State establishes invasive species office

Environmentalist named as head

By FRITZ MAYER

NEW YORK STATE — Japanese knotweed is choking out the competition along the banks of the Upper Delaware, purple loosestrife is taking over wetlands and Eurasian water milfoil is clogging boat motors in area lakes; the three plants are just a few of the invasive species that threaten the environmental health of the region. And, of course, the problem is not isolated to the Upper Delaware. Species such as the Asian longhorn beetle, zebra mussels and chestnut blight are threatening several areas of New York State.

With all of these marauding invaders pushing out native species, public officials decided it was time to take a decisive stand. Pete Grannis, the commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), announced on December 28, 2007 that the agency is creating an Office of Invasive Species to confront what the DEC said is hundreds of non-native species that have invaded the state, especially in the past decade.

The new office will bring together biologists and foresters to develop ways to combat the problem, and work with universities, other state agencies and non-profit organizations to support research and raise public awareness about the subject.

“Invasive species compete with, prey upon and can substantially alter the environment of our native species of plants, fish and wildlife,’’ Grannis said. “Even though many of them have been around for years, we have never had a coordinated system in place to attack the problem, a system that threads together the issues of public outreach, funding and legislation needs and research.”

Grannis had the support of Governor Elliot Spitzer who issued a report that said, “These invasive species have a devastating impact, not only on the environment but also the economy. They have wiped out certain tree species, hurt recreational and commercial fishing and tainted water supplies. This new office will bring a much needed focus to a problem we cannot ignore.”

The man who will lead the new office is 54-year-old wildlife biologist Steve Sanford, who has been with the DEC since 1978, and previously served as the DEC’s habitat bureau director. Sanford’s new office will include a coordinator, a wildlife biologist and a forester. Sanford will also be a member of the state Invasive Species Council, which Spitzer authorized the creation of earlier this year. The council is comprised of representatives of nine state agencies and an advisory committee of business, academia and conservation interest groups.

The council and the office will work together to create a plan by 2010 to prevent new invasive species from coming into the state and controlling the ones that are here.