ENDANGERED AND INVASIVE SPECIES
Pinky Riffle, State Endangered Species/Invasive Species Chm.

When we recite the Garden Clubs of Illinois Pledge of Allegiance, "Pride in the Land", we say we will uphold the "principles for which it stands…the protection of all wildlife and conservation of its natural resources." In order to keep this promise we need to identify what we are protecting and become aware of the status of our endangered and threatened species right here in Illinois. The Illinois Endangered Species Protection Board in Springfield lists the endangered and threatened plants on its website: http://dnr.state.il.us/espb/datelist.htm and updates every five years. The 2004 lists is seven pages long. Each of our clubs should have access to this list.

For a basic review we define an endangered species as those plants, which "are at an immediate risk of extinction and probably cannot survive without direct human intervention." Threatened species : "are abundant in parts of their range but are declining in total numbers and are at risk of extinction in the foreseeable future." The why we need to save endangered species is that we need to maintain that natural balance of the biosphere in which plants, animals and their chemical, biological and geological processes and interrelationships occur. The removal of a single species can set off a chain reaction affecting many others. The full significance of the extinction of a species is seldom apparent and long term impacts hard to predict. Loss of biodiversity has serious impact on remaining species, including humans, to survive. Nearly 40% of all medical prescriptions dispensed annually in the US have been derived from nature or synthesized to mimic naturally occurring chemical compounds. When we lose a species we may lose a key that could unlock treatment of a devastating disease.

The main causes for species to become endangered or extinct is human impact through habitat destruction, commercial exploitation, damage from introduction of non-native plants and animals, and pollution… So, we need to be responsible consumers and gardeners. Learn what we can do to help through organizations and your own practices. Never dig plants from the wild accept to "rescue" them from an area that will be destroyed. Never buy plants from nurseries that dig their plants from the wild. Plant more native plants. Reduce or eliminate the use of inorganic pesticides and fertilizers. Do what you can to control or minimize invasive species.

Two web sites to visit regarding invasive plants are: www.invasive.org (Invasive and Exotic Species of North America) and www.nps.gov/plants/alien/list/all.htm (Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas). Topping the list of invasive plants in Illinois are purple loosestrife, reed canary grass, buckthorn and garlic mustard. There has been some success in controlling purple loosestrife through the efforts of local agencies who engaged Chicago Public Schools to raise a European beetle to feed on the plants that were taking over our wetlands. Informing garden clubs of its threat often meets solid resistance from diehard gardeners who consider purple loosestrife the July mainstay of their gardens. We gain little by fanatic reasoning, but may suggest that a large bouquet of the blooms be cut and used indoors while this plant is in bloom. Thereby we will help deter its proliferation through reseeding. Or we might suggest substituting other tall purple plants such as liatris which blooms about the same time.

Garlic mustard was introduced as a salad green by the pioneers, but was kept in check because people ate it. What makes garlic mustard so pernicious is the ability of one plant to produce hundreds of progeny. It also releases a chemical in the soil that acts as a herbicide, killing plants and soil organisms in its proximity. It is biennial with a slight odor and taste of garlic. No natural predators stop its spread. It squeezes out Dutchman's breeches, hepatica, toothworts and trillium. As a food, it has been tested by herb groups and national parks. It is a valued spring green in some parts of the world. The roots may be used like horseradish and the greens pulled in Spring, eaten raw or frozen as a substitute in recipes for spinach, such as pizza, salad and pesto and the seeds may be ground for a mustard. The parks organize volunteer groups to pull it out in the spring as well as encouraging its culinary use to curtail its spread. As long as we have birds we will have garlic mustard…..and poison ivy and……dandelions.

The more we learn about the endangered and invasive species the better we will be equipped to have a positive human impact on the biodiversity of our earth.