 2004 when only about 30 remained.

A multi-agency recovery effort that started in 1999 resulted in the fastest comeback of any terrestrial mammal under the Endangered Species Act.

Chuck Graham, a photographer, traveled to the islands to chronicle their recovery and share the story.

"It wouldn't have happened without all the work of the biologists and everything," said Graham. "I mean otherwise, if it wasn't successful, it would have been a really big disappointment - but everything worked out."

Revered by the islands early Indigenous people, the fox weighs just four pounds, smaller than the average house cat. A photo exhibit by Graham is currently on display at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum.

The population began plummeting in the 1960s after predatory golden eagles replaced bald eagles who could no longer breed on the islands due the effects of runoff from the pesticide DDT. Before the island fox could recover, golden eagles were relocated to the mainland and 61 bald eagles were reintroduced starting in 2002.

With the predators gone, the fox survival rate increased to 90% and the population rebounded to more than 2,000 in 2015. Graham said he wanted to document not just the Island Fox, but its environment and the urgency of preserving it.

"I knew the foxes were an item and I knew the bald eagles were, but it was one of those things that you just have to go to know," he explained. "I definitely broadened awareness."

Scientists still debate how the foxes got to the islands some 10,000 years ago. Some speculate they rafted there on storm debris when ocean levels were lower, or were more likely introduced by the Native American Chumash Tribe who considered them a sacred animal.


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June is National Pollinator Month and a local agricultural group which aims to empower women in conservation is bringing awareness to how prairie restoration can aid the declining population of bees, butterflies and other pollinators.

Through its Wisconsin Women in Conservation program, the Michael Fields Agriculture Institute is showing how reintroducing native plant species, among other practices, can reestablish endangered habitats supporting an entire ecosystem.

Christine Johnson, farmer education coordinator at the institute, said the current focus of pollinating lands and communities is intentional for many reasons.

"Besides being a place of empowerment for women in this space, which has traditionally been male-led and focused, we are also reminding folks that conservation is a practice that should persist even as our resources are depleted," Johnson explained.

Johnson pointed out many people in their network want to do the work but lack resources. She added despite DEI and conservation guts to their programming, the institute will continue to host events throughout the year. One on Thursday for women in Wisconsin will focus on prairie restoration.

Wisconsin Women in Conservation connects women landowners and stewards to conservation initiatives through networking and education.

Sally Farrar, conservation coach for the program, often shares her experience of restoring 13 acres of prairie land using grant funds from the National Resource Conservation Service. She said the first couple of years were not successful but vividly remembers when things started to click for her.

"One summer, there were hundreds of monarchs, flocks of dragonflies, and the most rare and interesting insects I had ever imagined in my life, just such a variety of bees," Farrar recounted. "That is the sacred bond with the land."

Farrar stressed conservation is a land-management practice which takes time and may not always initially work. She acknowledged the process can feel unattainable but emphasized how everyone can play a role in nurturing community lands and addressing the declining wildlife populations, even if they do not own that land.

"I think it's an overwhelming thing to witness the collapse of some of the bird, insect and plant populations, but I think that we can all do something," Farrar added. "If you cannot steward land, please consider donating and volunteering."