CISMA Call Agenda
• FISP Update (Erin)• Presentation/Discussion: Habittattitude.
Joe Starinchak, Outreach Coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fisheries & Habitat Conservation, Branch of Invasive Species
• CISMA/CWMA Updates (All)• Upcoming meetings and other info• Wrap-up
Florida Invasive Species Partnership
Update on FISP:• Working on FLEPPC session, let
Kris know if you will attend (if you have not already)
• Investigating herbicides adjacent to organic farms (Greg)
• Investigating disposal of invasive plants in yard waste (Greg)
• No CISMA call in May!!• DC update (Kathy)
Invasive species know no boundaries. If landowners and land managers in Florida wish to achieve long-term success with regards to combating invasive species, it is critical to collaborate with all stakeholders, focusing on prevention as well as treatment.
Joe StarinchakU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Fisheries and Habitat Conservation ProgramNational ANS Task Force
Presented on behalf of the Pet Industry Joint AdvisoryCouncil and the US Fish and Wildlife Service
Aquarists Abound!
• Pets are an important part of our culture.
• Independent retail sales nearly $1.4B.
• Over 13M household aquaria with thousands more in offices, etc…
• Various specialties contribute to a strong industry.
Water Gardens are Blooming!
• Water garden popularity rising rapidly.
• Is the fastest growing segment of the aquarium industry.
• “Water Garden Tours”: Community outings similar to parade of homes are growing substantially in many metro areas.
Benefits Can Create Challenges
• Keeping live species requires financial obligations, specialized knowledge, time for care, and responsibility.
• Owners create a connection with the environment.
• Situations occur where…– Owners are faced with disposing of unwanted aquatic
plants or fish;– They inadequately contain fish and aquatic plants and
escape occurs.
Other Challenges…
• Increasing frequency of aquatic plants, fish and other animals associated with pet industry (eg. pythons) being found in the environment.
• They have the potential to cause negative environmental, economic and human health impacts.
• This translates into increased scrutiny and negative public perceptions about these hobbies.
Even More Challenges…• Disconnected players within and around the
entire system.
• Long-standing adversarial relationships exist between private and public sector entities.
• No unifying agenda.
• Confusing, competing and incorrect messages are conveyed to consumers.
So What?!
Complex problems require innovative solutions.
Situational Analysis:Systems thinking is directly applicable.
The players need to think differently about aquatic invasive species and their relationship to the issue.
With higher priorities and scarce resources, unifying agendas need to be set and collaboration needs to become the standard.
Meeting the Challenges…
• HabitattitudeTM is a proactive solution!! This unique partnership of industry, academia and government was created to address these challenges.
• The partnership focuses on raising public awareness, engaging people, promoting unifying environmental messages with corresponding beneficial actions.
• All segments of the industry are part of the solution.
What is HabitattitudeTM?• A nationally branded campaign
targeting aquarists and water gardeners.
• Links environmental messages with beneficial actions.
• Builds upon other successful efforts to reach targeted audiences.
HabitattitudeTM Advisory Panel
• Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC)
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• Sea Grant Network partners
Under the leadership of the national ANS Task Force, these partners came together…
HabitattitudeTM Partners• PIJAC
– Represents 90% of the U.S. pet industry.– Association and members have committed in
excess of $1.1 million!
• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service– The only federal agency that exclusively addresses
fish and wildlife.– Has put $100,000 toward the partnership.
• National Sea Grant College Program– Provided a $300,000 grant.
• This is only the beginning…
How is HabitattitudeTM Different?
• Moves ‘beyond brochures’
• Seeks to raise awareness, engage people, and change behaviors!
• Unifies government, industry, academia and consumers to expand ownership and promote solutions.
• Uses built-in evaluation to assess measurable impacts (e.g., behavioral change).
HabitattitudeTM – What You Get!
• Access to Materials– A unifying brand and associated
campaign materials.– Web site (www.habitattitude.net)
available a central resource.– Other campaign resources available
to all interested partner organizations.
• National Support– National promotion of campaign
through partner networks.– Experienced partners ready to help
you connect with aquarium hobbyists and water gardeners.
– Marketing evaluation methodologies to measure behavior change at state level.
The Extent of the National Promotions• PIJAC and its member organizations will promote campaign:
–One company: In 700+ stores, on its website and in monthly direct mailings to 20+ million pet owning households (30% US pet owning households).
–Three national and numerous independent retailers: Thru 20 million brand-imprinted fish bags.
