Urban Wildlife Project
the problem:
A major environmental threat both locally and around the world is the increased number of invasive species that have been introduced from abroad. Without natural enemies to control them some species can take over and damage or destroy entire ecosystems. Red-eared slider turtles are ranked among the world's top 100 worst invasive species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature(IUCN). The red-eared slider turtle is a medium size turtle, native to the Mississippi valley in the United States. Due to pet the trade, they have established feral populations in many parts of the world. In New York, red-eared sliders are seen abundant in urban parks. They are aggressive and can grow to be much bigger than native turtle species (e.g. painted turtle). Studies in Europe have shown that invasive red-eared sliders can be a problem to native pond turtles; it is possible that red-eared sliders can have a negative impact on our local ecosystem.
Invasive plants such as porcelain berry, multiflora rose, Japanese knot weed, bitter sweet vines and others are able to out compete and kill native shrubs, trees, and wildflowers. This can do tremendous damage to a local ecosystem. Our project aims to reduce threats to natural ecosystems and to the native species which they contain by increasing awareness about invasive species of turtles and plants, and finding effective ways to prevent and control them.
vital stats:
people impacted:
2,000people involved:
6why it's important:
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), introduced invasive species are one of the main causes of biodiversity declines on a global scale. This project will aim to preserve the natural flora and fauna in parts of New York City through educational outreach, research, and management of local habitats that have suffered under the effects of invasive species. This project will aim to preserve the natural flora and fauna of NYC through educational outreach, research, and management of local habitats that have suffered under the effects of introduced species. This project will also serve as a way to promote urban ecology by involving the community to get in touch with nature. This will ultimately help to maintain and preserve the quality of nature in the city which tends to become overshadowed as a result of living in one of the largest and busiest cities in the world. This project will help to bring the community closer to the natural world around them and in return will provide all the physical and psychological benefits that interaction with nature brings…
the plan of action:
Research and educational outreach : Continue the turtle mark-recapture study at AlleyPond, NY to understand the ecology and survivorship of an introduced population of red-eared slider turtles Trachemys scripta elegans. Field work will be conducted during the spring and summer months. I will arrange powerpoint presenations and turtle talks to educate the public about invading red-ear sliders, and encourage them not to introduce pet turtles into the wild. EarthTenders Invasive Plant Species Removal Event: 1-2 invasive species workdays will be organized every month at AlleyPond Environmental Center, in cooperation with WildMetro. Work will involve cutting and removing invasive species such as the asian bittersweet Celastrus orbiculatus, multiflora rose Rosa multiflora, Japanese honeysuckle Lonicera japonica in areas where they have been removed to allow native species to re-claim these areas through natural successional processes. This work will take patience, time and lots of hard work in order to be effective. We expect work at Alley Pond and other natural areas will continue for many years. All work is done with guidance from scientific authorities and in cooperation with park managers. Permits for Earth Tenders work in Alley Pond have been issued by the NYC Dept. of Parks and Recreation.
how you can get involved:
People can help us by volunteering at our invasive species removal events at Alley Pond Environmental Center.
project updates:
Related Projects
Related Guides
Tips and Tools:
Action Guides:
Action Tips: Make Statistics Speak, Show How Big Key Numbers Are
How to make a big impact by showing people how...