Source: UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA submitted to
FACILITATION AND COORDINATION OF THE FLORIDA/CARIBBEAN BASIN INTER-INSTITUTIONAL INVASIVE SPECIES INITIATIVE
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
TERMINATED
Funding Source
SPECIAL GRANT
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0204105
Grant No.
2005-34135-15899
Project No.
FLA-HOM-04279
Proposal No.
2005-04420
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
AH
Project Start Date
Sep 15, 2005
Project End Date
Sep 14, 2008
Grant Year
(N/A)
Project Director
Klassen, W.
Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
G022 MCCARTY HALL
GAINESVILLE,FL 32611
Performing Department
TROPICAL RESEARCH & EDUCATION CENTER, HOMESTEAD
Non Technical Summary
Every country in the Greater Caribbean Basin is being over run by invasive species. For example, each year about 14 species of invasive insects, mites and ticks, and similar numbers of plant pathogens and harmful plants become established in Florida. Almost one-half of the invasive species entering the Greater Caribbean Basin originate in the Neotropics, and an almost equal number come from Asia and the Pacific. Few originate in Europe, Australia, the Nearctic and Africa, although there are many threats in Africa. Once an invasive species gains a foothold in one country it invariably spreads and wreaks economic and environmental havoc throughout the Basin. The USA, acting independently, cannot stem the influx of invasive species even with its US $100 million per year safeguarding program. The rate of approach of invasive species to ports of entry is closely correlated with trade and tourism, and these are doubling about every five years. The wider Caribbean is the only region of the globe without a regional safeguarding mechanism. Safeguarding the State of Florida and the Greater Caribbean Basin against alien invasive species. This project seeks to facilitate and coordinate activities designed to improve the effectiveness of safeguarding against alien invasive species in the Caribbean Basin that pose major pest threats to Florida. The orientation of the safeguarding strategy is one in which the USA would play an important role and which would give maximum protection to the State of Florida.
Animal Health Component
25%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
50%
Developmental
50%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
2113110113020%
2123130112010%
2153199113010%
3113910303010%
3123910303010%
6066120301010%
6106230301010%
9033199113010%
9036120301010%
Knowledge Area
610 - Domestic Policy Analysis; 215 - Biological Control of Pests Affecting Plants; 311 - Animal Diseases; 903 - Communication, Education, and Information Delivery; 211 - Insects, Mites, and Other Arthropods Affecting Plants; 312 - External Parasites and Pests of Animals; 212 - Pathogens and Nematodes Affecting Plants; 606 - International Trade and Development;

Subject Of Investigation
3130 - Nematodes; 3910 - Cross-commodity research--multiple animal species; 6120 - International economy and sectors thereof; 3199 - Invertebrates, general/other; 3110 - Insects; 6230 - Marketing systems and sectors thereof;

