News

Stewards Watch for New Invaders

An early detection program for invasive plant and animal species has begun in the Chicago Wilderness region. Called the “New Invaders Watch” (NIW) the program aims to identify problem species before they take hold and cost far more money to control or eliminate. The notion of “preemptive strike” soon may acquire a new and positive meaning in this region.

The New Invaders Watch is a collaboration among the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the Nature Conservancy, Lake County Forest Preserves, Chicago Wilderness, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Illinois Natural History Survey. The current list of targeted species includes the Asian longhorned beetle, baby’s breath, the emerald ash borer, kudzu and silver grass among the “17 Most (Un)Wanted.”

Volunteers are the front line troops in the battle to halt the influx of invasives because they “may be the first ones to see these invasive species,” said Chris Mulvaney, Science and Natural Resources Team Coordinator for Chicago Wilderness.

Volunteer training consists of several components, including species identification and ecology, and a set of “Field Cards” that include photographs and drawings of the target species and key characteristics about leaves, stems, flowers, and seeds to help volunteers accurately identify the species in the field.

Individuals who wish to participate in the NIW program may do so here.

Groups should contact Karen Tharp, VSN Coordinator, at The Nature Conservancy at 866-VSN-LINE or ktharp@tnc.org.

— Kevin Murphy