–Importers and wholesalers: 4 million brand-imprinted fish boxes delivering fish to retail stores to raise industry awareness.
–The largest product distributor: Will design campaign kits (door decals, peel off stickers, tent cards, etc) for small independent retailers.
–The trade and hobby/consumer press: Will run free ads, periodic editorials and cover stories on the invasive species issue and the campaign.
• American Nursery and Landscape Association (ANLA) -- Our 1st first affiliate will bring garden centers/aquatic plant industry solidly behind the campaign.
• 50 million US pet owning households – Our goal in the future, through efforts w/ PETCO, PETsMART, Wal-Mart, garden centers and 2,000 independent pet retailers.
• State Fish and Wildlife Agencies – Have been invited as partners to use their networks to promote the brand/prevention message. Have responded very positively.
• State of Florida's "Dive-In" campaign – Is providing approx. $250,000 in in-kind support by including the message in its educational programs.
Alternatives to Release• Contact retailer for proper handling advice or for
possible returns• Give/trade with another aquarist, pond owner, or
water gardener• Donate to a local aquarium society, school, or
aquatic business• Seal aquatic plants in plastic bags and dispose in
trash• Contact veterinarian or pet retailer for humane
disposal of animals
HabitattitudeTM Support Materials
Aquaria Sticker Magazine ad
What Can You Do?Become a HabitattitudeTM Partner
• Industry:– Integrate campaign into your marketing materials.– Provide link to campaign Web site.
• Agencies and Academia:– Integrate into educational programming.– Provide link to campaign Web site.
• Consumers:– Educate yourself about your hobby’s potential
environmental consequences.– Adopt, model and promote responsible consumer
behaviors.– Become involved in policy solutions.
Future Plans for HabitattitudeTM
• Expanding campaign to address terrestrial invasive species
• Reinvigorating campaign website
• Driving campaign down to the community level and offering solutions to prevent continued introduction/spread of invasive species
HabitattitudeTM Benefits
• Unifies industry with government, and academia with consumers.
• Promotes a simple and consistent environmental messages and beneficial actions.
• Provides credibility and accountability.
• Leverages enhanced communications capacitythrough diverse networks
• Helps to promote local action to address a global challenge (i.e. Pet Amnesty Days)
• Benefits you, us, and our clientele.
For more information, visit www.habitattitude.net
Or contact:Marshall Meyers, Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council
202.452.1525Joe Starinchak, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
703.358.2018
Florida Keys Invasive Species Task Force
• Assisted with convoy for Pet Amnesty Day
• Interviewed Live on national Fox News regarding Pythons and Imports– Picked up by Daily Show.
• Set meeting dates for:– 5 Year Plan (Thurs, April 2nd)– BIPM Ranking (Thurs, April
30th)
• Signed and returned PTI Grant agreement from the NFWF so the funds should be coming soon!!
• We have a work activity planned for Sat March 28 from 10 till noon pulling ardisia, cutting Japanese climbing fern off the trunks of pine trees and cut stem herbicide treating privet, camphor, and chinaberry along Alligator Creek.
Bradford Co. Cooperative Weed Management Area
Initial target species:TSA, Japanese Climbing Fern, Chinese Tallow, Cogongrass, and air potato.
NOTE OF INTEREST: in our area the cold weather has turned the Japanese climbing fern brown so it is easy to spot as you are driving. It is present in almost every wet area along our roads an is far more wide spread than I originally thought.
Treasure Coast CISMA
•• Another private/public/ROW Another private/public/ROW invasive project developing invasive project developing with enthusiasticwith enthusiastic residents.residents.
•• Initiating a python EDRR for TC Initiating a python EDRR for TC CISMA has much interest and CISMA has much interest and talks have begun.talks have begun.
•• Monthly Cooperative Workday Monthly Cooperative Workday --removed removed ScaevolaScaevola taccadataccada at at the Hobe Sound NWRthe Hobe Sound NWR
•• Coastal Program Agreement:Coastal Program Agreement:––Presentations & site assessments Presentations & site assessments complete for individual residents and complete for individual residents and HOA Presidents /Managers HOA Presidents /Managers Groundwork scheduled this month.Groundwork scheduled this month.
––RC&D has been very flexible w/paying RC&D has been very flexible w/paying contractors for private & public tasks.contractors for private & public tasks.
Central Florida Invasive Species Working Group• CFISWG meeting held Feb. 27 –
great success!– Subcommittees beginning to
form.• Grasses workshop this
fall – Workshop committee organizing (phew!).