Field Of Science
1130 - Entomology and acarology; 3030 - Information and communication; 1120 - Nematology; 3010 - Economics;
Goals / Objectives
The overarching purpose of this project is to greatly improve the effectiveness of safeguarding against alien invasive species (AIS) in the Greater Caribbean Basin that pose major threats to Florida. A long-term goal is the establishment of a regional safeguarding mechanism in which the U.S.A. would play an important role, and which would give maximum protection to Florida. Specific objectives are to enable the PD and the Co-PD to: 1) Assume a formal leadership role in coordinating FAES/Caribbean Basin AIS initiatives. 2) Work proactively to arrive at consensus or near-consensus on priority AIS research and outreach activities via networking with US and Caribbean Basin institutions and agencies. This will require at least one workshop and a series of Seminar sessions. 3) Provide leadership in efforts to leverage TSTAR funded AIS projects to garner additional resources in support of these efforts. 4) Monitor, evaluate, and report on progress and accomplishments with respect to FAES/Caribbean Basin AIS activities, and on progress towards the formation of a regional safeguarding mechanism. A Florida Caribbean Basin AIS Advisory Committee will be formed to assist in organizing workshops and symposia needed to further develop and implement a regional safeguarding strategy. Funds for these events will be leveraged from various sources.
Project Methods
Our overall approach is based on the notion that a safeguarding system for the Greater Caribbean Region will require all concerned in the Region to arrive at a shared philosophy and an agreed design through a process of construction. Thus we choose to begin the work with the small island states, which are critical to the success of the system, so that in the end we have true commitment and not mere lip service. 1) Provide major technical input into finalization of the existing draft Caribbean Regional Invasive Species Strategy (CRISIS) Document; 2) Provide liaison with Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat with respect to the progression of the CRISIS document through the regional coordinating/administrative bodies; 3) Work closely with CARICOM officials via its Council on Trade and Economic Development (COTED) to establish a viable Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA) with the capacity to implement the Caribbean Regional Invasive Species Strategy and to forge partnerships with appropriate agencies in the US Government, and governments of other neighboring countries; and 4) Pro-actively plan, promote, and execute AIS outreach activities on behalf of FAES over the next 3-5 years. This will include liaison with USDA-APHIS, USDHS, NASDA, FDACS, and industry groups including FFVA, FNGA, FL Citrus Mutual, Florida Cattlemens Association, etc. These outreach activities will include activities to (a) increase awareness of the impacts of invasive species on agriculture, biodiversity, natural ecosystems and trade, (b) development of action plans to cope with newly introduced invasive species, (c) facilitate building coalitions around key threats, (d) facilitate development of regional surveillance systems, etc.

Progress 09/15/05 to 09/14/08

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Since the Inter-American Development Bank declined to fund the Caribbean Invasive Species Surveillance and Information Program (CISSIP), resources from various sources are being assembled to implement CISSIP. The University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez and the Ministry of Agriculture, Dominican Republic agreed to implement the first part of the Caribbean Regional Diagnostic Network (CRDN, a component of CISSIP) by installing the Digital Diagnostic and Identification System (DDIS). DDIS has been installed in 8 diagnostic laboratories in the Dominican Republic and in 6 diagnostic laboratories in Puerto Rico. Subsequently in cooperation with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation in Agriculture, a laboratory in Port-au-Prince was added with funding from USAID. The University of Florida trained laboratory personnel in Santo Domingo and Port-au-Prince on the DDIS and CRDN. USDA-APHIS Caribbean Area Office procured equipment to add an additional 5 strategically important countries to the CRDN. The Co-PI drafted terms of reference for the Caribbean Invasive Species Working Group. The 44th annual meeting of the Caribbean Food Crops Society, Miami Beach, Florida, July 13-17, 2008 provided a theme and a policy framework for understanding the significance of the full day T-STAR Invasive Species Symposium, i.e., Repositioning Caribbean Agriculture: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainability. The T-STAR Invasive Species Symposium theme was: The Role of the Caribbean Invasive Species Surveillance and Information Program in Regional Agriculture Repositioning Strategy. The sessions were as follows: (1) Towards a Caribbean Basin Invasive Species Safeguarding Strategy Framework: From Grenada 2003 to Miami 2008, (2) panel discussion on Closing the Institutional and Technical Framework Gaps for an Effective CISSIP, (3) Technical Issues Relating to Invasive Species Threats in the Caribbean Basin, (4), and (5) Closing Remarks and Adjournment. The Co-PI recorded and transcribed the panel discussion and the closing remarks, and is in the process of editing the various presentations for publication in the 44th annual Proceedings of the Caribbean Food Crops Society. To facilitate an analysis of pathways whereby invasive alien species enter the Greater Caribbean Region, become disseminated within it, the Co-PI co-authored a chapter on Natural Spread of Pests into and within the Greater Caribbean Region. In April, 2008 the first meeting of the Caribbean Plant Health Directors convened in Guyana with USDA-APHIS, CARICOM, CIRAD, FAO and IICA representatives. The Plant Health Directors selected officers and established a number of working groups on (1) Giant African Snail, (2) Red Palm Mite, (3) Tropical Fruit Flies, (4) Coconut Palm Lethal Yellowing, (5) Banana Streak Virus Disease, and (6) Emergency Response The PI and Co-PI arranged a meeting of the Caribbean Invasive Species Working Group on July 18, 2008; which focused on : (1) Terms of Reference, (2) a mechanism to facilitate cooperation among the Chief Veterinary Officers and (3) a consortium for securing and managing funds for CISSIP. PARTICIPANTS: CABI, also CAB International, is a UK-based not for profit organization specializing in the publication of a variety of high-quality scientific resources, covering a broad range of subject areas within the life sciences. The CAB International Caribbean and Latin America Regional Centre is located at Curepe, Trinidad and Tobago. CARDI, Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute is an agency of CARICOM with headquarters at St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago. UF has cooperates with CARDI under two Memoranda of Understanding. CARICOM: The Caribbean Community was established by treaty in 1973. It is in process of establishing the CARICOM Single Market and Economy. The 15 full members are: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago. The 5 Associate members are: Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands and Turks and Caicos Islands. The seven observers are: Aruba, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. CARICOM's headquarters are located in Georgetown, Guyana. The English-speaking CARICOM countries belong to the British Commonwealth of Nations. TARGET AUDIENCES: The target audiences include the general public, ecologists, entomologists, plant pathologists,weed scientists, veterinarians,regulatory officials, government ministers, etc. in countries comprising the Greater Caribbean Region; and interantional organizations such the Food and Agriculture Organization, the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation in Agriculture, USAID, and European Union CARIFORUM. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.

Impacts
The Project organized the Caribbean Invasive Species Working Group with broad international representation to focus on safeguarding the Greater Caribbean Region against invasive alien species. The Working Group includes representation from the CARICOM Secretariat and the CARICOM countries, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Florida, the French West Indies, CABI, CARDI, CIRAD, FAO, IICA, USDA-APHIS and The Nature Conservancy. Initially this Working Group was the only body in the Greater Caribbean Region that fostered communication between key people throughout the Region to safeguard plant and animal resources and natural ecosystems from harmful invasive alien species. The Working Group developed the Caribbean Regional Invasive Species Intervention Strategy (CRISIS), which was adopted by the Council on Trade and Economic Development of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), by the Governments of Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, France and USDA-APHIS. In an effort to begin the implementation of CRISIS, the Working Group developed and proposed the Caribbean Invasive Species Surveillance and Information Program (CISSIP) and submitted it for funding to the Regional Agricultural Investment Donors' Conference organized by CARICOM, FAO and IICA. However, funding for this overall proposal has not yet been secured. T he Project built multi-institutional support for CRISIS and CISSIP, for example, by showing their relevance to address binding constraints in the Regional transformation of Caribbean agriculture under the Jagdeo Initiative. The Project initiated the development of the Caribbean Regional Diagnostic Network, which now links diagnostic laboratories of Florida, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Haiti, and those in five additional countries will soon be added. The Project induced USDA-APHIS to develop a strategic approach to safeguarding the southern USA, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. Thus APHIS launched the APHIS-Caribbean Safeguarding Initiative (APHIS-CSI), which focuses strongly on pest mitigation in countries that export to the USA. APHIS formed a task force to slow the spread of the red palm mite, a major threat to palms and bananas in Florida and States bordering on the Gulf of Mexico. Also APHIS collaborated with the T-STAR projects to retard the spread in Caribbean, Florida and Texas of the chilli thrips, a pest of fruit, ornamental and vegetable crops. Also the Project facilitated The GEF/CABI Project mitigating the threat of Invasive Alien Species in the Insular Caribbean. This Project has been funded by the Environmental Facility of the World Bank, and it addresses invasive alien species that threaten aquatic and natural terrestrial ecosystems and their biodiversity in the Caribbean. Finally the Project has published the proceedings of one major workshop and 2 symposia and the proceedings of a third symposium are in preparation.

