An accidental encounter with a plant grafting experiment transforms a geeky biology student into the Invasive Hunter, a hero to the ecosystem’s native species.

The Invasive Hunter returns to battle King Ranch Bluestem (KR Bluestem), an invasive species overrunning roadsides and fields and stealing lunch money. His powers, however, do not go unnoticed by his cranky professor.

This video is part of Commander Ben’s “Battles with Invasive Species” video series.

Learn more about the plants talked about in this video:

• Invasive species
  • King Ranch Bluestem (KR Bluestem)
  • Giant Reed

• Native plants
  • Live Oak
  • Texas Bluebonnet
  • Texas Mountain Laurel

And don’t miss seeing your friendly neighborhood spider-man at the movies too!

Your friend,
Ben

Ms. Jessica Strickland talks about her background with invasive species during the Invasive Species Workshop for Citizen Scientists in June 2012.  Ms. Strickland is the Invasive Species Program Manager at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas.

Before she joined the Wildflower Center in February 2012, she worked with American Rivers on watershed protection, fish habitat, and water conservation.

She studied the invasive species Armored Catfish (Loricariidae) during snorkeling surveys.  Watch the video to find out which invasive plant species she finds the most threatening to our Texas waterways.

This video is part of my “Invasive Species: Secrets Revealed” series of interviews with scientists that I first started at the 2011 Texas Invasive Plant and Pest Conference.

Learn how to become a citizen scientist

• Citizen scientists band together with the Invaders of Texas Program
• Wildflower Center’s invasive species prevention program receives federal funding
• Find an Invaders of Texas citizen scientist workshop near you

Your friend,
Ben

Commander Ben with a Giant Reed at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Last weekend, I attended the Invasive Species Workshop at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Ms. Jessica Strickland, the center’s invasive species program coordinator, led the event, teaching us about invasives, especially how to map and combat them.

She talked about the Invaders of Texas program, which helps to educate citizen scientists about invasive species and how to report them to agencies that can research their locations and do something about their spread.

There were over 80 people in attendance, including many master naturalists who were very enthusiastic about sharing their knowledge about invasives with me and the other attendees. We had a full agenda!

How to become a citizen scientist

Ms. Jessica Strickland’s invasive species workshop presentation

It’s easy to become a citizen scientist for the Invaders of Texas program. You just need the knowledge and desire to take action against invasives.

To become a citizen scientist, you can join a satellite group, such as a group of master naturalists, and attend an educational workshop. The group will then report their sightings in the invasive species database.

Or you can learn about invasive species online, take a short test, and be on your way to finding and recording invasives as part of the Voyager group. I’m a Voyager, and I hope that you’ll join me too.

Equipment to record your invasive species sighting

Ms. Strickland gave us a demo of how to make an observation and enter the sighting into the Invaders of Texas database.

To record a sighting, all you need are:

• A digital camera – Very important because Ms. Strickland will need a picture of the suspect verify your sighting. Tip: put a white piece of paper behind the leaves or distinguishing feature of the plant that you’re taking a picture of. This will help to make details visible for identification.
• GPS device – This will help pinpoint the exact location of your find. If you don’t have one, you can use Google maps with the reporting database to get as close as you can to the area where you were.
• Reporting form – Helps you record all the data about your sighting for entering on your computer later. You can’t fill out the web form on your smartphone now because you have to be able to upload a picture from your computer. (That will be changing soon!)
• Knowledge about the invasive species that you’re looking for – You don’t want to report the wrong species!

Here’s a picture of my invasive hunter suit, but you don’t have to dress up for the occasion.

Commander Ben unfazed by the looming stand of Giant Reeds sneaking up on him.

Report your invasive species observation into the database

Once you have your sighting, just go to your computer, enter your data, and upload your picture. Once your species is verified, you’ll be part of a vast and powerful database that will help other citizen scientist and scientists take action against invasives.

There’s a space on the reporting form to ask for volunteer hours, and that’s important in case the Invaders of Texas program needs to apply for matching grants to help maintain or grow the program.

Android and iPhone app for Invasive Species coming soon!

Invaders of Texas Android and iPhone mobile app to report invasive species coming soon

I’m looking forward to when their Texas Invasives mobile app will come out that will allow citizen scientists to record their sightings instantly with their mobile phone. This will really help to increase sightings! They’re coming out with the Android version first. I’m really looking forward to the iPhone version.

