When, and under what circumstances do you fight to eradicate invasive species? Are all invasives as bad as portrayed? In a recent article, it portrays a common reaction to the unknown, namely abhorrence gradually changing towards recognition that the new species may not have been as bad as first believed. At what point does the invasive villain morph into something less dangerous? Obviously this is a loaded questions, as some species are a clear detriment outside of its native environment.

Do invasives sometimes benefit their new environment? The author makes the case for Tamarack and bees, both originally do others benefit the natural environment, wetlands in particular? Do Phragmites reeds, whom i generally scowl at and peer menacing down my nose at, when confronted with acres of monoculture stands, provided unrealized benefits, including soil stabilization in the face of rising sea levels, which goes unrecognized? Life, and biology is complicated. Apparently so is making the distinction between harmful and beneficial invasive species, but as with all things, the truth often nuanced and subtle.

Wetlands in the News

24 April 2024