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Issues & Action
> Stop Invasives
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Stop Invasives:
Making the Connection
STOP THE "ALIEN" ATTACK
Imagine aliens —taking the shape of a seemingly harmless plant or small animal—coming into your community and taking over. They no longer face threats from their natural enemies, so they thrive—ravaging native plants, birds and other wildlife, significantly altering the ecosystem. These aliens aren't from outer space—they're Earth-born and bred, and they're infesting more than 100 million acres of American landscape.
These aliens plants and animals find their way—via man, by animals, even by the wind—in a new place far from where they originated. Some of these aliens don't make much of an impact but others land in areas where they invade, thrive and completely take over—as they have no competitors, no predators, and nothing to really stop them. These species are referred to as "invasive species."
Examples include a nonnative fish called the northern snakehead, which threatened to ruin the ecological balance of the entire Chesapeake Bay. Also the South American rodent called nutria, which found itself in the middle of the marsh in coastal Maryland, and is eating its way out. Phragmites (frag-my-tees) is a common reed that out-competes with native plants that are unusable as nesting and feeding sites for many bird species. These and other invasive species are wiping pose a major threat to America's most imperiled bird populations: more than 1/3 of the birds on Audubon's WatchList are threatened by invasive species.
FEDERAL LEGISLATION NEEDED
Audubon is working with Congress to develop and pass legislation that will curb the invasive threat. The most comprehensive bill is known as the Refuge Ecology Protection, Assistance, and Immediate Response Act (REPAIR) which would combat invasives on wildlife refuges around the nation. Since most wildlife refuges have been designated by Audubon as Important Bird Areas, this bill will help protect some of America's best bird habitat from one of their most severe threats.
You can help make this bill a law by writing Congress. Take action now!
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