Publications

  • Klassen, W., C. G. Davis, R. A. Franqui and H. L. Santiago (Editors). 2006. Operationalizing CRISIS as a Regional Invasive Species Safeguarding Model: Exploring Multiple Platform Initiatives. Proceedings of the 42nd Annual Meeting of the Caribbean Food Crops Society. 9-15 July, 2006, Carolina, Puerto Rico. Volume 42 (1), 111 pages.
  • Klassen, W., D. R. Seal, M. A. Ciomperlik, and D. A. Fieselmann. 2008. The chilli thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis: current status in the Greater Caribbean Region. Proceedings of the Caribbean Food Crops Society. 44(1): (accepted).
  • Bertone, C. and W. Klassen. 2008. Natural Spread of Pests into and within the Greater Caribbean Region. http://carribean-doc.ncsu.edu/index.htm


Progress 09/14/06 to 09/14/07

Outputs
OUTPUTS: The PI and Co-PI organized & edited the proceedings of the invasive species T-STAR symposium held jointly with the 42nd Annual Meeting of the Caribbean Food Crops Society, 9-15 July, 2006, Puerto Rico. At a meeting of the Caribbean Invasive Species Working Group, 28 November- 1 December, 2006 in Trinidad, substantial progress was made in developing a detailed budget for the proposed Caribbean Invasive Species Surveillance & Information Program (CISSIP). Agreement was reached on how to include & support CaribVET and CariPestNet on issues concerning plant protection & quarantine in the Caribbean. The Working Group established a mechanism for conducting a Greater Caribbean Pathway Analysis to identify significant pathways used by invasive alien species for entering the Greater Caribbean. The University of Florida contingent completed CISSIP budget & submitted CISSIP for consideration by a Donors' Conference convened in Port of Spain by CARICOM, FAO and IICA. The PI participated in a meeting to launch the Global Environmental Facility sponsored Project: "Mitigating The Threats of Invasive Alien Species in the Insular Caribbean - PDF A: International stakeholder planning workshop", 22-26 January 2007, Hotel Cascadia, St. Anns, Port of Spain, Trinidad. The CoPI participated in a subcommittee of CISWG, which assembled tentative Greater Caribbean Regional Lists of Plant Pests & Plant Diseases of Concern in Agriculture and Trade. These lists will form the basis for identifying the main targets for the Regional Surveillance Program of CISSIP. Caribbean Invasive Species Working Group met at St. Augustine, Trinidad & Tobago, 23 & 24 August 2007 & began the process of developing a Terms of Reference for the Working Group. As a follow-up to the August 2006 meeting in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico involving the Director of the UF/IFAS/T-STAR-C Program & the Co-PI with a high level delegation from the Dominican Republic, the Rector of the University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez & its Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences, the PI, Co-PI, the Director of the UF/IFAS/T-STAR-C Program, & Dr. Timur Momol (one of the inventors of the Distance Diagnostic & Identification System (DDIS) for Extension in Florida) travelled to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (July 10-14, 2007) to finalize an agreement with the Ministry of Agriculture to install a Spanish version of the DDIS at 8 locations. On September 17 & 18, 2007, the PI & Co-PI met with IICA officials in San Jose, Costa Rica to initiate discussions on a joint University of Florida/IFAS-IICA project on combating invasive species in the Greater Caribbean, possible under the auspices of PROCICARIBE, the Caribbean Agricultural Science & Technology Networking System. Since the funding for the 3rd year of this project cannot be provided because of Congressional recission of USDA Special Programs, the PI & Co-PI have succeeded in obtaining a one-year no-cost extension. The remaining funds will be used in July 2008 to host a T-STAR Invasive Species Symposium as part of the 44th annual meeting of the Caribbean Food Crops Society in Miami, Florida. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals: William F. Brown, UF/IFAS TSTAR Program Director; Martha Roberts, Advisor to Dean for Research/IFAS; Edward A. Evans, Assistant Professor T-REC. Partner Organizations: CARICOM; IICA; CARDI; UWI; FAO; CIRAD; IDIAF; USDA-APHIS; Ministry of Agriculture of CARICOM. TARGET AUDIENCES: All Greater Caribbean Basin countries including Central America and State of Florida, and other US/Gulf of Mexico states. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: N/A

