WFHB Bloomington Community Radio
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The Natural Resources Commission granted preliminary adoption to a new rule last week that would remove 44 plant species from the state. The rule, which could take up to 12 months to implement, would prohibit the sale and trade of 44 plant species considered to be invasive in the state of Indiana. Megan Abraham is the Director of the Division of Entomology and Plant Pathology at the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. According to Abraham, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources has determined that 22 of the 44 species they are hoping to remove are readily available in nurseries and retail stores. Of those 22, only four plants are sold with regularity. Those are black alder, wintercreeper, amur honeysuckle, and common buckthorn.
These invasive plants often reproduce faster than native species, creating a critical situation for endangered native species. The rule is not just important for the state’s environmental health. According to Abraham, the ban will also provide economic benefit to Indiana landowners. It can cost up to $1,000 an acre to manage invasive plant species. Abraham estimates around $8.6 million dollars is spent managing invasive plants each year in Indiana. At minimum, the proposed rule will take nine months to implement. As the rule is being reviewed, businesses selling any of the invasive plants should be able to reduce or eliminate their stock. According to Abraham, they’ll also be given a one-year grace period if the proposed ban is implemented.
There has been some upset among conservationists about two highly invasive tree species that were left off the list: the callery pear and the Norway maple. Abraham said outreach programs are in place to educate consumers and business owners about the dangers of the two species. This will hopefully discourage their purchase and make banning them a more feasible option.
