Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Horses and Weeds: Message from Ada Quinn

Full Publication: Are horses responsible for introducing non-native plants along trails in the eastern United States?
A final report to the American Endurance Riders Conference (AERC)


As you know, I have been working on environmental issues pertaining to horses for some years now. Horses and weed spreading have been an issue for some time now. AERC recently funded research at the Univ of WIsc to do a study. The results are attached. To my knowledge, this has not as yet been peer reviewed nor published in peer-reviewed literature (which is vital), but hopefully it will be in 2007. The AERC findings are very important and should be the subject of newsletter articles for those of you with newsletters.

I am involved in the Dominican University study referenced in this attachment. Federal government agencies funded this work in excess of $100,000. We are editing the field house findings now to submit to a peer review journal. The Dominican study had two phases. NO PLANT ON THE CALIFORNIA DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WEED LIST WAS FOUND IN EITHER PHASE. CDF is the regulatory body that certifies CWFF. However some of the phase 2 plants that grew are on the Cal IPC list in either moderate or limited categories.

Dominican also plans to submit to peer review a literature review which essentially concludes that while some weeds do grow in greenhouse (ideal) settings, few of these plants are found along trails. It calls for more studies at the landscape level, such as the one funded by AERC attached.

My thanks to those of you who have funded EnviroHorse (particularly to the Kvamme and Ebson Family Foundations, and individual members of the Mounted Patrol of San Mateo County) who enabled us to make the $16,000 donation to Dominican that bought us a seat at the table to be able to extend the study to Phase 2 and to participate in the editing process of the Dominican work. We have had major impact on the development of both papers. Further research will be undertaken, likely at Dominican U where EnviroHorse has established a positive relationship with researchers.

If you are interested in the results of the Dominican studies, please send me an email so that I can send to you when they are available for distribution/publication. If you think horsemen should have a seat at the table in future research you must be willing to fund it as EnviroHorse is now out of money. Please send contributions made out to the Marin Horse Council to me Adda Quinn 3027 St. James Rd Belmont CA 94002. Marin Horse Council is 501c3 and deductible. This subject is not going to go away until there are numerous articles supporting the same conclusions in peer reviewed literature.

The AERC paper is a good way to begin the new year!

envirohorse@yahoo.com from Adda Quinn

"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, "WOW-- What a Ride!" Go fast, and the bruises and wrinkles won't show! Happy Trails!"

Updated link for information:
https://startupresources.io/termsfeed-review/

No comments: