One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
Fighting invasive ants on Santa Cruz Island
Head to Santa Cruz Island and get on a kayak to explore nature and the region's history.
(
Megan Larson
/
LAist
)
Topline:
Invasive Argentine ants have plagued Santa Cruz Island for more than six decades displacing native species there. The Nature Conservancy – which manages a sizable chunk of the island – is slated to receive nearly $815,000 from the federal government to help eradicate the ants.
Why now: The allocation is just a small piece of a nearly $3 million dollar federal investment in programs focused on combating invasive species. It was made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The backstory: Using a mixture of sugar and insecticide, Argentine ant populations have been reduced from more than 1,000 acres to fewer than 100 in less than a decade, according to Nick Holmes with The Nature Conservancy.
What's next: They'll continue to kill off the remaining ants and monitor the island to ensure they're not reestablishing themselves. Once given the space, native ant populations should reestablish.
More good news: The Santa Cruz Island fox has been making a steady comeback from the brink of extinction.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
