Open Borders, Encroaching Species

Quoting from an article first published in The Australian, Canada’s Globe and Mail underscores how pervasive --- and economically damaging --- invasive species have become worldwide:

Citing the appearance of a large colony of parakeets in Amsterdam, The Australian notes that "increased world trade has facilitated the movement of 'invasive alien species.' This biological globalization is recognized as a major threat to biodiversity, second only to habitat destruction . . . Annie Simpson of Global Invasive Species Information Network, says scientists estimate that up to 5 per cent of the world's gross domestic product is being destroyed as a result of foreign pests and other invasive species."

Posted by Jim Langcuster at January 31, 2006 05:54 PM | TrackBack