In an effort to keep the region’s ecosystems balanced and healthy, several Thrive partners discuss their tactics to mitigate the detrimental impacts of invasive species across our region at the latest Natural Treasures Alliance meeting.

Communities across the region depend upon clean air and water provided by natural landscapes and ecosystems. Invasive species disrupt the balance of these ecosystems, jeopardizing our community health. 

Here in our region, several organizations are putting in the hard work and cost to counteract invasive species to preserve the vitality of our landscapes and communities.

Dennis Tumlin with the State of Tennessee’s Carp Advisory Commission shared the impending impacts of carp in the region’s waterways. This invasive species affects the economy and ecology of the areas it occupies. Carp outcompete native species for food, and the species’ jumping behavior poses a hazard to boaters. Carp also harm local economies located along the river, impacting waterfront events and tourism.  The Carp Advisory Council is taking proactive measures to protect the region’s waterways by implementing removal incentive programs, installing barriers, and continuing to research and monitor the species.

Cody Roney with Lula Lake Land Trust (LLLT) presented on the detrimental effects of the hemlock woolly adelgid, an insect that poses a major threat to hemlock trees in the Eastern portion of the United States. LLLT first discovered this species on their properties in 2013 and have fought the adelgid ever since. Their team has experimented with costly chemical treatments, as well as the biological treatment of predator beetles to curb the issue. The chemical treatment costs $.95 per diameter inch. When you multiply that by 12,000 trees, the expense is considerable. LLLT is committed to tackling this issue. Their ultimate goal is to do away with chemical treatments and use biological ones instead.

Mark McKnight with Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center shared the intensive invasive species removal and management efforts his organization has undertaken to support native plant species and pollinators. Over the last decade, we’ve seen a massive insect decline, which indicates the collapse of our natural systems. To combat this issue, the team at Reflection Riding has worked with over 2,000 volunteers to remove invasive plants from over 12 acres of land. 

Nyssa Hunt with UTC IGTLab shared how data and geospatial modeling supports mitigation efforts. A number of students have conducted research projects focused on invasive species distribution across the greater Chattanooga area. UTC plans to conduct projects focused on inventorying all invasive species in the greater Chattanooga region, using Deep Learning to identify vegetation from satellite imagery, and using species distribution modeling to anticipate and control invasive species spread. Check out this map that highlights counts of invasive species by county in greater Chattanooga.

Join the dialogue about the future of our region’s Natural Treasures. Contact Matt Reed at mreed@thriveregionalpartnership.org.

Banner Photo Credit: Jeff Guenther for Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center