Story Spark: Invasive Pests
From musical frogs and giant praying mantis to the notorious spotted lanternfly — more than 37,000 invasive species are impacting native ecosystems around the world. These pests, introduced by humans, intentionally or not, not only dramatically change biodiversity, they also cost the global economy more than $423 billion annually by destroying crops, disrupting infrastructure, and sowing environmental chaos. Since 1970, temperatures in the US have risen nearly 3 degrees Fahrenheit and costs associated with invasive species have more than quadrupled every decade.
Consider Canada, where warming winters have enabled the destructive mountain pine beetle to spread into areas where once frigid temperatures killed up to 98% of its population. Or New England, where coastal waters are warming faster than any other region in the US, and whose fishermen are now battling invasive green crabs, known as “the cockroaches of the sea.” Stories like this are everywhere, even Antarctica, illustrating that no habitat is safe from invasive pests in a warming world. Invasive species may also worsen climate change; a recent study estimated that trees — and thus carbon storage — lost to invasive pests was comparable to 4.4 million gas-guzzling cars on the road.
Invasive pests impact human health too — from spreading diseases, such as Zika, malaria, and West Nile fever through non-native mosquitoes, to jeopardizing food security and livelihoods.
Help audiences understand the scale of the issue. Highlight which invasive species are threatening your area and explain how warming waters and milder temperatures are allowing them to multiply and spread faster. Examine how local communities are keeping track and fighting back. And investigate the solutions being tested, including cash incentives for catching or killing certain pests, introducing native predators, or training dogs to sniff out invasive insects.
– David Dickson, CCNow
Expert Tips
This edition’s tips come to you from Twilight Greenaway, a senior reporter covering water, climate and the environment for Honolulu Civil Beat.
From the non-native grasses that fueled the 2023 Lahaina wildfires to the coconut rhinoceros beetles currently munching away at many of the islands’ iconic palm trees, invasive species are often at the center of the news cycle here in Hawaiʻi. But these aggressive outsiders are moving in and crowding out local organisms just about everywhere as warmer temperatures are helping invasive species thrive in new places.
There’s a narrow window to act. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of the cure.” This aphorism is especially true with invasive species. If you report on the arrival of a new pest early, it may prompt policymakers and scientists to mount a response before the pest gets established, at which point it will be much more difficult and expensive to manage.
Look behind the curtain. Here in Hawaiʻi the most visible effort to keep invasive species out happens in airports, where tourists are told to report every piece of fresh fruit they bring on the airplane. Meanwhile, most pests have entered the state through the shipping and nursery industries. Focus your reporting on the less visible ways that food, plants, and other goods are moving in and out of your area.
Prioritize the people on the ground. Scientists and government spokespeople are key sources; but farmers, land managers, and the people hired to do invasive species control in the field are key to the story.
Focus on the value of native species. Every invasive species story is also a story about the native species that are being replaced or crowded out. Your job as a reporter is to help your readers understand the value of those native species — for ecosystem health but also for humans.
Center Indigenous voices. Including voices of land stewards, farmers, and other representatives from Indigenous communities who have generations of experience stewarding those native species will provide important added context on the value of native species — and highlight what stands to be lost when invasive species take hold.
Stories We Like
- For the first time in the northeastern US, invasive pests and the diseases they carry now kill more trees than logging. A warming climate creates favorable conditions for devastating insects like the emerald ash borer, WBUR reports.
- Alaska’s iconic salmon and trout are under attack by a foreign predator, the northern pike, which is becoming hungrier and more aggressive as water temperatures warm, Inside Climate News reports.
- In recognition of the 250th anniversary of the US, WHYY in Philadelphia highlighted how one of the founding fathers battled one of the country’s first invasive pests.
- Wilmington’s Star News explores how the lionfish, a “perfect invader,” found a home off North Carolina’s coast and how climate change may make the situation much worse.
- As climate change destroys the habitats of many living things, some scientists are now considering the unthinkable: finding new homes for species outside of their native ranges. The Washington Post examines whether this practice should be considered assisted relocation, or simply introducing more non-native species to a region.
Resources
- Is your area is covered by the Regional Invasive Species and Climate Change Network (RISCC)? This collaborative connects researchers, conducts scientific studies, and identifies methods to reduce invasive species impacts in the American Northeast, Southeast, North Central, Northwest, Canada, and Pacific islands.
- Dig into a recent assessment on invasive species by the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), which quantifies the threats to global ecosystems, economies, and food security.
- Search Canada’s Invasive Species Centre’s website to find resources, webinars, and training opportunities to better understand invasive species in North America.
- Read a Yale Q&A with ecology experts to understand why invasive species are such a thread and learn more about solutions that may help control their spread.
Experts
Note — there are thousands of invasive species across the world that vary vastly by region. Whenever possible, reach out to local or regional experts to better understand what pests are prevalent in your area.
- Kelly Oten, assistant professor and forest health extension specialist, North Carolina State University
- Jonathan Davies, professor, University of British Columbia
- Laura Brewington, research professor, Global Institute of Sustainability & Innovation, Arizona State University
Before We Go…
The next Locally Sourced will examine climate change’s impact on women’s health. Climate change is reshaping women’s health across the world — often acting as a threat multiplier to existing gender-related health disparities. Have you reported on worsening heat, flooding, drought, or other climate impacts that pose a rising risk to reproductive health? Send them to us at local[at]coveringclimatenow[dot]org. We’d love to consider them for the next edition of Locally Sourced and our media trainings and social platforms.
Want more story ideas? Check out the Locally Sourced archive for more topics to explore, including AI data centers, coastal flooding, air transportation, and more.
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