Fighting the invaders

A state task force recommends an aggressive strategy on invasive species

by Colin McDonald

The Times Union, Albany NY—November 22, 2005—Keeping invasive species from wreaking havoc in New York state - think Eurasian milfoil in Lake George, the Asian long-horned beetle downstate, and West Nile virus statewide - can often be a long, costly and ultimately losing battle. That's because by the time control methods are applied, the species, whether non-native or disease bearing, has already taken hold, endangering native plants, aquatic life, or even human health.

There's a better way to wage war against these pests. A report by a task force outlines a war-room strategy for dealing with threats. It takes a coordinated approach designed to halt an invader before it can do much harm.

A variety of steps are outlined. In some cases, a dramatic effort might be necessary, requiring the marshaling of state agency resources and personnel. In other instances, more practical, day-to-day responses might be in order, such as agencies sharing information and coordinating eradication efforts. And some practical steps could help as well, such as educating the public about approaching invaders and enlisting volunteers to be on the lookout for their arrival. The goal is to get everyone involved in stopping the threat before it spreads - volunteers who see an alien plant and pull it up the roots, for example, or more sophisticated, professional applications to keep a species from taking hold in the wild. The task force was established under legislation sponsored by Sen. Carl Marcellino, R-Syosset, and Assemblyman Thomas DiNapoli, D-Nassau County, and signed into law by Governor Pataki in 2003. It was charged with examining the state's reactive measures to invasions, and proposing recommendations.

Not surprisingly, the key to implementing the task force recommendations is money, and groups that support the finding - including environmental groups such as the Adirondack Council and the Nature Conservancy, a member of the task force - have estimated that $10 million will be needed for a coordinated, effective program. That may sound high, but it is minuscule compared with the costs of stopping an invader in its tracks.

The money would come from the state's Environmental Protection Fund, which is funded by the real estate transfer tax. That tax now generates about $730 million, compared with the Environmental Protection Fund total of some $150 million. Adding to the fund would not be a burden then. And given the costs of eradicating a single pest - for example, as much as $40 million to fight off the Asian long-horned beetles in New York City and Long Island - the $10 million is a bargain. The Legislature and Gov. Pataki should support this cost-effective approach.

This editorial is reproduced with explicit permission of the Times Union newspaper.