Guest Speaker: Jack Callahan of Callahan’s Kudzu Management in Cleveland, TN, presented Kudzu-a study of its management and control

Minutes: A motion was made, seconded, and carried to approve the minutes from the previous meeting. Minutes will be forwarded to SE-EPPC for posting on that website.

General Operating Account: $1280.50

Money Market: $7089.47

Total Assets: $8369.96

A motion was made, seconded, and carried to approve the treasurer’s report.

Reprint Invasive List–Pat gathered information about reprinting the state list. There is no real price break as you increase the number printed. The color foldout also needs to be reprinted. We will have an article in Wildland Weeds with the updated list. Rather than getting more copies of the state list, we will ask for copies of the Wildland Weeds article to make available to the public. Pat suggested that we wait until the next Manual update for new copies of the state list and the color foldout.

Membership mailings – Carrie has mailed membership brochures. Membership renewals from the SE-EPPC conference haven't come to Carrie yet. Anni got the renewal list from someone in KY.

Status of website–Richard gave us an update on our web site. The web site is down. Our web host no longer exists. The company was taken over by Atlantic.net. Also, our original contract expired in mid-August and must be renewed. Richard is checking on a local company called Signal Data. They offer a better price of $15/month for unlimited resources. They only take payment by credit or debit card. Richard suggests we check into getting a debit card. Anni will check on this. TN-EPPC must pay $205 ($15/month for 12 months plus $25 to reregister name) to reestablish our web site for one year with Signal Data. All members support getting web up. All agreed to trying the new company.

Getting the word out:

Anni attended the Nursery Crop Research Station field day in McMinnville where she gave out all the brochures that she had with her; Kris will speak to the Knoxville Garden Club in February; Nancy took the TN-EPPC display to the Cullowhee Native Plants Conference and gave out a lot of information.

Inserts at conferences – It will cost $150 to get 1000 copies of our brochure in bags at the ESA conference in Ft. Lauderdale. The brochures must be sent to the conference at the end of October between Oct. 29 and Nov. 1. The application and check are due September 1. Brian Bowen has membership brochures. Carrie will take care of application and will coordinate with David Lincicome to send brochures.

City Ordinances:

Kris-The city of Clarksville asked Kris for the TN-EPPC exotics list to include with a city ordinance that would prevent the city from planting any plants on the state list. According to the city manager of Farragut there is an agreement that for every tree developers cut they must plant one. They also get a bonus for cutting Ailanthus and Paulownia. Additionally, the city is trying to eradicate privet and other exotic shrubs and trees from city property. However, this is not in writing. Jack will follow up on Farragut.

Jack-Pitman Center passed a city ordinance several months ago to educate citizens about invasives and discourage their use. It includes a permitting process for development that requires removal of prohibited plants on the Pitman list, which is essentially the TN-EPPC list, from developed sites.

Logo – Electronic jpeg files of the new TN EPPC logo were sent to everyone.

State Noxious Weed List - A draft letter from TNEPPC (prepared by Pat Parr) to Gary Haun recommending all Rank 1and Watch List A species be included on the state noxious weed list was reviewed and approved by the Council.

FLEP Program - Educational funds are available through state forestry agencies. David Arnold is the contact. TN-EPPC is interested in getting funding. Pat contacted David but has not heard back from him.

10th Anniversary of TN-EPPC - activities include workshops in may parts of the state

Dan-Field day in Dickson County, June of 2004. Dan is working with Wynne Mitchell of NRCS. According to Wynn, we can expect about 50 people. The target group includes farmers and hobby farmers. We will invite extension agencies and forestry folks from surrounding counties to encourage them to sponsor a similar event in their counties. The field day will be held on June 11, 2003 from 9AM to 3PM. Presenters will include Greg Brann, Max Williamson, Lee Patrick, Mike Berkley, and members of the TN-EPPC board. Information such as a color brochure of common invasive exotics and the TN-EPPC flashcards will be available. Management techniques will be demonstrated in fencerows, yards, pastures, and forests. We will hold three sessions before lunch and three in the afternoon. The Beef Association can provide lunch for $7/person which will include a vegetarian alternative. Dan suggested that we coordinate the quarterly TN-EPPC meeting with the workday. One potential problem with this is that the meeting may interfere with field day preparation. We tentatively plan to have a board meeting on June 10, the day before the field day. Board members will help with set up for the field day. We may have an evening or afternoon meeting after set up.

