Aliens among us? Pt. 2
April 7th 2008 00:54
Yesterday's post introduced us to invasive species. Now that we have a handle on what exactly constitutes these invaders, today we'll talk about stopping them.
Stopping the spread of invasive species
What can an individual do to stop the spread of invasive species?
For many of us, the easiest thing to do is sit back and let experts control or eliminate species while their numbers are still small. However, scientists cannot detect and eliminate every invasive species. Funding, manpower, or lack of timely identification all contribute to the problem.
This blog is too all-encompassing to start mentioning all the plants or animals to watch. Everyone reading this ought to be smart enough not to move plants or animals from country to country. However, it is the regions within a given country that we have to be careful about and that knowledge is a personal responsibility.
It sounds simplistic to say but, one of the best and easiest ways to stop the spread of alien flora and fauna is to NOT move them around. That’s part of the reason you see signs in parks telling you to refrain from picking the flowers.
Let’s be real though. A nice plant is a nice plant. It’s not uncommon to take a houseplant from one coast to another during a major move. One big thing to NOT do is re-plant your prize in an outdoor garden!
If you run across a plant or animal that is considered “invasive” in your area, the last thing you want to do is kill the offensive species yourself. Rather, it’s more advisable to contact authorities who deal with animal or plant matters.
Boaters and anglers can lead the fight
Individuals are probably at the heart of this problem and it’s the individual who can stop it.
Small watercraft actually give us an opportunity to remove the vehicle from the water and make sure no vegetation is clinging to the propeller or rudder. Then, after a visual inspection, cleansing with a high-pressure hose is helpful.
One of the first things anglers can do to stop the spread of invasive species is to refrain from dumping their minnow buckets into the body of water where they are fishing. Unless you are positive your bait came from the waters you are fishing, you may be contributing to a growing problem. Aside from the possibility of introducing foreign fish to your favorite spot, the possibility of spreading bacteria or alien spores also exists.
To help combat this problem, it's imperative to put left over minnows in a plastic bag and place them in an appropriate receptacle. This may sound unsavory but, it prevents an unwanted circumstance.
To help prevent invasive species, make sure you buy live bait from authorized dealers. That's not to say that you shouldn't buy nightcrawlers from the kid down the road. Chances are that he was out there with a flashlight as soon as it stopped raining last night so, you're probably helping him save up for that video game he's had his eye on.
It never hurts to ask questions but, if you enter a tackle shop and they have an aerated cooler in the middle of the floor, chances are that they're on the up and up.
Even if you only like to look at pretty flowers, you can be affected by invasive species. As stated before, it's easier to stop invaders before they become established. If everyone works together, we can stop this problem before it begins.
Until next time--watch yourself and watch your line!
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The bad part about it is that you can do something bad and not even know it! Problems are often VERY localized.