Sentinel Pest Network

During the workshop, we learned about the Sentinel Pest Network that was created to help us watch out for deadly invasives that are in the United States, but have not been found in our state yet…but they may be marching our way.

Learning about the Emerald Ash Borer

We learned more about these other invasives, including the Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis). It’s amazing that an insect that’s smaller than a penny could do so much damage to the native ash tree population of the United States.

We also learned more about the Asian Longhorn Beetle and the Gypsy Moth (Lymantria dispar), which I didn’t know much about before this workshop.

Invasives at the Wildflower Center!

Ms. Strickland asked us to bring samples of different kinds of invasives species. I brought my nemesis, the Giant Reed (arundo donax). It was so tall that I had to be careful making my way through doorways and not knocking things over along the way.

Pressed sample of a Japanese Climbing Fern

It was great that so many people brought land and aquatic invasive species to share, some of which I had not seen in person before, like the Japanese Climbing Fern (Lygodium japonicum). This invasive spreads in the woods of East Texas, suffocating native trees and plants on the ground.

Other topics

Turtle in the pond at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

During our breaks, I enjoyed talking with my fellow citizen scientists and watching the magnificent turtles in the Wildflower Center’s pond. They were very friendly. I also saw a lot of cool damselflies and lots of flowers and plants.

At the workshop, we also learned about the Great Texas Tree Roundup from the “Tree Folks” and the Eradication Calculator that helps to publish and report volunteer efforts to get rid of invasive species.

Invasive Hunter Academy

Invasive Hunter Academy video screening at the workshop

Many workshop attendees had asked for educational resources and ways to help teach kids about about invasive species and the problems that they’re causing in our ecosystem.

Ms. Strickland invited me to bring my Invasive Hunter Academy to the workshops to show teachers and master naturalists about a fun way to help educate kids about invasives. This is the same academy that I created for the National Invasive Species Awareness Week (NISAW) in Washington D.C. earlier this year.

When I first arrived in the morning, Ms. Strickland and Ms. Karen Clary provided me with a wonderful table to set up my academy, and right before the youth education session, Ms. Strickland showed my Invasive Hunter Academy preview video to the entire audience.

It was wonderful. I was so happy to hear everyone’s reactions to the video, especially all their laughter during the funny scenes. It was awesome to know that people really do enjoy my battles with invasive species videos, and they can help educate everyone about invasive species.

How to become an Invasive Hunter

Commander Ben standing at the ready in front of the Invasive Hunter Academy

During the youth education session, I talked with a group of teachers and master naturalists about the wonderful educational activities that are part of the Invasive Hunter Academy.

I described the steps for students to graduate from the academy. A few of the attendees wanted to go through the experience themselves identifying the invasives, and of course, they all succeeded!

Next, they enjoyed the action moves to take down the different invasives with a lot of laughter. Once they started showing me their their moves, I got an inkling that there may be a budding invasive hunter in them.

But they had to pass the final test, perhaps the most difficult challenge, creating their action scene. One lady picked the Giant Reed to fight against in her diorama. I asked her why, and she said that it was a big problem where she lived, and wanted to wage a battle against it.

Once they were done, I graduated them as full fledged invasive hunters, giving them a sticker, and certifying them as an official Invasive Hunter.

The master naturalists from the El Camino Real Chapter invited me to be part of their nature festival next year. It sounds like fun!

Invasive Hunter Academy at the Wildflower Center

You too can be an invasive hunter, especially if you’re in Austin, by enrolling in the Invasive Hunter Academy at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center during the Power of Plants at Nature Nights on July 5. It’s free and you’re guaranteed to have fun! You’ll have a great time becoming an invasive hunter, and you’ll make and bring home an action diorama of you protecting your native ecosystem against the invading invasives.

Fantastic invasive species workshop!

Jessica Strickland, Commander Ben, and Dr. Damon Waitt at the Invasive Hunter Academy

Ms. Strickland made me feel very welcome, and I learned so much. Thank you for inviting me to be part of your event, and thank you Dr. Damon Waitt for all your kind words and encouragement.

This was a great workshop! Ms. Strickland is giving these these workshops around the state, and you won’t want to miss attending one of these events!

Your friend,
Ben

Reported locations of the Giant Reed (Arundo donax) around Lady Bird Lake in Austin, Texas.

You too can join the fight against invasive species by attending the next Invasive Species Eradication workshop. This workshop helps you become a more active citizen scientist by teaching you about invasive species and how to report them.

