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We have seen the future, and the future uses YouTube and social media to get youth engaged in the fight against invasive species, creating a love of learning about science and having fun doing it.
Commander Ben, aka Benjamin Shrader, is the author of a WordPress blog and recipient of an Outstanding Citizen Scientist award at the Texas Invasive Plant & Pest Conference held in Port Aransas last February. The Native Plant Society of Texas was one of the sponsors of the conference.
Will he inspire schoolchildren to turn back the tide of invasive plant species so we won’t have to say “Hello Rapistrum rugosum, Goodbye bluebonnets”? Follow his blog and eventually the answer will be known.
If any one person could be called the face of the future for the battle against invasive plants and for the preservation and conservation of native plants, “Commander Ben” is that person. Young, energetic, with a positive outlook on life and a sincere gratitude for the support and mentoring he has received, Benjamin expresses himself through videos on YouTube and through his blog. Nearing the end of his first year in high school (“High school is hard” he admits) we can certainly hope that he is successful in his efforts to eradicate Arundo donax from native plant habitat areas of Texas.
One thing you can be sure of, win or lose—he will have fun getting it done.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=2I_i0KrEwAA%3F
Texas Invasive Plant & Pest Council is a partnership of state and federal agencies, conservation groups, industry, academia, and other stakeholders, both public and private, who share the goal of protecting Texas from the threat of invasive species. Their professional conference is held every other year. A listing of the 2014 conference postings, including a recap from Commander Ben himself, is located on the Texas Invasive website under the Professionals page.
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**ARCHIVED POST AUTHOR: rkamper