Impacts
The main problem that stimulated us to seek this T-STAR project was the large number of exotic insects, pathogens, weeds and other organisms primarily from Asia and the Neotropics that become established each year in the Caribbean Region and then make their way into Florida. A coordinated regional safeguarding program is needed to stem this flow of invasive alien species first into the Caribbean Region and then into Florida. Thus, we felt a strong need to work with colleagues in the Region to develop a regional safeguarding strategy and obtain its acceptance by all countries in the Region. Further, we recognized that once a Regional safeguarding strategy had been adopted in principle, it would be necessary to develop a grant-funded Caribbean Invasive Species Surveillance and Information Program. To date the 15 CARICOM countries, plus Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, and the French Government, have adopted the Caribbean Regional Invasive Species Intervention Strategy (CRISIS), which was developed as a direct result of T-STAR leadership. In addition, a Caribbean Invasive Species Surveillance and Information Program (CISSIP) has been proposed as the first step in implementing CRISIS, and this proposal was presented to a donar's conference in Trinidad in June 2007. Finally, USDA-APHIS was brought into the Caribbean Invasive Species Working Group, and APHIS has responded positively by launching an APHIS Caribbean Safeguarding Initiative (CSI) and by assigning a strong team to implement it. Based on project activities and accomplishments to date, the University of Florida/IFAS Administration is giving consideration to submission of a Federal earmark funding proposal relating to Caribbean Basin/Florida safeguarding initiatives.