I recorded my first invasive species, my nemesis the Giant Reed (Arundo donax), early last year with my GPS, pencil and paper, and digital camera, and I reported my information on the Texas Invasives website for other scientists to understand how invasive species were spreading.

Many other citizen scientists across Texas have reported their invasive sightings too. For example, View a map of the reported Giant Reed locations in Texas.

We won’t always need pencil and paper. The May 2012 iWire newsletter talks about a new Invaders of Texas mobile app to report invasive species. The Invaders of Texas program received an empowerment grant from the Motorola Foundation to develop a mobile application for Android devices.

Attend the next invasive species workshop in Austin

These invasive species workshops are held around the state throughout the year, and the next workshop in Austin will be on Saturday, June 16th, at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

I look forward to attending this upcoming workshop to learn about the latest techniques for identifying and reporting invasives and meeting other citizen scientists. I want to learn more about how to use an iPhone to easily report invasives when I see them. The workshop will also cover the new Eradication Calculator, which will help to organize and coordinate removal efforts.

Learn more about this invasive species workshop and others around Texas at Texas Invasives workshops or contact Ms. Jessica Strickland, the Wildflower Center’s invasive species manager.

Your friend,
Ben

It’s been a few days since my last blog post, and I wanted to assure you that I haven’t been captured by invasives. I was in California enjoying the wonderful weather and the giant Redwoods.

Hiking through the Lady Bird Johnson Grove Nature Trail

Loving nature, as I do, I really enjoyed hiking the trails through the Redwood trees in the Redwood National Park. I especially liked the Lady Bird Johnson Grove Nature Trail because it reminded me of my home state of Texas and our wonderful Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

It’s amazing how old the Coastal Redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) can get with the larger trees in the park dating back 600-700 years ago. The giant trees started growing when the Aztecs and Mayans ruled Central America, well before the first Pilgrims arrived from the Mayflower.

It’s also shocking how large they can get with some growing over 360 feet. By comparison, my arch nemesis, the Giant Reed (Arundo donax), can grow up to 20 feet. That means that it would take at least 18 of these invasive plants on top of each other to reach the top of one of the Giant Redwoods. (I guess the Giant Reed is not so giant after all!) The Redwoods are the largest trees on the planet.

When I was at the lower edge of the trail where loggers had clear cut the Redwoods many years ago, there were no large Redwoods, but there were smaller ones and other fir and hemlock trees that had grown up around the stumps of the older trees. They were starting to work together to build another ancient forest of trees. Redwoods can grow from seedings or from burls at their base.

In other areas, it was sad to see some Redwoods so badly burnt, but they were still alive. They are hardy trees, with tannin-rich bark that resists insects, and that’s why they were so coveted by people.

The Redwoods like to grow in Northern California because of the climate, the fog, and the heavy winter rains. The fog is important to the trees because they get a lot of their moisture from the fog during the dry summer months.

Ferns pioneer the way

I found the ferns that grew around the Redwoods amazing because I love pioneer plants. They’re one the first plants to come in after a fire or other disasters. There haven’t been any large fires in the Redwoods lately, but the ferns are a key part of the forest ecosystem. Ferns reproduce by spore instead of seed, and they love the foggy wet weather along the Northern California coast.

There are many kinds of ferns and without a careful eye, they can look similar to each other. At the National Park Visitor Center, I picked up a book called Pacific Coast Fern Finder by Dr. Glenn Keator and Ms. Ruth Heady.

This handy pocket book uses dichotomous keys to help identify ferns. The technique of dichotomous keys asks at least two description questions at each step to help you identify what you’re studying.

For example, here’s a simple dichotomous key to help identify birds in central Texas:

Step 1.
If the bird has a red chest, go to step 2.
If the bird is gray and white, you sighted a Mockingbird.

Step 2.
If the bird has brown wings, you found a North American Robin.
If the bird is all red, you discovered a male Cardinal.

One of the ferns that I saw was the Common Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum). Turning the leaves over, you can really see the sorus, which are clusters of sporangia that bear the spores.

Your friend,
Ben

Learn how future invasive hunters trained at Commander Ben’s Invasive Hunter Academy at Kid’s Day during National Invasive Species Awareness Week (NISAW) at the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington D.C. With this video, watch their journey from novice naturalists to elite defenders of native species.

This is my first of a series of articles talking about my adventures in Washington D.C. during National Invasive Species Awareness Week. Check out my preview video for the Invasive Hunter Academy before the Washington D.C. event.


