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TREE INVASION HISTORY
A tiny Yemeni island, Socotra’s strange dragon’s blood trees harvest moisture from fog to survive extreme aridity; 90% of its reptiles and 95% of its land snails are found nowhere else, creating an ecosystem unlike any otherSocotra island boasts unique plants and animals that evolved in isolation. Its dragon's blood trees and cucumber trees store water and have...- In 1772, Benjamin Franklin sent Chinese tallow seeds to Savannah, Georgia; the government planted more along the Gulf in 1900, and the tree now covers 185,000 hectaresIn the late 1700s, a shipment of 1772 seeds sparked a significant invasion of non-native trees across southern U.S. forests. The federal pl...
- In 1990s, Samoa released a predatory flatworm as a weapon against giant African land snails. 49 years later, the predator has outlived its original target-control mission and threatens native snails insteadThe introduction of the predatory flatworm, Platydemus manokwari, to Samoa aimed to tackle the invasive giant African snails. However, this...
- Burmese pythons invaded Florida’s Everglades in the 1980s; decades later, the decline in raccoon, opossum and bobcat population number is staggeringBurmese pythons, an invasive species in Florida's Everglades, have caused severe declines in native wildlife over the past several decades....
- In 1914, USDA researchers imported Australian melaleuca seeds into the United States. 100 years later, the fast-growing tree had conquered 500,000 acres of South Florida after being planted to help dry the EvergladesAustralian melaleuca seeds were imported to the United States in 1914 for agricultural purposes. Later, the Army Corps of Engineers planted...
- In 1917, botanist Joseph Rock introduced albizia to Hawai‘i for reforestation. Now it has infested thousands of acres in O‘ahu and eastern Hawai‘i IslandIntroduced to Hawaii in 1917 as a solution for reforestation, the Albizia tree quickly established itself as an invasive species. By 2018, ...
- In the 1930s, just 9 to 20 foreign ant queens apparently stowed away on a ship; their descendants now infest more than 367 million U.S. acresA few fire ant queens arriving in Mobile, Alabama, in the 1930s established a widespread infestation. These invasive insects now infest ove...
- In the 1800s, Americans planted tamarisk for windbreaks and erosion control; by 2005, the tree had spread across western river systems and become a major management concernTamarisk was originally brought in for various practical applications, but it has since proliferated across western waterways. This invasiv...
- Just 15 miles from Niagara Falls, this picturesque Canadian town was burned to the ground by American forces; now it’s known as one of the country’s most haunted placesNiagara-on-the-Lake captivates visitors with its stunning historic architecture and idyllic streets. This charming Canadian town faced a tu...
- In 1990, Guatemala launched an ambitious mahogany restoration program in Petén to combat deforestation. Years later, it produced Central America's largest natural forest and transformed the province into a global conservation modelGuatemala's 1990 mahogany restoration program changed the future of the country's forests. Instead of losing more rainforest, the Maya Bios...
- Jeff Bezos and Leonardo DiCaprio put $200 million behind 100 endangered species across 30 countries. The list includes rare lemurs and pangolins to a ‘living fossil’ echidnaJeff Bezos and Leonardo DiCaprio have launched a $200 million conservation project to help 100 critically endangered species across 30 coun...
- In the 1960s, rose-ringed parakeets were first spotted in southeast England; today, they thrive in London's parks and gardensIn London, rose-ringed parakeets can frequently be spotted flitting through parks and gardens. Studies clarify the narrative of their arriv...
- In the 1930s, a Florida nurseryman scattered Australian tree seeds from an airplane to dry wetlands; the trees later invaded more than 400,000 acres of Florida wetlandsIn the 1930s, melaleuca trees were introduced to Florida's Everglades. These trees were intended to drain wetlands for development and farm...
- In 1863, a deadly US massacre killed hundreds of Native Americans. 160 years later, the Shoshone are restoring the site of the attackIn 1863, the Bear River Massacre became the deadliest slaughter of Native Americans in US history, leaving hundreds of Shoshone men, women ...
- In 1890, one man released 60 birds in New York Central park. 135 years later, there are 200 million of them across AmericaHow 60 birds became 200 million starlings: European starlings, numbering 200 million, trace their lineage to a 1890 Manhattan release. Euge...
- In 1890, Eugene Schieffelin released European starlings in Central Park; within 69 years, their descendants had reached the PacificEugene Schieffelin released European starlings in Central Park in 1890. These birds spread across the continent within sixty-nine years. St...
- In 1850s, a Brooklyn scientist imported 16 English sparrows to eat urban caterpillars; by 1915, the invasive birds had spread across AmericaHouse sparrows were introduced to America in 1850, which quickly led to their widespread establishment. These birds, initially intended to ...
- From a 1937 garden planting to an ecological crisis: One Miconia tree now spreads 8.9 million seeds, endangering Queensland's iconic rainforestsToday, a single mature Miconia tree can produce over 8.9 million seeds in one season. What began as a 1937 garden introduction in tahiti ha...
- Since 1969, Florida has battled the giant African land snail, smuggled in as exotic pets; the fist-sized invader eats 500 plant species and even the plaster off housesGiant African land snails, introduced as pets, caused a major Florida crisis. These hermaphroditic snails reproduce prolifically, laying hu...
- Quote of the day by Harrison Ford, 'Nature Doesn't Need People – People Need Nature; Nature Would Survive the Extinction of the Human Being and Go on Just Fine, but Human Culture, Human Beings, Cannot Survive Without Nature', shows nature's influence on human health, happiness and human civilization's dependence on natureQuote of the day by Harrison Ford expresses a profound truth about humanity's place in the world. Nature has sustained life for millions of...
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