Visit www.invasivore.org and find out what’s cooking in the kitchens of invasivores (those who eat invasive species).
Seriously, a little fun can go a long way when it comes to raising public awareness of invasive species. Although eating invasive species as a means to limiting their harmful effects isn’t entirely new, three GLOBES fellows decided to take the idea to the next level by creating a collection of recipes along with a website and blog.
“At the center of the Invasivore approach are recipes proudly featuring invasive species. But that’s not all; you can also expect exposition and commentary on related topics such as species’ profiles, histories and cultural significance, harvesting tips, interviews with Invasivores-at-large, and summaries of relevant scientific research. We’ll also be doing round-ups of applicable news and other media to keep our readers informed,” said Andy Deines, one of three co-founders of the Invasivores website.
A recent posting by Sheina Sim, another of the website co-founders, gives tips and pointers on harvesting Phragmites australis. The young tender shoots can be found in the nearby wetlands of Potato Creek State Park where they crowd out the native form of Phragmites. “Your collection site should look the way it was when you arrived minus Phragmites. Once you have finished collecting, be sure to properly destroy your unwanted collections as colonization by rhizomes is a dominant form of transmission!” advises Sheina.
Matt Barnes, the third co-founder of Invasivores, contributed an editorial on the dangers of invasives in the once pristine Galapagos Islands where nearly 900 non-native plants have been documented. The article provoked several replies that demonstrate the challenges faced by those involved in ecosystem management and conservation policy-making.
Invasivores In The News
Read more about Invasivores in the news at: LiveScience and at the National Geographic Society Library blog.
Hear the June 12, 2011 podcast of an interview with the Invasivores co-founders that aired on WCIB 97.1’s Science Cabaret on Air.
Read the Forbes Magazine blog, “Eat Your Weeds” written by journalist Lindsey Hoshaw on Sept. 19, 2011 that mentions Invasivores.org.
Story courtesy of the GLOBES website; originally published April 8, 2011