Comments about ‘USDA stops using beetles vs. invasive saltcedar’

Control of the invasive saltcedar would represent a positive change, in important regards even for the southwestern willow flycatcher, if that control can be achieved gradually over a span of years. If saltcedar is eliminated over time, willows and cottonwoods will repopulate many areas, and once more serve important ecological functions as they did before domination by the saltcedar, a troublesome Eurasian immigrant.

Cottonwoods and willows are the principal native woody species flycatchers would have used for nesting along the Colorado River prior to introduction and expansion of saltcedar. Who among us would not prefer southwestern willow flycatchers nesting in native willows and cottonwoods? Why defend a Eurasian immigrant with no legitimate ecological role here? It is conceivable that even southwestern willow flycatchers would prefer willows and cottonwoods for nesting (the birds evolved with willows and cottonwoods, after all, not saltcedar).

As long as saltcedar leaf beetles keep eating their sole plant host (saltcedar) the beetles are going to be good for the Colorado Plateau and for southwestern willow flycatchers nesting along the Colorado River, in general. If the Center for Biological Diversity has data which dispute the above-mentioned points, those data weren't mentioned in the article.