E-News June 25, 2009

Prevent the spread of Beach Vitex (Vitex rotundifolia) in Virginia
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Fire Ant Quarantine Notice for Tidewater area of Virginia
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Invasive Plants - A free seminar that will be presented at the Hampton Roads Ag. Research and Extension Center in Virginia Beach on Wednesday, July 8 from 9:00 am to 10:00 am..

The title is: “The Role of the Nursery Industry in the Massachusetts Invasive Plant Advisory Group” and it will be presented by my good friend Randall G. Prostak from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Randy was part of a committee in Massachusetts that evaluated the invasiveness of plants being grown by the nursery industry. Prohibited plants in Massachusetts include autumn olive, dwarf burning bush, Japanese barberry, and Norway maple. Randy will discuss how the list of prohibited species was developed. Randy’s committee served as a bridge between the invasive plants groups and the nursery industry to form a proactive strategy to address this issue.

Here is a brief description of his presentation:

The Massachusetts Invasive Plant Advisory Group was formed in 1999 to address the invasive plant issue in Massachusetts. The group used a criteria-based evaluation system to assess 85 plant species for invasiveness in Massachusetts. The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources working closely with the nursery industry developed invasive plant regulation in 2006. Various other activities of the group and the role of the nursery industry will be discussed.

Please share this with others who may be interested in this presentation. I hope to see you July 8 at the station.

Jeffrey F. Derr Professor of Weed Science Virginia Tech Hampton Roads AREC 1444 Diamond Springs Road Virginia Beach, VA 23455 Phone (757) 363-3912 Fax (757) 363-3950