Thank you Ms. Lori Williams, National Invasive Species Council (NIISC) Executive Director, and Ms. Kelsey Branch, USDA Biologist and Kid’s Day coordinator, for inviting me to be part of this fun and exciting Kid’s Day! And thank you Dr. Damon Waitt, Senior Director and Botanist with the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, for all your kind words and encouragement!

Your friend,
Ben

Update: USDA Celebrates Commander Ben and His Invasive Hunter Academy

Learn how to become an invasive species hunter at Commander Ben’s Invasive Hunter Academy at Kid’s Day during National Invasive Species Awareness Week (NISAW) in Washington D.C.  With this video, get a preview of some of the techniques that I’ll teach you.

Join me as an elite defender of native species, and learn more about NISAW and Kid’s Day at the U.S. Botanic Garden on February 26, 2012.

Wow! What a nice surprise on New Year’s Eve to receive the December 2011 issue of iWire, the monthly e-newsletter about invasive plants and pests in Texas, and to see that they featured my latest Battles with Invasive Species video, “An Invasive Carol”, as part of their newsletter.

The newsletter picture shows my Ghost of Christmas Present costume and my Texas Invasive Plant and Pest Council (TIPPC) water bottle cozy that I got at the 2011 Texas Invasive Plant and Pest Conference.

Watch my “An Invasive Carol” video and let me know which Ghost of Christmas Past, Present, or Future costume you like the best.

Thanks TexasInvasives.org!

Commander Ben signing off…

Dr. Earl W. Chilton II describes the top aquatic invasive species invading Texas lakes and waterways, including Giant Salvinia, Water Hyacinth, and Hydrilla. Although more of a riparian plant, discover why the Giant Reed poses such a threat to the water and native plants along the Rio Grande River. Dr. Chilton is the Aquatic Habitat Enhancement Program Director for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

This video is part of Commander Ben’s “Invasive Species: Secrets Revealed” series of interviews from the 2011 Texas Invasive Plant and Pest Conference.

Commander Ben signing off…

Ms. Mary Gilroy talks about efforts to hunt down and eradicate the Giant Reed (Arundo Donax) around Lady Bird Lake in Austin, Texas. Learn how data collected from citizen scientists as part of the Invaders of Texas Program helped map the locations of this invasive species and the multiyear campaign to remove this obstinate invasive and restore native plants. Ms. Gilroy is an environmental scientist in Austin, Texas.

This video is part of Commander Ben’s “Invasive Species: Secrets Revealed” series of interviews from the 2011 Texas Invasive Plant and Pest Conference.

Commander Ben signing off…

This Christmas Carol tale begins on Christmas Eve with Ebenezer Scrooge, a man with a stingy heart, a disdain of native plants, and a phobia of dirty feet. His former business partner, Jacob Marley warns Scrooge of visits by three spirits. Overnight, the ghosts lead Scrooge through his innocent past, misguided present, and possible dire future overrun by invasive species. They help to transform him into a man of joy and compassion, both with the family of his impoverished clerk, Bob Cratchit, and his diverse ecosystem.

This video is part of my “Battles with Invasive Species” series to give kids of all ages a fun and humorous way to learn about invasive species. Here are other videos that you may enjoy too!

• In an Ecesis Far, Far Away
• Tea Time with English Ivy
• The Boy who Cried Invasives
• A Fistful of Saltcedar
• The Man with the Golden Bamboo
• Who Will Fell This Titan?

Commander Ben signing off…

Greetings fellow invasive hunters,

Join a young sheepherder and Doctor Benjamin in this a cautionary tale for alarmist naturalists who fail to distinguish between native plants and nefarious invasives.

Enjoy!

Commander Ben signing off…

When I first wanted to learn more about invasive species for my science fair project, I turned to the web and found a great site to learn all about invasive species in Texas.  (Yes.  I’m a native Texan! )
 
Texas Invasives at http://www.texasinvasives.org is a wonderful web site that teaches you all about the invasive species that are causing harm, both economically and ecologically, to our great state.  You can go into their invasives database to learn about each of the species, including the famous (or infamous!) Giant Reed–my favorite nemesis.
 
You can even sign up as a citizen scientist to report sightings of invasive species and have them added to a map that everyone can easily access.  I’ve already added a few sightings of my own and learned a lot about invasive and native plants along the way.
 
