The National Heritage Area also contains many species that are “nonnative” or introduced. Some are detrimental, and others are often confused with natives.
Bradford Pear
A cultivar of East Asia’s Callery pear favored by 1960s American suburban landscapers for its size, shape and early bloom, Pyrus calleryana ‘Bradford’ has outlasted its intended purpose as an ornamental. Although bred to be sterile and unable to naturally reproduce, it has turned out to have the ability to cross-pollinate or “hybridize” with other pear trees, spreading rapidly and taking up space of native plants. Its fruits provide minimal nutritional value to birds, its fragile structure causes the tree to fall apart easily, leaving fallen branches all over. On top of this, the Bradford pear smells “stinky” to many. Several states, such as South Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania have active “bounties” for the tree, awarding native replacements to anyone who presents proof of destruction or removal of the Bradford pear from their properties.
An effort by Birds Georgia, funded by a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Program, has focused on the removal of invasive plants like the Bradford pear from sites like Lyon and Wilburn Farms for the benefit of birds and the broader ecosystem.
Brown Marmorated Stink Bug
An invasive pest that damages crops, the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys, is a native of Asia that was discovered in Pennsylvania in 1998 and has since become a widespread invasive across the US. These insects feed on fruits and vegetables, resulting in decreased crop yield and potential diseases that are able to get into the plants through the wounds left by the stink bugs. Interestingly, the brown marmorated stink bug now has a natural predator in Georgia’s ecosystem: The Joro spider, another introduced species from the same original range as the stink bug, which began appearing in Georgia around 2013.
Chinese Privet
Chinese privet, Ligustrum sinense, is an invasive semi-evergreen shrub native to Asia which became popular across US cities during the 1800s as a yard ornamental or hedge. However, it has since spread to natural areas, with populations exploding. It hordes soil, space and sunlight, grows and spreads quickly and its berries provide little nutritional value to birds. It has harsh, winding roots that spread underground, proving a grueling removal process.
An effort by Birds Georgia, funded by a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Program, has focused on the removal of invasive plants like Chinese privet from sites like Lyon and Wilburn Farms. Click here if you’d like to volunteer.
Coyote
Although the coyote, Canis latrans, is native to North America, its presence in the Southeastern US is a newer phenomenon. Originating in the western states, coyotes migrated to the Southeast and began appearing frequently in the area in the 1970s. The exact reason for this migration and range expansion is unknown but contributing factors include the human-driven elimination of the red wolf, a native to the Southeast and an ecological rival of the coyote, and expanding development in the West. Coyotes are even frequently encountered in inner-city neighborhoods due to habitat destruction.
Coyotes are not considered dangerous and shouldn’t be feared, only respected like all wildlife. As always, please keep your dogs leashed. Learn more about Metro Atlanta’s coyotes and how to coexist with them via the Atlanta Coyote Project.
Feral Swine
Feral swine (pigs or hogs), Sus scrofa, are a widespread invasive, having been reported in each of Georgia’s 159 counties. These hogs are either escaped farm pigs or descendants of feral farm pigs that underwent a genetic transformation through “epigenetics,” which explains the ways suppressed genes and traits appear due to environmental change and trauma. Although more significant changes are apparent in the offspring of wild swine, a pig that was raised by humans and later went feral will go through rapid changes as well, such as growing tusks, more wiry hair, body shape change, and more aggressive behavior. These dramatic genetics are what has allowed feral pigs to become masters in survival and reproduction and led to a nationwide out-of-control population boom. These pigs are considered invasive as they can outcompete local wildlife and damage crops and natural growth due to foraging for roots.
While mostly nocturnal, feral pigs can be DANGEROUS. If you encounter them on a trail, especially if piglets are present, it is imperative to keep your distance and back away slowly. They may look cute, but they are heavy and powerful and are known to charge people when feeling threatened.
Learn more about the efforts to control feral swine populations via GeorgiaFeralSwine.com.
Japanese Honeysuckle
Also known as golden-and-silver honeysuckle, Lonicera japonica is an East Asia native which is invasive in the United States. It was brought to Long Island, New York as an ornamental in the early 1800s before escaping and spreading across the Eastern US. This plant grows as a vine and climbs trees and other plants, with the potential of strangling them. It blooms June through July with yellow and white flowers, which is where one of its common names comes from. Because it produces fruit, it benefits from seed dispersal by birds that consume its fruit, aiding in its spread. Japanese honeysuckle also has several native lookalikes that it is often confused with. When removing such plants, be careful not to cull similar looking natives instead.
Joro Spider
The joro spider, Trichonephila clavata, is a nonnative, potentially invasive species which emerges in summer through mid fall and spins its golden web in forested and urban areas. It first appeared around 2013 just northeast of Atlanta. It likely arrived to the region by accident via shipping containers. It has since spread across the Piedmont Region and now has growing populations in surrounding states. A native of East Asia, the Joro thrives in the Southeast due to similarities in climate between the two regions. There is currently debate among scientists and the citizenry on whether or not measures need to be taken to control the spider’s populations as its ecological impact is still unclear.
Check out this Field Note to learn more about the joro spider and attempts to control it.
Kudzu
Kudzu, which includes vines in the Pueraria genus, refer to an invasive vine from Asia. Although originally introduced in the 1870s as a Japanese ornamental, it was actively cultivated during the Dust Bowl and into WWII as a form of erosion control due to deforestation and over-farming. It has since taken over and become a staple of the Southern landscape. Across more than a dozen states, it hangs over trails and fences, along interstates and roadsides, covering trees, sometimes choking out whole forests. This aggressive vine deprives plants that it grows on of sunlight, able to grow an entire foot per day in the right conditions.
Although getting rid of the plant is extremely difficult, a unique form of control exists: Goats! A great alternative to pesticides, which can negatively impact surrounding vegetation, goats graze on kudzu and provide at least some relief from this overwhelming vine!
Nine-banded Armadillo
The nine-banded armadillo, Dasypus novemcinctus, is a unique example of a nonnative species that was not brought over by humans. The armadillo naturally migrated to North America from its origin in South America through range expansion, making its way through Central America and Mexico in the late 1800s. It now has established populations in the Eastern and Central US. Although considered a nuisance by some due to their digging and foraging behaviors with the potential to damage crops, the armadillos also provide a benefit to local environments through soil aeriation as a result of their digging, improving the soil’s overall health and quality.