WHAT: Free public lecture, titled “What's in your garden? Protecting California from Invasive Species.”
WHEN: 6 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 11, in the auditorium at UCR Palm Desert, 75-080 Frank Sinatra Drive, Palm Desert, Calif.
WHO: Mark Hoddle, director of UCR’s Center for Invasive Species Research and an "Indiana Jones" of invasive species, will discuss how pests come from all over the world to Calif., attacking our crops, invading our homes and destroying our wilderness. He will also discuss what UCR is doing in the battle against these invaders.
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Hoddle, a renowned bug expert, will focus on some case studies affecting Southern California – the gold-spotted oak borer invasion of the Cleveland National Forest; the red palm weevil invasion of Laguna Beach; and the Asian citrus psyllid problem threatening California's citrus industry.
BACKGROUND: Every 60 days, California gains a new and potentially damaging invasive insect species. The unique climate and geography of California provides diverse ecosytems which are perfect for the establishment of a diverse variety of new pests.
Find out what's happening in Palm Desertwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Most people realize only too late that strange new bugs are killing their garden plants, or that their favorite hiking trail is choked out with thistles. At an estimated cost of $3 billion per year to the state of California, invasive species threaten water and food security, the recreational value of wilderness areas and the value of homes.
“California is under constant assault from invasive species. The invaders are varied and can originate from anyway in the world, or from other parts of the United States,” Hoddle says.
More about Hoddle: http://promise.ucr.edu/profile-sustainability-hoddle.html
RELATED VIDEO: http://promise.ucr.edu/sustainability-cisr.html
OTHER: For more information, please call (760) 834-0800. The lecture series is presented in partnership with the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at UCR.
REGISTRATION: https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07e5c9lsm1efb60640&oseq=
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