[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 2 (Wednesday, January 21, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E27-E28]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CONGRATULATING ALYN KIEL ON HER ESSAY REGARDING PURPLE LOOSESTRIFE, AN 
                            INVASIVE SPECIE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. PETER HOEKSTRA

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 21, 2004

  Mr. HOEKSTRA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to insert into the 
Congressional Record an essay written by Alyn Kiel, an 11th grade 
student at Montague High School in Montague, MI. The essay is titled 
``Purple Loosestrife: A Beautiful Killer,'' and it is an excellent 
discussion of a very serious but commonly overlooked environmental 
problem around the Great Lakes and throughout the Nation.
  Purple Loosestrife is one of the most common invasive non-native 
species in the United

[[Page E28]]

States and Canada. Imported from Europe in the early 1800s, this plant 
is virtually impossible to eradicate, and its vegetative dominance 
often crowds out native plants and animals.
  Ms. Kiel's essay is the winner of a recent essay contest for Michigan 
high school students sponsored by the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network and 
The Muskegon Chronicle. Students were asked to propose a creative, 
realistic and environmentally sound plan for managing an aquatic non-
native invasive species in the Great Lakes.
  As a Member of Congress whose district borders roughly 200 miles of 
beautiful Lake Michigan shoreline, I have observed firsthand the 
devastation invasive species can cause to the ecosystem and the 
economy. I am pleased to insert this essay into the Congressional 
Record, and I hope that its presentation will continue to raise 
awareness of this serious environmental problem.

                 Purple Loosestrife: A Beautiful Killer

                             (By Alyn Kiel)

       Imagine a quiet walk along the lakeshore after a long 
     absence. As you stroll along, you notice clusters of lavender 
     flowers, and remark at their beautiful appearance. But as 
     your journey continues, you see that most of the usual flora 
     and fauna you would have observed a decade ago have 
     completely disappeared. The culprit? The supposedly innocent 
     plant you remarked upon earlier: purple loosestrife.
       Purple loosestrife, or Lythrum salicaria, was brought to 
     the eastern United States in the early 1800s by settlers as a 
     medicinal herb and in the ballast holds of European ships. 
     The spread of purple loosestrife increased with the 
     construction of waterways, railways and canals. By the 1930s, 
     it had moved inland [and could be found in most states and 
     provinces] in the United States and Canada.
       One of the most recognizable features of this marsh monster 
     is a ridged, square stem. One plant can produce up to 30 
     stems from one central root mass. Leaves are smooth and 
     attached directly to the stem. Flowers appear between late 
     June and late September, and are purple in color.
       Over 3 million seeds can be produced by one mature plant. 
     Seeds are small, light and easily dispersed by wind. Each 
     seed has high viability (nearly 100 percent germination rate) 
     and remain so after years of being buried under soil or 
     submersion under water. Seeds can be transported by animals, 
     clothing, vehicles and rainfall, which carries them into 
     river systems and wetlands.
       Nicknames for purple loosestrife--beautiful killer, marsh 
     monster and exotic invader among them--are extremely 
     illustrative. Purple loosestrife easily establishes itself 
     within urban and rural wetland areas. Once it's present, it's 
     nearly impossible to destroy. It has a tendency to dominate 
     native vegetation. This change in species composition has 
     drastic effects on the wildlife population. Loosestrife 
     [frequently] blocks water flow in ditches and irrigation 
     canals.
       No herbicides are currently approved to control 
     loosestrife,** but small outbreaks can be removed by hand 
     digging, as long as all pieces of root tissue are removed. 
     However, for large scale infestations, this is costly and 
     time consuming, and therefore is not a practical solution.
       One innovative option being used in many wetlands across 
     Canada and some areas of North America is Integrated Pest 
     Management (IPM). Through this form of biological control, 
     purple loosestrife is reunited with its natural enemies. Four 
     insects are currently being used--two leaf eating beetles, a 
     root mining weevil, and a seed weevil. These plant eating 
     insects do not harm any other native plants or the natural 
     environment. In certain areas of North America, IPM is 
     providing total control of loosestrife. Through this method, 
     purple loosestrife is effectively destroyed and herbicides 
     and chemicals do not have to be used in sensitive areas.***
       A second method of biological control is the removal of 
     garden varieties of purple loosestrife. Although it was 
     originally believed that garden varieties of loosestrife were 
     sterile, recent scientific studies have shown that they are 
     indeed capable of seed and pollen production. These varieties 
     of loosestrife can exchange pollen with other cultivars and 
     the wild population. The majority of wild infestations of 
     purple loosestrife are the result of garden escapes.
       The best way to remove loosestrife from a garden is through 
     hand digging. All pieces of root tissue should be removed and 
     plant material should be dried out thoroughly before 
     disposal. Root masses can be treated with an herbicide, such 
     as Round-Up. All plant material should be placed in a dark 
     colored garbage bag and secured tightly to prevent 
     infestation of the landfill.
       In Canada, an exchange program has been created to exchange 
     purple loosestrife for an environmentally safe native plant. 
     Experts dispose of the loosestrife correctly, and residents 
     are given native plants similar to loosestrife to replace in 
     their gardens. A program such as this would be beneficial for 
     Western Michigan. In this way, the purple loosestrife 
     population is controlled, and the rebuilding of native 
     habitats is promoted.
       In order to prevent infestation of native habitats, it is 
     necessary for informational programs to be created and 
     promoted further within this area. As community members are 
     informed of the danger of loosestrife, the greater amount of 
     supporters will be gained for its control. If the entire 
     community works together to exterminate this problem, [we 
     will come] closer to rebuilding our wetlands.

       * A healthy, mature plant can produce up to 2.7 million 
     seeds per year.
       ** Currently, glyphosphate, sold under the trade name 
     RODEO, is the only effective purple loosestrife herbicide 
     that is registered for aquatic use. However, it is non-
     selective and will affect the vegetation surrounding the 
     target plant.
       *** Based on studies, three insects have been approved for 
     release in the U.S., including one root boring weevil and two 
     leaf eating beetles. The use of a pest's natural enemies to 
     regulate its population and reduce damage is referred to as 
     biological control. Biological control is only one method of 
     Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which is a strategy to 
     control a pest using a combination of methods.

       Source; Purple Loosestrife in Michigan: Biology, Ecology, 
     and Management, 1997, produced by Michigan Sea Grant and 
     Michigan State University Extension.

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