As everyone familiar with the rivers of the West knows, tamarisk, or salt cedar, has invaded hundreds of miles of steam-side habitat. This exotic plant was introduced from the Old World and, in the absence of its native enemies, has become a weed. Not only does it scarf up enormous quantities of water otherwise destined for use by humans and for wildlife preservation, but it excludes most other plants and is nearly useless as wildlife habitat.
Control efforts have been limited largely to physical removal and
herbicides—neither of which has been notably successful. Now, the U.S. Department
of Agriculture has announced plans to release the Asiatic salt cedar-leaf beetle next
spring. This insect is not expected to eradicate the noxious tamarisk, but should help
control it similar to the way native plants are hampered by insect pests. Best of all,
it avoids such other valley dwellers as cottonwoods and willows. But if you're
anticipating our desert valleys once more becoming diverse bosques, there's one bit
of bad news—the beetle will be introduced and expected to thrive only from
Colorado northward.
Contributor: Arthur H. Harris, Laboratory for Environmental Biology, Centennial Museum, University of Texas at El Paso.
Desert Diary is a joint production of the Centennial Museum and KTEP National Public Radio at the University of Texas at El Paso.