[Proposed Policy for Review and (Hopefully) Approval at the Oct. 28 Meeging]

Arundo donax has been proposed as a biofuel -- some 8000 to 15000 acres of it.  It is listed as one of the world's 100 best weeds, but it isn't listed as invasive by FLEPPC.  It is however growing wild in 23 counties, one state park has over 1 ac of it, another has an expanding population, and and there are other areas, one near one of our large springs, where control is known to be needed.  It is also major invasive in California, parts of the Bahamas, Barbados, Hawaii, and Thailand. 

At the request on Ray Wunderlich, I spent a week researching the literature and making phone calls.  The more I learned, the less I liked the plant.  The attached statement is the result.

This has been sent to the policy committee and selected others for preliminary review.

Please review it.  I'm proposing to bring it up for approval at the meeting.

[Re: Proposed Policy for Review and (Hopefully) Approval at the Oct. 28 Meeging]

Did you by any chance consult Doria Gordon at TNC?  She has been involved in development of a model to predict potential invasiveness.  She and I have spoken about Arundo and believe me - she shares the concern.  I'd liike her to take a peek at this because I think she could suggest ways to beef it up.

[Re: Proposed Policy for Review and (Hopefully) Approval at the Oct. 28 Meeging]

I concur with the recommendation to seek input from Doria Gordon and others directly involved in the scientific investigation of this plant from the viewpoint of invasive impacts but; we should get the policy adopted, then refined as new information is available.

Additionally, I suggest that President Shirley direct a team to review the literature on energy production from non-fossil biomass and prepare a list of other species being being proposed/studied and their potential for +/- impacts on native plant communities. Preferably the investigation would include all the kingdoms of living things so as not to preclude harvesting the excessive store of nutrients in Okeechobee and other eutrophic waterbodies in Florida.  I would encourage that this task not be limited to only those technologies that lend themselves to distribution through major national and multi-national companies, i.e. don't exclude small scale methane and alcohol production.  In our role as protectors of native plant communities we need more information to supply chapters who are dealing with these issues now.  Glades Co. and Jacksonville have coal fired plants proposed. At what level do sulfur dioxide emissions producing sulfuric acid in plants, kill them, reduce their resistance to secondary invaders, reduce ecosystem productivity? These energy issues won't go away and have the potential of directly affecting native plant communities. I encourage a broader look at the issue and development of some fact sheets for chapter/member input to these issues.

[Re: Proposed Policy for Review and (Hopefully) Approval at the Oct. 28 Meeging]

I'm uploading an editied copy -- the only edits that I received were grammatical.

I agree fully with both Eugene and Dick.  It would be very good to have Doria Gordon review the  policy and help strengthen the supporting information.  I believe it is also important to get this approved as I have some information that we may be on a very short timeline.  If there is agreement on the policy, I would think we could continue to strengthen the supporting information.

The suggestion that we broaden the policy to include other invasive biofuels is also good.  I'm hoping that we can create (near future) a policy statement to handle invasives in general.  Some of the research I did on Arundo lead to really scary stuff on other species.  Back that up with a field review I did within the past 2 weeks where two here-to-fore invasives were all over a publicly owned site (one introduced as a pasture grass, the other likely as an ornamental).   And when $$$ get into the act, I'm sensing next to no meaningful review.  A strong FNPS policy (and an educational initiative) on invasives is badly needed.

Shirley

[Re: Proposed Policy for Review and (Hopefully) Approval at the Oct. 28 Meeging]

Thank you so much for everything that went into providing members this vital information and for the policy statement.  An excellent suggestion to create a literature review team - perhaps including our science committee chair.