Publications

  • Brown, W. F., G. C. Davis, W. Klassen and T. Momol. 2006. Funding requirements for CISSIP (Caribbean Invasive Species Surveillance and Information Program). Presentation to Caribbean Invasive Species Working Groups, April 25, 2006. Power Point.
  • Klassen, W., C. G. Davis, W.F. Brown, M. R. Roberts and M. T. Momol. 2006. Proposed Caribbean Invasive Species Surveillance and Information Program . Proceedings of the Caribbean Food Crops Society. 42(1):62-69.
  • Brown, W. F., W. Klassen, G. C. Davis, and T. Momol. 2006. Programa de Vigilancia e Informacion Sobre Especia Invasivas: Intoduccion Y Antecedentes (The Caribbean Invasive Species Surveillance and Information Program: Introduction and Background). Presentation made to a Delegation from the Dominican Republic in Mayaguez Puerto Rico, August 1, 2006. Spanish translation by Dr. Colmar Serra. Power Point.
  • Klassen, W., C. G. Davis, W.F. Brown, M. R. Roberts and M. T. Momol. 2006. Proposed Caribbean Invasive Species Surveillance and Information Program. Presentation made to a Delegation from the Dominican Republic in Mayaguez Puerto Rico, August 1, 2006. Power Point.
  • Brown, W. F., W. Klassen, G. C. Davis, and T. Momol. 2006. The Caribbean Invasive Species Surveillance and Information Program: Introduction and Background. Presentation to Caribbean Invasive Species Working Groups, April 25, 2006. Power Point.
  • Klassen, W., C. G. Davis, W.F. Brown, M. R. Roberts, F.B. Lauckner, and M. T. Momol. 2006. Development of the Caribbean Invasive Species Surveillance and Information Program (CISSIP). APS. AP-359. Abstract.
  • Momol, M.T., J. Xin, S. Zhang, F. Zazueta, R. Mizell, A. Hodges, H.W. Beck, S.A. Miller and W. Klassen. 2006. DDIS: A web-based Distance Diagnostic and Identification System (DDIS). Phytopathology 96 (6): S61. Abstract.
  • Momol, T. M., J. Xin, W. Klassen, C. G. Davis, W.F. Brown, and M. R. Roberts. 2006. Towards a Caribbean Regional Diagnostic Network. Proceedings of the Caribbean Food Crops Society. 42(1): 70-72.
  • Momol, T. M., J. Xin, W. Klassen, C. G. Davis, W.F. Brown, and M. R. Roberts. 2006. Towards a Caribbean Regional Diagnostic Network. Proceedings of the Caribbean Food Crops Society. 42(1). POSTER.
  • Stinner, R. E., Y. Xia, K. Suiter, W. Klassen and W. D. Bailey. 2006. The mutual benefits of collaborative IPM data sharing among international agricultural Trade Partners. Fifth IPM Symposium. Power Point Presentation.
  • Klassen, W. W. F. Brown, C. G. Davis, M. R. Roberts and R. Balaam. 2006. Information system (ISIS) and Pest Survey (PSIP) components of CISSIP. Power Point Presentation. April 26, 2006. Port of Spain.
  • Klassen, W., C. G. Davis and W. F. Brown. 2006. Background Note: Project Planning Meeting of Permanent Secretaries Regarding Caribbean Invasive Species Surveillance and Information Programme (CISSIP). Port of Spain Trinidad, April 25-26, 2006.
  • Brown, W. F., W. Klassen, C. G. Davis, T. Momol, R. J. Balaam, and M. R. Roberts. 2006. Invasive Species Activities in the Caribbean Region. Power Point Presentation on behalf of the Caribbean Invasive Species Working Group. 7 December 2006. National Invasive Species Council, Washington, DC.
  • Klassen, W., C. G. Davis, W. F. Brown, M. R. Roberts and T. Momol. 2007. Caribbean Invasive Species Initiative. Power Point presentation at Workshop on Protecting Florida: Emerging Plant Pathogens and Pests of Concern and Practical Hands-on Tips for Problem Triage. University of Florida Extension Symposium, May 9, 2007. Gainesville, FL.


Progress 09/15/05 to 09/15/06

Outputs
The PI and the CoPI convened a meeting of UF/IFAS, USDA/APHIS, FAMU, & FDACS at the University of Florida to clarify short and long term technical and institutional interventions of the University of Florida into a Caribbean Basin Invasive Species Safeguarding Strategy, and how to relevant integrate science and policy. We identified the science-based components of a proposed Caribbean Invasive Species Surveillance and Intervention Program (CISSIP) as the operational modality for the already regionally approved Caribbean Regional Invasive Species Intervention Strategy (CRISIS), (2) developed a preliminary five-year implementation budget, and (3) identified Phase 1 and Phase 2 candidate countries for project implementation. Next we meet with the Caribbean Invasive Species Working Group (CISWG) of which UF/IFAS is a member and agreed on changes in the CISSIP document, obtained endorsement of CISSIP by the principals representing individual countries and international agencies operating in the wider Caribbean, and arranged to submit CISSIP to the CARICOM Council on Trade and Economic Development (COTED). In April, 2006, we met in Trinidad with the Permanent Secretaries of the Ministries of Agriculture or their representatives from Phase 1 and 2 countries. All represented countries endorsed the CISSIP proposal in principle; including commitment to project goals and resource requirements. A country funding matrix was developed and sent to COTED for endorsement. COTED endorsed CISSIP in May 2006 and requested a formal funding strategy for the proposal. The PI and Co-PI co-organized with UF/IFAS/T-STAR-C a symposium held in conjunction with the 42nd Caribbean Food Crops Society Meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico, July, 2006. The Symposium was titled, Operationalizing CRISIS as a Regional Invasive Species Safeguarding Model: Exploring Multiple Platform Initiatives. The PI and Co-PI made presentations and have edited the Symposium Proceedings. The PI and Co-PI participated in a CISWG meeting in July, 2006 on how to build CISSIP more strongly on initiatives already underway in the Region, such as (i) CaribVET and (ii) CariPestNet, (iii) the International Plant Diagnostic Network (IPDN) and (iv) an initiative to extend the use of the UF Digital Distance Diagnostic System (DDIS) into the Dominican Republic, and (v) the Global Environmental Fund-funded CABI project titled Mitigating the Threats of Invasive Alien Species in the Caribbean. Also the PI and co-PI secured full membership of USDA-APHIS in CISWG. In August 2006 the Co-PI and the Director of UF/IFAS/T-STAR-C Program met at Mayaguez with a high level delegation from the Dominican Republic and the Dean, College of Agricultural Sciences, University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez Campus to advance the proposed extension of the UF Digital Distance Diagnostic System (DDIS) into the Dominican Republic. Also we drafted an agreement to develop a Collaborative Ph. D degree in the agricultural sciences, since the University of Puerto Rico is not accredited to do so, and since only 10% of professional in Dominican institutions have earned the Ph.D.

