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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 22, 2003 In the near future, purple loosestrife, an attractive but invasive wetland plant, may have nowhere to run. A biological control program to introduce the natural enemy of purple loosestrife, the Galerucella beetle, into local wetlands, has been accepted into the National 4-H Collection of youth development curricula. The "Biological Control of Purple Loosestrife" will be used by 4-H volunteers across the United States. "This program provides 4-H field volunteers the opportunity to hatch thousands of these plant-eating beetles, to release them into nearby wetland areas where purple loosestrife is a problem, and to monitor the success of their efforts," said Natalie Carroll, Purdue University associate professor in 4-H and in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering. "Through this project, the youth are learning a great deal about environmental issues and developing relationships with other organizations, such as local watershed groups," said Carroll. "The 4-H volunteers see their involvement in this project as providing a community service and doing something good for the environment." Purple loosestrife was brought to this country from Europe as a horticulture plant and as seeds in ships' ballast, and it has since escaped to wetlands across the United States and Canada where it has no natural predators. "It forces out native vegetation, and does not provide a food or a nesting source for native wildlife, said Pat Charlebois, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant biological resources specialist. "Invasive aquatic species such as purple loosestrife reduce biodiversity and can also change water chemistry and flow." The 4-H project to beat back purple loosestrife was developed by Carroll and Purdue University 4-H in partnership with the Illinois Natural History Survey, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, Michigan Sea Grant, and Minnesota Sea Grant. It has been implemented in several Great Lakes states, but now will be available to 4-H programs nationwide. The youth who take part in this program commit to two years of activity-based training and field work. They learn about wetlands, invasive species, biological control and monitoring. "At the beginning of their involvement, the volunteers measure the diversity in a nearby wetland. After the release of the beetles they go back and assess whether there are any changes," explained Carroll. "The 4-H program has been instrumental in involving youth in efforts to introduce the Galerucella beetle into degraded wetlands," said Charlebois. "These volunteers can provide a critical role in the control purple loosestrife." If you would like more information about the purple loosestrife 4-H program, contact Natalie Carroll at (765) 494-8344. To access the "Biological Control of Purple Loosestrife" curriculum, go to www.sgnis.org on the Web or call (888)398-4636. --30-- The Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant College Program is one of 30 National Sea Grant College Programs. Created by Congress in 1966, Sea Grant combines university, government, business and industry expertise to address coastal and Great Lakes needs. Funding is provided by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U. S. Department of Commerce, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Purdue University at West Lafayette, Indiana.
Irene Miles |