Jack has been funded to increase the citizens of Knoxville’s awareness of problems associated with invasive exotic species. He would like to organize a workshop in Knoxville as part of TN-EPPC’s anniversary activities. Other agencies will be invited to participate (TDEC, TVA, TNC, Ijams Nature Center...).

Pat suggested that TN-EPPC organize a symposium on exotics at the Memphis ASB meeting (September 14) where Dan Simberloff will be the keynote speaker. The symposium would focus on Tennessee’s progress in the exotic plant arena over the past 10 years. She suggested that we try to get the symposium scheduled for Thursday morning following the plenary session.

The Southern Weed Science Symposium will be held in August of 2004.

Nancy Fraley will be attending the Natural Areas Conference in Wisconsin where a national EPPC meeting will be held.

Canned Presentation on Invasives – Jack handed out a hard copy of the PowerPoint presentation and asked for comments. The deadline for input is September 17, 2003. Some recommendations included: more pictures and fewer words, pictures could be included as background, the discussion of the ecological impacts of exotics may be too complex and should be simplified. Time needed for the presentation may range from 30 minutes (Carrie) to 1 hour (Jack). When the presentation is completed, it will be on the web site and available to anyone who is interested in it. It was suggested that additional photos be made available to allow presenters to tailor the presentation. Board members will send any photos that they have to Richard before September 17.

Posters - Gary Peebles, USFWS in Asheville, has money to do posters on exotic plants. We are interested. We need to decide who our target audience is. Some suggestions include middle school students, homeowners, garden centers. Some good examples of exotics posters exist: state’s native plant posters, Florida’s IFIS and state posters, Land Between the Lakes’ foldable poster. Carrie will take this on. We will talk about it at the next meeting. We would like to have them before we start our 10 year anniversary. Everyone is asked to bring his favorite poster to the next meeting.

Flash cards – We would like to sell them for cost ($6/pack) at meetings. Unlaminated cards are much cheaper than laminated ones. We need to see how well they hold up. The next mailing from Carrie should include flashcards.

T-shirts – We would like to have TN-EPPC t-shirts when we attend meetings, etc. The cost should be around $10. Anni took responsibility for this project. Board members are to give Anni suggestions.

Urban Conservation Treaty of Migratory Birds Program – Nashville's application to this program was accepted by the US FWS. TN-EPPC was thanked for writing a letter of support.

11:00 Guest speaker Jack Callahan - Kudzu-a study to control its spread

Fall board meeting - Richard Clements will host the fall board meeting at the Pot House in Chattanooga on Thursday, Oct. 30 (first choice) or Thursday, Oct. 23 (backup date).

TDOT Wildflower Program input – TDOT posted a survey asking for input on its wildflower program. Although the survey is likely over, Pat was encouraged to send comments. TN-EPPC will send comments for the organization regarding the need to plant true Tennessee natives which are low maintenance and reduce the likelihood of exotics moving into the plots once they are established. Richard Clements will prepare a draft letter for Pat to finalizeand send to Cary Street, state coordinator for TDOT wildflower program.

Federal Highway Administration request for briefing on exotics – Jack, Brian Brasher has invited Jack to talk to the Federal Highway Administration about ways to reduce invasives during construction. They work with TDOT and provide funding. The Fed Hwy Admin’s efforts regarding exotics to this point have dealt primarily with environmental review and education. Candy Swan did a study while at UT on natives to use in roadside plantings. Nancy will try to track down the data.

External review of Forest Service’s handling of exotics research program – Jack, The meeting will include input from many knowledgeable people including Bonnie Harper Lore and folks from the Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

Upcoming events

Reflection Riding Native Plant Sale - Sept. 20 (9-5)-21 (1-5), Richard will bring the TN-EPPC display for the Saturday poster session.

