Invasive plants costs Texans millions of dollars each year 

By MONETTE TAYLOR | South Central Texas Edition

Jackie Poole, a botanist with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, detailed various invasive plants during the recent conference on the subject. -- Staff photo by Taylor

Dec. 8, 2005 -  How much do producers and Texans, in general, know about “non-native invasive plants,” and the damage they have and are doing in Texas?

While Texas has 36.8 million acres of prime farmland … more than any other state … it has only taken a few invasive species to cause many problems. So, in an effort to unite information and efforts on the problems, several groups came together to present the “Pulling Together Initiative Invasive Plant Conference” at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin on Nov. 17-19.

�The first two days of the conference were open to professionals, led by employees of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and other agencies who work with invasive plants, such as Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA). The sessions on Nov. 19 were open to the general public, and introduced the various varieties of plants that are costing producers and citizens of Texas millions of dollars, each year.

�An invasive species is, according to the Executive Order 13112 �� defined as a species that is non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.�

�By �introduced,� the definition means brought to an area by humans. Only 15 percent of these �introduced� species live to become �invasive� or harmful. While some species of plants are introduced for erosion control or food for livestock, some are accidentally brought in to new areas, either on clothing or shipping containers. Also, some species are brought in from exotic locations, and growers work with them for a while, before losing interest. By that time, it is too late to control some of the species which will continue to spread, overtaking good species of plants that can be used for human or livestock food.

�According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, species named as �invasive� include at least 15 aquatic/wetland plants and at least 68 terrestrial plants.�

�In a presentation on Nov. 19, Jackie Poole, TPWD botanist, noted her opinions that the worse invasives in Texas are the Salt Cedar, followed by Bermuda grass, King Ranch Bluestem, Sacred Bamboo, Sweet Clovers and the Chinaberry tree. One species that covers much of Texas and it consider extremely evasive is the Bufflegrass, along with the Giant Reed, Chinese Tallow Tree, Hydrilla and Elephant Ears.

�Many of these plants are familiar to rural and urban areas, and many have been brought in for landscaping, and landscapers� desire to have �ornamental� plants, or those with leaves that change colors in the fall. While the Chinese Tallow was introduced for that reason, it has become a threat to the Coastal Prairie and has caused many problems for endangered Attwater Prairie Chickens who depend on the area�s native plants for nesting and shelter habitats.

�The Chinese Tallow was once planted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the Gulf States to encourage the soap industry. Unfortunately, it took over and cannot be cultivated. Although the Texas floral and nursery crop industry is the third largest industry in the nation and Texas� fastest growing segment of agriculture, many still sell invasives such as the Chinese Tallow � even though they are aware of the lasting effects.

�Salt Cedar was introduced in much of West Texas as a �wind break and stream bank stabilizer,� but it has turned out to choke out native species and act as a �water hog.��

�Although some species were introduced as a cheaper way to cultivate forage for cattle, others were used to seed along highways to stabilize the soil.�

�Two invasive species that are noted to be toxic to livestock include lantana and the castor bean.�

�Because livestock are a major economic boost to the state (the Union of Concerned Scientists lists Texas� livestock value, in 2001, as $8.59 billion), producers are urged to be aggressive in their watch for these invasive plants so more acres of farm and ranch land will not be lost in years to come. Planters are encouraged to do some research before planting new species of grasses or other ground cover.

�(For more information: http://www.ucsusa.org or 800-666-8276.)