The Consortium has proposed three distinct but interacting tasks that are all collaborative arrangements between differing governmental, non-profit and private groups. Each Task has been defined in detail and major collaborators have been listed in the section on Key Personnel. The Project PIs will oversee the operations of all aspects of the program, with Dr. Carruthers serving as the Lead PI. Drs. Carruthers and DAntonio will manage Task 1 (Improved benefits/ risk assessment for biological control); the lead team members of each detailed research team (Carruthers, Kazmer and Knutson) will organize and interface the studies conducted within and between the three intensive research sites of Task 2 (Experimental Studies), and Dr. DeLoach will oversee the coordination of the Extensive Monitoring Program for Saltcedar Biological Control (Task 3). The entire program will be coordinated by USDA-ARS in cooperation with the Consortium Co-coordinators and the Consortium Ad-hod Management Committee. We anticipate excellent cooperation from all involved groups and look forward to working with USDA-CSREES and other in conducting a successful research, development and training activity.

Key Personnel (and their project responsibilities)
* designates project PI

Task 1: Benefit/Risk Assessment
Program Coordinators and Core-team Leaders
Ray Carruthers*, USDA-ARS, Albany, CA
Carla DAntonio*, University of California, Berkeley, CA
Economics Research and Core-team Participant
Karen Klonsky*, University of California, Davis, CA

Risk Assessment Methodology Research and Core-team Participant
Alwynelle Ahl, ORACBA and Tuskeegee University, Washington, DC

Environmental Core-team Participants
John Randall, The Nature Conservancy, Davis, CA
Svata Louda, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE
Scott Stenquist, USDI, Fish and Wildlife Service, Portland, OR
Peter McEvoy, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR

Entomology/ Pathology Core-team Participants
Lloyd Wendel, USDA-APHIS, Mission, TX
Julie Gould, USDA-APHIS, Phoenix, AZ
Mike Oraze, USDA-APHIS, Riverdale, MD
Ernest Delfosse, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD
Charudattan, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Dale Woods, Calif. Department of Food and Agriculture, Sacramento, CA

Task 2: Experimental Studies
California
Ray Carruthers*, USDA-ARS, Albany, CA, Population ecology, biocontrol
Tom Dudley*, University of California, Berkeley, CA, Community ecology
Mike Pitcairn, Calif. Dept. of Food and Agriculture, Sacramento, CA, biocontrol, entomology, invasive species management
Dave Spencer*, USDA-ARS, Davis, CA, plant ecology, plant growth modeling
Joe Di Tomaso, University of California, Davis, CA, Extension weed control
Don Dahlsten, University of California, Berkeley, CA, wildlife, biocontrol

Colorado/Wyoming
David Kazmer*, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, insect ecology, Predation, molecular genetics
Debra Eberts, USDI, Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, CO, invasive species management, insect/ plant interactions, biocontrol
Sarah Wynn, USDI, Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, CO, community ecology, re-vegetation biology, delivery systems
Gary Anderson, USDA-ARS, Sidney, MT, plant ecology, remote sensing

Texas/New Mexico
Dave Thompson, New Mexico State University, Las Cruses, NM, biocontrol, insect ecology
Jack DeLoach*, USDA-ARS. Temple, TX, biocontrol, entomology, riparian biology
Allen Knutson*, Texas A&M University, Dallas, TX, Extension entomology, biocontrol, pest management
Lloyd Wendel, USDA-APHIS, Mission, TX, biocontrol implementation, insect/ plant interactions
Greg Fenchel, USDA-NRCS, Los Lunas, NM, plant ecology, re-vegetation specialist
Jim Evertt, USDA-ARS, Weslaco, TX, remote sensing, plant community assessment

Task 3: Implementation Program and Monitoring
DeLoach
California
Ray Carruthers*, USDA-ARS, Albany, CA, insect monitoring
Tom Dudley, University of California, Berkeley, CA, plant monitoring
Don Dahlsten, University of California, Berkeley, CA, wildlife monitoring

Nevada
Jeff Knight, Nevada Dept. of Agriculture, Reno, NV, insect monitoring
Jim Young, USDA-ARS, Reno, NV, plant monitoring
Bill Longland, USDA-ARS, Reno, NV, wildlife monitoring

Utah
Greg Abbott, USDA-APHIS, Richfield, UT, insect and plant monitoring
Pat Fosse, USDI, Bureau of Land Management, Filmore, UT, wildlife monitoring

Texas
Allen Knutson*, Texas A&M University, Dallas, TX, insect monitoring
Jack DeLoach*, USDA-ARS, Temple, TX, wildlife monitoring
Lloyd Wendel, USDA-APHIS, Mission, TX, plant monitoring

Colorado
Debra Eberts, Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, CO, insect monitoring
Sarah Wynn, Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, CO, plant and wildlife monitoring

Wyoming
David Kazmer*, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, insect monitoring
Allen Pomeroy, Big Horn County Weed Specialists, MT, plant monitoring
Gary Adams, USDA-APHIS, Billings, MT, wildlife monitoring