Impacts
Through this project for the first time there is a funded coordinating mechanism in the Caribbean to integrate the various research activities on invasive species within an institutional and policy framework. Hereby research and extension outcomes are being used to set policy. The project has already stimulated USDA APHIS to develop the APHIS Caribbean Safeguarding Initiative, to station a Caribbean Area Safeguarding Specialist in Santo Domingo, to station an Offshore Initiatives Coordinator in south Florida, and to engage the Agricultural Attache' in Costa Rica in this effort. APHIS has offered to assist the Region in conducting an invasive species pathway analysis, which is needed to focus the scarce resources of the countries of the Region on the most important threats. In addition CAB International has obtained funding from the Global Environmental Facility of the World Bank to address the problem of marine invasives.

Publications

  • Davis, Carlton G., and Waldemar Klassen. "The T-STAR Supported Caribbean Basin/Florida Invasive Species Coordinating and Facilitating Initiative: In: Embedding A Caribbean Invasive Species Safeguarding Strategy Within A Regional Integration Framework: Institutional and Technical Issues. Proceedings of the 41st Caribbean Food Crops Society Meetings, Vol. 41, No. 1, 2005, pp. 58-63.
  • Klassen, W., C.G. Davis, E.A. Evans, B. Lauckner, H. Adams, and M. Kairo. Facilitating Safer U.S.-Caribbean Trade: Invasive Species Issues Workshop. Presentation Series No. PRTC 05-02, International Agricultural Trade and Policy Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, July 2005, 169 pages.
  • Klassen, W., and C.G. Davis. "Proposed Caribbean Invasive Species Surveillance and Information Program". In: Operationalizing CRISIS As A Regional Invasive Species Safeguarding Model: Exploring Multiple Platform Initiatives. Proceedings of the Caribbean Food Crops Society, 2006, Vol. 42, No. 1, pp. 54 - _____.
  • Klassen, W., C.G. Davis, and R. Franqui Rivera, and Hector Santiago (Editors). Operationalizing CRISIS as a Regional Invasive Species Safeguarding Model: Exploring Multiple Platform Initiatives. Proceedings of the Caribbean Food Crops Society, 2006, Vol. 42, No. 1, pp_______.
  • Klassen, W., C.G. Davis, B. Lauckner, E.A. Evans, M.T. Kairo, and H. Adams (Editors). Facilitating Safer US-Caribbean Trade: Invasive Species Issues Workshop. (Gainesville: Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, 2005) pp. vi + 159.
  • Klassen, W., C.G. Davis, A. Xande, C. Vuillaume, and H. Ozier-Lafontaine (Editors). Embedding a Caribbean Invasive Species Safeguarding Strategy Within a Regional Integration Framework: Institutional and Technical Issues. Proceedings of the 41st Annual Caribbean Food Crops Society Meeting, Vol. 41, No. 2, 2005, pp. viii + 188.