An Indiana fund to help landowners reduce water pollution could also be used to get rid of invasive plants. A Senate bill to allow this, SB 211, was passed by a committee last week.
The Clean Water Indiana Program usually provides matching dollars to help farmers and landowners implement practices like cover cropping and no-till agriculture — to keep the soil from eroding and getting into local waterways.
But those who support the bill say more funding is desperately needed to tackle the problem of invasive plants on private land. Among other things, they can crowd out native plants and reduce species diversity.
Ray Chattin is with the State of Indiana Cooperative Invasives Management or SICIM.
“It’s not whether we’re going to see a dramatic increase in the number of plant and animal species that will become threatened, endangered, or face extinction — but how many," he said.
Advocates say invasive plants also threaten Indiana’s hardwood lumber, agriculture and tourism industries.
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Ray Moistner is the executive director of the Indiana Hardwood Lumbermen’s Association. He said invasive plants like tree of heaven, garlic mustard and multiflora rose can cover the ground and block sunlight from reaching other plants.
“The survival of tree seedlings is a necessary component because today’s seedlings mature to become tomorrow’s viable timber," Moistner said.
The bill doesn’t give additional money to Clean Water Indiana to tackle invasive species — only the authority to use the program’s funds.
Rebecca is our energy and environment reporter. Contact her at rthiele@iu.edu or follow her on Twitter at @beckythiele.