Dixie Hwy Garden Club-Pat will give a talk.

Natural Areas Association and SAMAB conference – There is usually a session on invasives where the display can be shown. Nancy will help tend the poster and will also attend the NAA meeting.

Public Lands Day - Sept. 20, apprise everyone of opportunities.

TN Vegetation Management Workshop – around Nov 5 and 6, Jack Callahan is not sure where it will be held but it may be in Nashville this year.

International Society of Arbor Culturists - Kris will give a talk there, March 29 and 30, in Nashville. This may be a good opportunity to take the poster.

Experience your Obed – This is an opportunity to get the local community involved in the problem of exotic invasive species. Kris is going to speak at the event.

Articles for "Wildland Weeds" (Jack-2 pages, TN list, TNLA, other?) – Pat reiterated the need to write articles as a means to have a more far reaching impact.

Jack will submit his "How to get started" article.

Roger Spivey of TNLA offered to let us submit articles.

Stephen Garton, UT Extension Specialist who also edits the TNLA newsletter, asked Jack R. to work on an educational series for the nursery industry. He also recommended an educational workshop in the summer. The St. Louis Declaration may be a good starting point.

Member initiatives and updates –

Richard-teaching gardening with native plants, working on web site

Dan-workshop, WHIP Wildlife’s habitat incentive program for establishing warm season grasses

Terri - Earthday project (will write an article for Wildland Weeds), National Public Lands Day, NFWF grant (will draft TN-EPPC letter of support), Center for Cedar Glade Studies, Stones River Watershed Association

Alisa - does Cat Ex input regarding exotic invasive plants and recommends the use of natives for re-vegetation activities.

Anni - working on additions to pest plant list, will take a year to get through all the channels; fire ant poster now available in Spanish; pilot survey for sudden oak death in TN; purple loosestrife at Knoxville zoo

Pat - Educate other folks in land management at Oak Ridge about exotics, workshop to find out what problems each site has, working on land management plan that will not be evolving targeting decision makers

Kris - exotics work all summer; looking for information on impact of exotics on birds; trying to build constituency for warm season grass restoration; rose rosette virus which targets multiflora rose has come to the Smokies, could use the virus to encourage folks to get rid of wild multiflora rose because the virus is also a problem for desirable roses, Anni will send websites with information, Ann Peck in Knoxville has own website vigilant about rose rosette

Nancy K. - soft money to control Mimosa; CESU funded survey of river all but 10 miles; exotic plant management team will be available to help soon

Jack R. - speaking to journalism class about invasives and natives; Asheville weed team (Blue Ridge Parkway, city, and Forest Service) working with Asheville Basin as control unit containment of exotics within urban area and moving out from center to control exotics, building up equipment and supplies for volunteers to use; National Forests interested in dealing aggressively with exotics; working with park service on vital signs monitoring, problem comes to surface that there needs to be invasive monitoring across parks, Cumberland Piedmont and Appalachian Highland Networks working with USGS who are figuring out how to monitor exotic

Carrie – dealing with issue of how to monitor management; poster of invasives for base; major reduction in amount of garlic mustard found this year; also dealt with musk thistle, and other exotics; looking for best method to control Microstegium screening some herbicides, pulling, cutting

Nancy F. - kudzu control in Alabama; National Public Lands Day project planned for Worthington Cemetery; Norris is producing an integrated resources management plan, the first step in the process is public comment, TVA, NPS, NCDOT, and representatives from Nantahala National Forest will meet for a bittersweet summit on Sept. 11

SE-EPPC conference – The next conference will be hosted by Florida. There has been a change in the amount that will go back to the state organization. Forty percent will go to state EPPC and 60% will go to SE-EPPC.

We need suggestions for the next guest speaker.

Invasive pictures – Colorado USGS has sent email requests for sites of the worst exotic invasions. It may be used for a 360^o picture to be posted on the web. Jack has already sent a response.

Update on TN-EPPC - SE-EPPC has requested a summary of all state EPPCs activities.

A motion was made, seconded, and carried to adjourn