If you’re new to learning about invasives, especially in Texas, or if you’re a seasoned invasive hunter, this site will be a great resource for you.  Five green thumbs up for the Texas Invasives site!

Commander Ben signing off…

Join me, Commander Ben, as my tea time with native Texas trees is interrupted by the jiggery-pokery of hedera helix, an invasive plant otherwise known as English Ivy. Have a humorous and smashing good time learning more about this invasive plant.

Bonus: English subtitles for British words included!!!
 
Enjoy!

Commander Ben signing off…

Last night I attended the Science Under the Stars event, hosted by the University of Texas Brackenridge Field Laboratory, where my new movie, Who Will Fell This Titan?, was debuted along with numerous other fantastic science videos.

Research scientist, Dr. Heineman, Ph.D, was the master of ceremonies. He did a great job and was both funny and entertaining!

I am pleased to announce that my movie won First Prize! I was – and am – so happy and humbled. All the videos were great! I worked really hard on my movie and will be working hard again this weekend making my follow-up film. I’ll keep you posted.

Commander Ben signing off…

Hello my fellow invasive hunters…

For your viewing pleasure, please enjoy my latest video:

“Who Will Fell this Titan?”

Have a great day!

Update: Thanks Vital Signs for featuring my “Who will fell this titan?” video as an example for other kids as part of your Creative Kid Invasion contest!

Kids (and future Invasive Hunters!), I hope you also enjoy my other Battles with Invasive Species videos.

Commander Ben signing off…

And PS – Happy Mother’s Day to my Mom who always supports me in all that I do! I love you Mom!!!

Hello my friends,

Today, I am sharing with you a picture of the Giant Reed.  Now that you know what it looks like but sure to be on the look-out for it!

Commander Ben signing off…

Invasive is a bit of a subjective term however, because a plant which is invasive in one region is perfectly natural and harmless in another. Willy De Greef, incoming secretary general of EuropaBio, had this to say, “You have to look at the biology of the plant and the environment where you’re introducing it and ask, are there worry points here?” Basically, researchers will be better served if they take a deep breath, look at the natural habitats of plants they want to convert to biofuels, and, most importantly, move slowly and don’t jump headfirst into another project that could turn out like corn.

Article from NY Times here.

In the 2006 State of the Union Address, President George W. Bush proposed the Advanced Energy Initiative to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil through accelerated development of domestic, renewable alternatives to gasoline and diesel fuels. A goal of the initiative was to make ethanol derived from cellulosic biomass (crop residues, fast-growing trees and grasses) cost competitive with grain ethanol by 2012. Transportation fuels derived from cellulose – the fibrous material of plants – offer an attractive alternative as an abundant, domestic and renewable resource.

The U.S. Department of Energy identified switchgrass as a model cellulosic crop because it combined more attributes desirable for bioenergy production than other grasses. Among these attributes, switchgrass was a seeded, perennial grass native throughout North America. It was widely distributed and productive across a wide geographical range.

In research at Ardmore, we have found biomass yields of switchgrass (cultivar “Alamo”) to average 6.5 tons per acre. Multilocation experiments were initiated in 2007 to evaluate the response of switchgrass to nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium fertilization rates, and biomass harvesting. Data is limited or sometimes nonexistent on biomass yields of other perennial grasses for bioenergy production in Oklahoma.

A number of perennial grasses can be produced in Oklahoma that may provide substantial net benefits to the national goal of making cellulosic ethanol cost competitive. These grasses include, among others, giant reed, weeping lovegrass, miscanthus, Indiangrass, big bluestem, bermudagrass and Johnsongrass. In some trials conducted in Europe and North America, biomass yields of miscanthus have averaged 10 tons per acre compared to 5 tons per acre for switchgrass. Research in Alabama has reported biomass yields of giant reed to reach 15 tons per acre. Giant reed frequently can be found growing as an ornamental in residential neighborhoods in Oklahoma. Indiangrass and big bluestem, in addition to switchgrass, are tall, perennial grasses native to Oklahoma. They are characteristic of productive rangelands. Weeping lovegrass is a perennial, warm-season grass adapted to Oklahoma that grows particularly well on sandy soils.

