![Photo: In the Florida Everglades, Old World climbing fern engulfs a tree island. Link to photo information](/peth04/20041031042511im_/http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/graphics/photos/jul00/k8960-1i.jpg) In the Florida
Everglades, Old World climbing fern engulfs a tree island. Click the image
for more information about it.
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Everglades Restoration to Be Part of
Invasive Species Discussions By
Alfredo Flores
August 17, 2004
Curbing the spread of invasive species into the United States is
the main goal of an Agricultural Research
Service workshop this week that focuses on protecting Florida's native
habitat--especially the Everglades--from destructive insects, weeds and other
invasive pests.
Controlling these invading species--those yet to arrive and
those already entrenched here--is a big challenge. Scientists and land managers
on local, state and federal levels are scrambling to develop means to detect,
identify and eliminate exotic insects, weeds and diseases that are spread by
global travel and trade.
This week's workshop at the ARS
U.S. Horticultural Research
Laboratory in Fort Pierce, Fla., brings together university and government
representatives involved in issues pertaining to both invasive species and the
agro-ecosystems that provide their habitat. The meeting's goal is to develop
and enhance partnerships that will not only help deal with exotic species
invasions, but also address production and profitability problems affecting
agricultural producers.
Organized by ARS and the University of Florida-Institute of Food and
Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), the
workshop is part of an ARS-led research initiative to provide solutions to
problems related to current and future efforts to restore south Florida's
fragile ecosystem, particularly the Everglades National Park. That work fits
into the Comprehensive
Everglades Restoration Plan, which provides a framework and guide to
restore, protect and preserve the water resources of central and southern
Florida, including the Everglades.
Workshop participants include representatives of USDA's
Natural Resources Conservation Service,
the South Florida Water
Management District, the Florida
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the
Florida Department of Environmental
Protection, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, the U.S. Geological Survey and
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Following an overview by ARS and IFAS officials on the
collective work on biological control of invasive species, hydrology and water
quality and improved crop and animal production systems, participants will
discuss research needs and partnerships, with the goal of developing new
cooperative agreements.
ARS is the U.S. Department of
Agriculture's chief scientific research agency. |