• Steering committee meeting on March 30. Long agenda, new members.
• Next Apalachicola Invasives Working Group meeting will be Tuesday, May 19 at 10 am at the ANERR Visitor Center in Apalachicola.– Dr. Barnard from DOF will be talking about
their cogon grass initiative.• Working to slightly expand the Working
Group. Moving away from watershed boundary and toward an 8 county region (Jackson, Gadsden, Leon, Wakulla, Liberty, Calhoun, Gulf, Franklin).
• Will be partnering with IFAS extension to host quarterly invasive workshops (1 in each county for the next 2 years).
Apalachicola River Watershed Invasive Species Working Group
1.Helicopter survey area in Jan. 2009 detected six new OWCF infestations. New infestation on public land already treated. Private property has already signed up for treatment through CFLS.
2.SWFWMD assisted DEP with treatment of a dense infestation of OWCF on the Colt Creek property. Joint effort made equipment available that greatly simplified treatment.
3.Started project to recruit & train FDOF fire/smoke pilots to look for Lygodium infestations during over flights. Colleen Werner at Withlacoochee SF began this project (possibly statewide effort).
4.Developed a poster that will be used to alert people in the Green Swamp area about OWCF, where to go for more information and who to contact to report any observations.
5.“Outreach Package” is in the works. Information will be presented personally to the extension agents and foresters in the six-county area.
Green Swamp CISMA
Steering committee meeting on 3/20/09:* Sacred ibis control project (funded through the Everglades Foundation). * Nile monitor lizard EDRR (Homestead) * Conducted Lumnitzera racimosa rapid response workday at FairchildTropical Gardens (http://www.miamiherald.com/living/home/gardening/story/910885.html )
•• Everglades Summit Everglades Summit planning in progress planning in progress ––July 8July 8--9 at LNWR9 at LNWR
Everglades Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area
No updates for this month• Did you notice something
different in the name? While the focus is still cogongrass, this partnership is now using CISMA
• Working on list of 8-10 plants to be current priority list
• City of Gainesville annual Great Air Potato Roundup was held on January 31
Alachua County CISMA
Restoration/EDRRFollow up Tamarisk work day March 2nd
FundingPreparing BIPM grants
Prevention/Outreach• AlterNatives Spring Gardening
extravaganza March 14th
• VCC’s with Jacksonville Zoo
First Coast Invasive Species Working Group
Marion Co. Invasive Species Management CouncilNOTES FROM LAST MONTH AS PLACEHOLDER
• Contract in place and we are back in active operation
• Working on defining cogongrass-free zones and neighborhood program areas. – Want to prioritize 10 – First 3 will be along
Alachua/Marion counties line• Working to get Contact list and FAQs
updated and online• In discussion on future projects
coordinated projects with Putnam and Lake Counties
NOTES FROM LAST MONTH AS PLACEHOLDER
• Steering Committee meeting held on Feb. 26
• During prescribed burns in Naples and Saniblel last month - discussed the importance of prescribed burning to manage for invasive exotic plants in fire dependent habitats.
• Working on a CISMA brochure
Southwest Florida Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area
Other start-ups?Anybody know of others?•Greenswamp area partnership is meeting again on March 5th
(focus on OWCF)•Lake County held a meeting to discuss forming a CISMA on Feb. 23. Lots of energy and well attended
Would you like to suggest others or suggest expansion of any of the current CISMAs?
Upcoming MeetingsUpcoming Meetings:• Aquatic Weed Control Short Course May 4-7, 2009 Coral
Springs, Florida www.conference.ifas.ufl.edu/aw• SE-EPPC May 13-15, 2009, South Carolina• FLEPPC May 26-29, 2009, Delray Beach, Florida• Southeast Herbicide Applicator Conference September 22-
24, 2009, Panama City Beach, Florida www.conference.ifas.ufl.edu/sehac
Grants• USFWS Coastal projects Due April 17, 2009
– [email protected]• Others?
Next meeting: Wed., April 22 at 1:30pm; NO May Meeting!
• PHONE: 1-866-642-1665 and enter passcode: 698452
• WEB: log in at nethope.webex.com– meeting number 826 615 549 – password is invasive– For more info, comments or recommendations,
email [email protected]
Thank You!
Next Topic Discussion
April and beyond? (note, no call in May since it will be during the FLEPPC conference)
•In-depth presentation from a CISMA?•Pest/pathogens? •Feral Hogs? •Other?
