Oregon’s Siuslaw National Forest to Take Part in Nationwide Invasive Species Project

Oregon’s Siuslaw National Forest is joining a nationwide effort to stop the spread of invasive species. This pilot program comes from the University of Georgia and collaborates with 12 other U.S. National Forests and Grasslands. This project is centered around an app that is free to download called “Wild Spotter”. It gives you information to help you identify, map, and report invasive species while you are trekking through your favorite wilderness areas. Chelsea Monks from the Siuslaw National Forest says volunteerism is crucial to large-scale scientific endeavors: “The public accesses land more than we can possibly do… so if we leverage that access and that use to help us track these invasive species, we will be able to respond quicker and hopefully get a handle on them faster”. This app will be the first inventory of its kind to spread nationwide.

The original article was written by Alec Cowan for KLCC, NPR for Oregonians.

Click here to read the full article.

Feral Swine Populations in OR Plummeting

The population of feral swine in Oregon has experienced a drastic decline in the past decade, from 3,000 individuals to around 200. This is due to the state declaring an open season on feral pigs. In 2001, state lawmakers reclassified the pigs from livestock to predatory animals, allowing them to be hunted without regulation. Though some may not think of the pigs as a dangerous invasive species, they can cause great damage to fish and wildlife habitat, agricultural lands, and protected riparian habitats.

Photo courtesy of Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife.

In addition to damaging important habitat, they can also pose a serious health risk. Rick Boatner, Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife's Invasive Species Coordinator and Oregon Invasive Species Council member, called the pigs “walking disease factories”. They can carry up to 40 separate diseases that are dangerous to both humans and livestock. 

To help quantify populations, address specific populations of concern, and to follow Oregon law, report all feral pig sightings by calling the toll-free feral swine hotline: 1-888-268-9219. Please also visit the OISC Squeal on Pigs campaign page for more information about feral swine in Oregon.

The original article was written by the Associated Press with information from the Bend Bulletin.
Click here to read the full article.

Successful Ballast Water Treatment in Coos Bay

Oregon is making big strides to manage ballast water procedures to limit displacement of known aquatic invasive species. Recently, Glosten and Global Diving & Salvage reported the successful treatment of ballast water with a mobile system called the “Ballast Responder” on board a 350-foot vessel in Coos Bay, Oregon. They successfully treated approximately 4,000 gallons of ballast water on a ship in two days. The treatment came from a mobile water mixing system that was engineered by the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service. There were several trial runs to collect data and see the tool’s efficacy, while also creating a practical treatment protocol. The next step will be to test out the system on the Great Lakes this month and then build additional kits in major shipping locations worldwide and in the United States.

The original article was published on June 12, 2018 by Marine Log.
Click here to read the full article.

What is ballast water? 

Ballast water is taken in by vessels and is used to provide stability during transport.

What is the issue with ballast water discharge?

When vessels discharge ballast water, it can result in the movement of organisms to geographic locations where they are not native. These species can then become invasive and outcompete native organisms for resources, where they become a threat to biodiversity and ecological systems, as well as human health and the regional economy.

To learn more about what Oregon is doing to protect it's waters from aquatic invasive species spread by ballast water discharge, check out the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality's Oregon Ballast Water Management Fact Sheet. 

June 2018 OISC Meeting Recap

Thank you to everyone who made it to the June 2018 OISC meeting on the southern Oregon Coast - and a special thank you to our hosts at the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology (OIMB), the Charleston Marine Life Center, and The Bandon Community Center!

Day 1 at the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology

The 2-day event was packed with engaging presentations, group discussions, field trips, and a joint meeting with the Oregon State Weed Board.

A quick recap:

• We had more than 80 attendees over the 2-day event, representing nearly 40 organizations.

• Representation included 8 State Agencies, 5 Educational Institutions, 4 Federal Agencies, 3 Tribes, and many others, including city/state elected officials, NGOs, advocacy groups, and individual community members.

• ...and 3 people tried oysters for the first time!

 

Day 1: OISC Meeting in Charleston, OR

We learned about and connected with:

• Marine vectors & ballast water from Rian Hooff at Oregon DEQ (View PDF)

• Early detection / rapid response programs from Bree Yednock at South South Slough Estuarine Research Center (View PDF)

• Coastal tourism and partnership opportunities from Miles Phillips at Oregon Sea Grant (View PDF), Dave Lacey at Oregon Coast Visitors Association (View PDF), and Janice Langlinais at Coos Bay - North Bend Visitor & Convention Bureau (View PDF) 

• Reporting and tracking invasive species using Oregon's Invasive Species Hotline and iMap Invasives from Lindsey Wise at Institute for Natural Resources (View PDF)

• Biofouling invasions and issues from Glenn Dolphin (2018 OISC Chair) at Oregon State Marine Board (View PDF) and Zofia Knorek at OIMB (View PDF)

• Coos Watershed Association's education, detection and response (Strike Team!) programs from Ed Hughes (View PDF)

• Partnerships, planning and data by the Partnership for Coastal Watersheds from Jenni Schmitt at South Slough Reserve and Don Ivy with the Coquille Indian Tribe (View PDF)

• An active update to the Rocky Shores Management Strategy from Deanna Caracciolo & Andy Lanier at Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (View PDF)

• Green Crab detections and monitoring from Jenni Schmitt 

• Whole watershed restoration efforts in the South Slough

Day 2: OISC/OSWB Joint Meeting in Bandon, OR

We learned about and connected with:

• Feral swine detections in S. Oregon and a new State Action Plan for Feral Swine in the future from J.D. McComas at USDA APHIS Wildlife Services (View PDF)

• Economic and environmental consequences of Sudden Oak Death from Wyatt Williams at Oregon Department of Forestry (View PDF) & Representative David Brock Smith

• Forest Service priorities and invasive species projects from Karen Ripley and Ellen Michaels Goheen at US Forest Service (View PDF)

• Noxious weed control to protect sensitive habitats and endangered plants from Sherri Laier at Oregon Parks and Recreation Department

• Impacts of Gorse and collaborative solutions through the Gorse Action Group from Jim Seeley at Wild Rivers Coast Alliance (View PDF)

• Opportunities to engage with policy makers from Representative McKeown

• Collaborative funding strategies

• Successful early detection and rapid response efforts to control new harmful weeds in partnership with Oregon Department of Agriculture and Oregon State Parks

Here’s to another successful Council Meeting -- 

We hope to see you at the next one!

Information on past and future meetings can be found on the OISC Meetings page. 

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*Note: The views and opinions expressed in the attached file(s) or link(s) above are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Oregon Invasive Species Council. Please contact the author directly if you have any questions regarding the content.

Upcoming OISC Meeting along the Southern Oregon Coast

As we approach the middle of June, an important event to keep on your radar is the upcoming 2-day OISC meeting happening on June 19th and 20th along the Southern Oregon Coast! Here’s a quick break down of the event:

Day 1 will kick off in Charleston, OR at the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology and will focus primarily on aquatic invasions. There will be field trips to local sites in the afternoon and a social hour following the meeting.

Day 2 will be a joint meeting with the Oregon State Weed Board (OSWB) in Bandon, OR and will take place at the Bandon Community Center (The Barn). There will also be field trips to local sites in the afternoon.

View/download the OISC meeting agenda  ||  View/download the OSWB meeting agenda

Be sure to keep an eye out for our post-meeting blog entry that will recap the meeting and include topics discussed and thoughtful questions brought forward.