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INVASIVE SPECIES INITIATIVES Aoife Thornton Ph.D. Zebra Mussel Education Officer Western Region Zebra Mussel Control Initiative & Aquatic Invasive Species Task Force Environment Section, Galway County Council. [email protected] www.alienspecies.ie WATER – OUR HERITAGE Aim: To protect inland waterways from unwanted aquatic invasive species 2 Groups 1. Western Region Zebra Mussel Control Initiative 2. Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Task Force Case Study 1 Campaign with a long name and a specific aim ZEBRA MUSSELS AIM: To stop the spread of Zebra Mussels to lakes within the Western River Basin District (Great Western Lakes in particular) Credit: Dan Minchin Protecting the Great Western Lakes Loughs Corrib, Mask & Carra Message also incorporates stopping the spread of aquatic invasive plant species Lough Conn 2006 Zebra Mussels - INVASIVE What are they? • Non-native freshwater shellfish • Thumbnail-sized What are the concerns? • Cause changes to inland waterway ecology • Cause algal blooms by consuming harmless plankton and rejecting harmful types – produce microcystins (toxic compounds) • Block water abstraction pipes & can taint public water supply • Hosts to other invasive species How can they be exterminated? • Cannot be eradicated from natural ecosystems Native Swan Mussel starved to death Algal Blooms Credit: Dan Minchin BACKGROUND Expansion New signs Branding Zebra Mussels in Ireland since mid-1990’s Lough Corrib under threat VEHICLE for Action Media Schools Seminar Presentations Talks Galway County Heritage Forum 2004-2008 Action 3.8 ‘to protect Lough Corrib…from Zebra Mussels’ 2005 Education Officer 2004: Awareness – signage and literature Members • • • • • • • • • • Galway County Heritage Forum The Heritage Council Galway County and City Councils Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon, Clare and North Tipperary County Councils NPWS, OPW, NWRFB, WRFB, SHRFB and NRFB (information exchange) Inland Waterways of Ireland Waterways Ireland Carra Mask Corrib Water Protection Group Ltd. Trout Angling Federation of Ireland (TAFI) Scientists ZEBRA MUSSEL AWARENESS The Basics • Key message and target audience were identified Target Audience Anglers and boat owners Positive Messages You can help! Yes invasives cause problems but yes a lot can be done to help or prevent the spread 2. Clean your boat 3. Remove plants Finance – the weakest link! Zebra Mussels coating a chain Image: Dan Minchin Identification of a Funding Mechanism Without money, there’s a ceiling in the way of progress •Seed funding was provided by the Heritage Council •Additional funding is provided by Local Authorities, Regional Fisheries Boards and the National Parks and Wildlife Service Funding agencies are regularly updated on progress and news. Money doesn’t grow on trees! Selling the Message BRAND IMAGE 2004-2006 Original ‘look’ To create an identity New Look 2006- To grab attention To help sell the message about AIS Message New Look It’s in your hands Character – many uses X Problem: image was ‘caring’ ‘Nasty’ hitchhiker Bilingual logo Sign Design 2004-2006 Sign Design 2006- •123 warning signs •Erected around western waterways and along western bank of River Shannon •€30,000 provided by the Heritage Council •Bilingual sign •Emphasis on action –arrows point to specific areas requiring attention •Erected around Great Western Lakes •Created awareness at waterways & generated ‘talk’ about Zebra Mussels Gave a ‘face’ to Zebra Mussels •Main message was ‘Zebra Mussels will damage this lake’ •New message: •Little focus on specific actions Remove plant life •Message: ‘Leave your boat behind and rent one locally’ and ‘Leave your boat out for 1 month’ etc. •Stickers affixed to signs where Zebra Mussels exist •www.alienspecies.ie •Fisheries Board contact details Biodiversity Puppet Show • Puppets are used in an interactive way to explain difficult environmental concepts to school pupils • Primary Schools • 2nd-6th Class • Worksheets • Topics addressed: 1. Invasive Species 2. Habitats 3. Ecosystems Partners Western Region Zebra Mussel Control Initiative, Planning Section, Galway County Council (Marie Mannion, Heritage Officer People and Nature Biodiversity Project (Elaine O’Riordan) Creating Awareness Vs. Effecting ‘Behavioural Change’ Awareness has been raised amongst anglers and boat-owners through many means (signage, literature, media, Fisheries Boards and clubs) 100% of anglers surveyed in the West were aware of Zebra Mussels (Sorcha O’Brien, 2005) Effecting behavioural change is the real challenge Behavioural Change The US Approach • Use social marketing • Make use of emergence of Corporate Social Responsibility • Stage agencies engage the private sector and “mix” their services in a cross-sector manner • Stick approach exists but they tend to concentrate on the carrot approach because most people want to do ‘the right thing’. • www.protectyourwaters.net • Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers and Habitattitude Case Study 2 Tackling the African Weed Weed Cutting boat and Lagarosiphon major on Lough Corrib African Curly Leaved Waterweed Lagarosiphon major in Lough Corrib •Discovered in 2005 •Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Task Force •Partners include: Galway County Council, OPW, NPWS, CFB &WRFB Rinneroon Bay, Lough Corrib, near Oughterard, Co. Galway •More than 26 acres PROBLEMS Impedes the movement of boats Out-competes native species Lagarosiphon major (Lough Corrib, January 2007) No Nasties Pond Project Aimed at gardeners, garden centre owners, aquarists and landscape owners Message: Please do not purchase these plants or dump them into or in the vicinity of watercourses. Plant non-invasive species in your garden water feature instead! Look for Signs! Aquatic Invasive Species Calendar 2007 Awareness is the Key! Produced by the Central Fisheries Board (partner organisation of the AIS Task Force) Over 10,000 copies distributed in Ireland www.alienspecies.ie •Map & List of Zebra Mussel infested sites in Ireland •‘Zebra Mussels and Other Alien Invaders’ newsletter •Links to other sites •“Clean your boat” advice to anglers and boat owners •Brochures and other downloads Summary Case Study 1. Loughs Corrib, Mask, Carra and Melvin are still Zebra Mussel free. 100% of anglers in the West are Zebra Mussel-aware (S. O’Brien, 2005) Trust has been won from the majority of boat-owners and angling organisations Initiative has helped to focus attention on AIS nationally Initiative is identified internationally as a leading contact base in Ireland PREPARING FOR FUTURE INVASIONS!!!!!!!! Summary Case Study 2 • Research trials on Lagarosiphon major were conducted • New leaflets on Lagarosiphon major and on aquatic invasive plant species plus alternatives • 2007 Calendar • Media publicity generated (Six-One news and national and local newspapers) • New link with Western Region Zebra Mussel Control Initiative • Problem = No Funding to allow continuation Summary Contd. Key Elements of the Campaigns… • Bottom-up approach – ‘grass root’ involvement • All stakeholders are fully engaged • The LA network is utilised • Limited resources but stretched effectively • Voluntary members • Elements of campaign have been evaluated by international experts THE WAY FORWARD… Continuation of intensive awareness campaigns Investigate other options i.e. stick approach???? What’s on the Way? It’s important to be prepared! Acknowledgements Members of the Western Region Zebra Mussel Control Initiative & The AIS Task Force The staff of Galway County Council