Delaware Invasive Species Council
Delaware Invasive Species Council
Delaware Department of Agriculture
2320 South Dupont Highway
Dover, DE 19901
ph: 302-698-4587
disc
2009 DISC Award Recipients
Research - Judy Hough-Goldstein, PhD.
Judy Hough-Goldstein is a Professor at the University of Delaware's Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology. Her research focuses on ecological aspects of biological control. Through her years of research, Judy’s lab was the first to test and obtain a permit to release a biological control agent of mile-a-minute weed, Persicaria perfoliata. The agent, a stem-boring weevil, has been released in five states, and is being mass-reared at a laboratory in New Jersey. Since 2005, Judy and her lab have monitored the weevil’s dispersal, population growth, and impact on mile-a-minute at release sites.Additional projects in her lab include biocontrol agents for kudzu; and methods to enhance currently available agents for purple loosestrife.
Judy has been a member of DISC since 2004 and became Vice Chair in 2005. She moved to Chair in 2007 and has helped plan the past two annual meetings.
Education - Faith Kuehn, PhD.
Faith Kuehn is the Administrator of the Plant Industries Section of the Department of Agriculture, which serves as Delaware’s regulatory authority for plant & plant pest species. She is responsible for Apiary, Nursery Inspection, Noxious Weed, Cooperative Agricultural Pest, and Seed Inspection and Certification programs. Faith has successfully increased awareness of invasive species using innovative educational approaches. In 2003, Faith helped to initiate the "Plants for a Livable Delaware" campaign which, encouraged nurseries to promote non-invasive, regionally native plants. The premise guiding the program was that education about the negative impacts of invasive plants on natural areas should precede any regulations.
In 2007, Faith also contributed to the booklet: Mistaken Identity? Invasive plants and their native look‐alikes: an identification guide for the Mid-Atlantic. The booklet presents a side-by-side comparison between 20 common invasive plants and native plants, with which the invasives can be confused.
Management - Robert Line
Rob is Delaware State Parks’ Environmental Stewardship Program Manager where his responsibilities include the ecological management of more than 24,000 acres of protected public land. With a staff of two, Rob began supervising invasive species removal projects in 2000. Rob’s management, expertise, and perseverance have allowed the Environmental Stewardship Program to expand into two separate crews (north and south). These crews have been responsible for the management of hundreds of acres of land in the state.
Volunteer - Casey Casalnuovo
Casey is a member of the Boy Scouts of America Troop 61. For his Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project, he organized and managed an invasive species removal team at Bellevue State Park. Not only did Casey schedule work days and recruit volunteers, he also spent time researching invasive plants and proper invasive plant removal techniques, providing plant identification training to his volunteers, and creating field reference guides that identified the invasive species the group would be removing.Casey did an outstanding job coordinating his volunteers in the removal of invasive plants. His efforts accounted for approximately 89 hours of actual invasive plant removal, with minimal invasive plant regrowth and broader native plant presence.
2010 Invasive Species Awards
PURPOSE:
Three awards will be presented annually by the Delaware Invasive Species Council in the fields of (1) management, (2) research, and (3) education, to a person or entity which has made significant contributions by preventing the introduction and reducing the impact of non-native invasive species in the state of Delaware.
ELIGIBILITY:
Projects or efforts should have made significant contributions, in at least one of the following categories: (1) management, (2) research, or (3) education within the last year in Delaware (or beyond). Nominations can be made for more than one category. Multiple year project contributions or achievements are eligible. Any individual, organization, business, school, media, municipality or government agency may apply or be nominated. DISC members and non-members are eligible for this award.
CRITERIA:
Awards will be given to recipients who have demonstrated exceptional achievement through their professional conduct, community service, leadership, or contributions to address invasive species issues (locally, multi-county or statewide). One DISC award shall be awarded for each of the following:
1. Research - Demonstrates significant contributions or achievements that advanced the field of invasive species research through the generation of knowledge, public service, or professional practice, by an individual or group.
2. Education - Raises awareness of invasive species issues including innovative educational approaches.
3. Management - Demonstrates significant contributions or achievement to prevention, management or control of invasive species.
SELECTION PROCEDURE:
All nominations are to be postmarked, emailed (preferred), or faxed by July 1, 2010. The DISC Awards Committee shall select award recipients from those nominated by the deadline.
ANNOUNCEMENT AND PRESENTATION OF AWARDS:
Recipients of the awards will be recognized at the annual Delaware Invasive Species Annual Conference on TBA. Award recipients will also be announced in the news media and on the Delaware Invasive Species Council website.
Delaware Invasive Species Council
Delaware Department of Agriculture
2320 South Dupont Highway
Dover, DE 19901
ph: 302-698-4587
disc
