Over the past week, I started looking into invasive aquatic plants, focusing largely on which species seem most worrisome, how they are being moved around, and how they may impact the ecosystems they invade. After a little searching, I started to see patterns with regard to names and means of transport, but I also started […]
Author Archive
A wave of invasives
A green invasion
I’ve spent a good chunk of my time over the past few months on the coast of Louisiana, mainly on the barrier islands, but I also get to see a lot of marsh on the boat ride out. I also survey a lot of swamp on the drive to and from our launch point, so […]
Making international regulations stick
In my last few posts, I’ve talked about species whose international trade was regulated on a global level, with varying degrees of control and success. To finish out this month, I want to discuss one further level of CITES that makes conservation both more individual and complicated. In addition to Appendices I and II, CITES […]
If a tree falls in the forest
Is there any way to be certain that it was cut legally? In many ways, that is the challenge for sustainable management of timber, especially in tropical locations. If you have seen this month’s edition of ‘National Geographic,’ you will already have a sense of just difficult it can be to monitor and enforce national […]
Does it really help to be on the A list?
As I mentioned in my last post, species listed on Appendix I of CITES are not permitted in international commercial trade. These are species which are threatened with extinction if trade continues. Trade is allowed only for non-commercial use and under exceptional circumstances. In order for the specimen to be transported internationally, first an import […]
Endangered species in our CITES
It’s always nice to take a break from the usual routine- a small diversion can provide amusement, a new viewpoint, or just a chance to try something new. This month, I’ve decided to step away from the usual format and go with four posts which provide mainly information about three different elements of one larger […]
Getting your hands wet
Many of the salt marsh and barrier island restoration projects I’ve described in previous posts are pretty big scale- it would be challenging for an individual to plan and carry out offshore dredging or large-scale marsh terrace construction. But is there a way to contribute in some small fashion to these bigger projects? Given how […]