A number of concerns exist while evaluating any of these grasses as a bioenergy feedstock. First and foremost, the grasses will have to produce a lot of biomass at a low cost. Large biomass yields are necessary to reduce transportation distances and improve the economy of scale for a biorefinery. A second concern is their nitrogen fertilizer and water use efficiencies. As nitrogen fertilizer costs continue to rise and water supplies increasingly become limited, it will be important that these feedstocks produce biomass with less water and nitrogen. Third, establishment costs need to be low. Switchgrass has an advantage because seed is generally available. We have found establishment costs of switchgrass to range from $75 to $150 per acre. A disadvantage of miscanthus and giant reed is that they must be propagated vegetatively. Planting of root, rhizome and stem cuttings to achieve stands has been estimated to increase establishment costs to $350 to $500 per acre.

Additional concerns with these grasses are their invasiveness and resistance to pests. Johnsongrass is commonly considered a weed. Some have expressed concerns about miscanthus and giant reed escaping managed croplands to become weeds in natural lands. Another concern that exists with any of the grasses is their resistance to disease and other pest outbreaks when planted as a monoculture crop. Being clones and having less genetic diversity, miscanthus and giant reed may be susceptible to increased risk from disease and insect pressures.

Stay tuned. The Noble Foundation will be initiating research in 2008 to evaluate some of these alternative perennial grasses as bioenergy feedstocks.

In the 2006 State of the Union Address, President George W. Bush proposed the Advanced Energy Initiative to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil through accelerated development of domestic, renewable alternatives to gasoline and diesel fuels. A goal of the initiative was to make ethanol derived from cellulosic biomass (crop residues, fast-growing trees and grasses) cost competitive with grain ethanol by 2012. Transportation fuels derived from cellulose – the fibrous material of plants – offer an attractive alternative as an abundant, domestic and renewable resource.

The U.S. Department of Energy identified switchgrass as a model cellulosic crop because it combined more attributes desirable for bioenergy production than other grasses. Among these attributes, switchgrass was a seeded, perennial grass native throughout North America. It was widely distributed and productive across a wide geographical range.

In research at Ardmore, we have found biomass yields of switchgrass (cultivar “Alamo”) to average 6.5 tons per acre. Multilocation experiments were initiated in 2007 to evaluate the response of switchgrass to nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium fertilization rates, and biomass harvesting. Data is limited or sometimes nonexistent on biomass yields of other perennial grasses for bioenergy production in Oklahoma.

A number of perennial grasses can be produced in Oklahoma that may provide substantial net benefits to the national goal of making cellulosic ethanol cost competitive. These grasses include, among others, giant reed, weeping lovegrass, miscanthus, Indiangrass, big bluestem, bermudagrass and Johnsongrass. In some trials conducted in Europe and North America, biomass yields of miscanthus have averaged 10 tons per acre compared to 5 tons per acre for switchgrass. Research in Alabama has reported biomass yields of giant reed to reach 15 tons per acre. Giant reed frequently can be found growing as an ornamental in residential neighborhoods in Oklahoma. Indiangrass and big bluestem, in addition to switchgrass, are tall, perennial grasses native to Oklahoma. They are characteristic of productive rangelands. Weeping lovegrass is a perennial, warm-season grass adapted to Oklahoma that grows particularly well on sandy soils.

A number of concerns exist while evaluating any of these grasses as a bioenergy feedstock. First and foremost, the grasses will have to produce a lot of biomass at a low cost. Large biomass yields are necessary to reduce transportation distances and improve the economy of scale for a biorefinery. A second concern is their nitrogen fertilizer and water use efficiencies. As nitrogen fertilizer costs continue to rise and water supplies increasingly become limited, it will be important that these feedstocks produce biomass with less water and nitrogen. Third, establishment costs need to be low. Switchgrass has an advantage because seed is generally available. We have found establishment costs of switchgrass to range from $75 to $150 per acre. A disadvantage of miscanthus and giant reed is that they must be propagated vegetatively. Planting of root, rhizome and stem cuttings to achieve stands has been estimated to increase establishment costs to $350 to $500 per acre.

Additional concerns with these grasses are their invasiveness and resistance to pests. Johnsongrass is commonly considered a weed. Some have expressed concerns about miscanthus and giant reed escaping managed croplands to become weeds in natural lands. Another concern that exists with any of the grasses is their resistance to disease and other pest outbreaks when planted as a monoculture crop. Being clones and having less genetic diversity, miscanthus and giant reed may be susceptible to increased risk from disease and insect pressures.

Stay tuned. The Noble Foundation will be initiating research in 2008 to evaluate some of these alternative perennial grasses as bioenergy feedstocks.