Emerald Ash Borer: Pushing Ash Trees Towards Extinction

The latest update of The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ is out and now includes 87,967 species, 25,062 of which are threatened with extinction.

Included in this list are five species of ash (green, white, black, blue and pumpkin ash) – all of which are native of North America and are a key component of North American forests. 

The decline in native ash is due to the invasive emerald ash borer, a beetle native to Asia. This destructive beetle has the potential to kill almost an entire forest stand of ash within six years of infestation. Fortunately, the emerald ash borer has not yet been detected in Oregon. In order to keep Oregon's native ash (Fraxinus latifolia) off of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in the future, it is crucial for Oregon to focus its efforts on preventing emerald ash borer from entering the state.

To read the full article, written by Ewa Magiera, click here.

Growing Oregon 2017-2018: Beware the Invaders

The most recent issue of Growing Oregon features an article about the Oregon Department of Agriculture's (ODA) collaborative efforts to protect Oregon from invasive species. The magazine, which is a guide to the state's food, farms, and markets, highlighted the important work of ODA and its partners in preventing, detecting, eradicating, and controlling invasive species in the state. 

Click here to read the article.

Check out the new EDRR report from West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District!

West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District has completed a final report on their 2016-2017 EDRR efforts.

To read the full report, which includes details about outreach, restoration, and the expansion of the Conservation District's invasive species program, go to our Invasive Species Resources page (located under the Resources header) or click here. 

To learn more about West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District and the amazing work  they do, go to www.wmswcd.org.

Don’t Move Firewood during the 2017 Eclipse

With the eclipse coming up this Monday (8/21/2017), the state of Oregon is expecting a large influx of tourists entering the state over the next few days, many of which will be camping. This is a good opportunity for the OISC to remind campers to Buy It Where You Burn It! Transporting firewood from other states, and even other counties, can potentially lead to new infestations of invasive insects and diseases. Check out the OISC’s Don’t Move Firewood webpage to learn more.

Invasive Species in the News: Willamette Week

Willamette Week recently published an informative article about invasive species in Oregon. The article, written by Matthew Korfhage, focuses on 10 species that “could destroy Oregon as we know it”. Go pick up the latest issue or click here to read it online.