INVASIVE SPECIES:INVASIVE SPECIES:WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?

DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND NATURAL RESOURCESNATURAL RESOURCES

LARRY NELSONLARRY NELSON

Yellow Starthistle(Centaurea solstitialis L.)

Late 1800s

OUCH!!

9.9 Million ACRES in California

Mariposa Lily

Cheatgrass in the American WestCheatgrass in the American West((Bromus tectorumBromus tectorum))

• Covers 1/3 of Great Basin• Fire Frequency Before Cheatgrass: 60-70 Years• Fire Frequency with Cheatgrass: 3-5 Years

Negative Effects of InvasivesNegative Effects of Invasives

• Affect Growth of Natives

• Regeneration• Species Exclusion• Water Quality• Bio-Diversity

TOTAL COST:TOTAL COST:

$137 BILLION $137 BILLION PER YRPER YR

Hilly Coastal PlainHilly Coastal Plain

Appalac

hian M

ts.

Appalac

hian M

ts.

Piedm

ont

Piedm

ont

MCPMCP

LCPLCP

Hilly Coastal PlainHilly Coastal Plain

Low

er C

oast

al P

lain

Low

er C

oast

al P

lain

AlluvialAlluvialFloodplainFloodplain

Middle Coastal P

lain

Middle Coastal P

lain

Mile-a-minute WeedTree-of-heavenWinged Burning BushWintercreeperChinese SilvergrassEuropean privet

Tropical Soda AppleCogongrassAir Yam & Water YamJapanese Climbing Fern??? Subtropical Weeds

CogongrassTallowtreeJapanese privet

Japanese Honeysuckle

Chinese Privet

Kudzu Wisterias

Nonnative Roses Tall fescue Bamboos

Lespedezas Autumn Olive

Bush HoneysucklesGarlic MustardRussian OlivePaulownia Chinese Yam

Chinese PrivetChinese Privet

NRCS Website

Tallowtree or PopcorntreeTallowtree or Popcorntree

10% of Forests in East Texas Infested

Tropical Soda Tropical Soda AppleApple

Shrubby Lespedeza Shrubby Lespedeza (Bicolor)(Bicolor)

Chinese Chinese LespedezaLespedeza

Chinese WisteriaChinese WisteriaChinese PrivetChinese Privet

Value of American Agriculture: $195 Billion per Year......

Most Exotic Species are not invasive!!

Most Exotics are o.k.…..Most Exotics are o.k.…..

• On Average…….– If 1000 plants are

introduced……– 100 plants will escape

cultivation……– 10 plants will become

serious invaders…..

Miconia in Miconia in TahitiTahiti

Invasive Species….…..Invasive Species….…..

An invasive species is a species that has the potential to move from where it is, to where it does not occur, become established, and do significant harm to the invaded site…..

R. Eplee, 2003

Purple Loosestrife(Lythrum salicaria L.)

Late 1800s

Spreading at a rate of 115,000ha per year.........

Circular Cogongrass InfestationCircular Cogongrass Infestation

90ºW25ºN

35ºN

30ºN

Cogongrass Infestations Treated

Eradicated

Not Verified?

Invasive Plants of the Thirteen Invasive Plants of the Thirteen Southeastern StatesSoutheastern States

• TreesTrees• ShrubsShrubs• VinesVines• ForbsForbs• Aquatic ForbsAquatic Forbs• Grass/grasslikesGrass/grasslikes• FernsFerns

TOTALTOTAL

17 17 27 FL only27 FL only

34 34 1919

31 31 2121

130 130 1111

30 30 33

62 62 99

3 3 44

307 307 9494

All Land Use and Ownerships Impacted

• Forestry• Row-crop

Agriculture• Right-of-ways• Natural Areas &

Preserves• Pastures and

Range• Home owners

• Turfgrass Industry • Horticulture &

Nursery Industry• Aquatic Systems

& Aquaculture• Recreational

Industry (golf, sports fishing, etc.)

JURISDICTION FOR JURISDICTION FOR CONTROL MUST INCLUDE:CONTROL MUST INCLUDE:

FEDERALFEDERAL

STATESTATE

& PRIVATE LANDS& PRIVATE LANDS

Invasive Species ControlInvasive Species Control

WHO IS WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?RESPONSIBLE?

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?

• FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

• STATE

• COUNTY

• LOCAL AGENCY

• LANDOWNER

• INDUSTRY

Invasive Plant Management ProgramsInvasive Plant Management Programs

• PreventionPrevention

• Detection, Monitoring, and assessDetection, Monitoring, and assess

• Eradication, Control, and containEradication, Control, and contain

• Restore, Rehabilitate, or ReclaimRestore, Rehabilitate, or Reclaim

• Research and DevelopmentResearch and Development

• Education and ExtensionEducation and Extension

The Federal Response…….The Federal Response…….• 1994 - FICMNEW Established• 1995-1996 - Three National Weed

Summits• 1998 – Weed Fact Book Published• 1998 – National Weed Strategy

Published• 1999 – Executive Order #13112

Signed– National Invasive Species Council– National Invasive Species

Management Plan

FEDERAL RESPONSEFEDERAL RESPONSE

• FRAGMENTED APPROACH

• FOCUSED ON NATURAL RESOURCE-BASED INDUSTRIES

• INCREASED EFFORTS ON SURVEYS AND MAPPING

FEDERAL RESPONSE:FEDERAL RESPONSE:SOME SUCCESSESSOME SUCCESSES

• PLANT PROTECTION ACT OF 2000 REQUIRES PERMITS TO MOVE LISTED SPECIES ACROSS STATE LINES.

• MOST LISTED SPECIES ARE AGRIC. WEEDS.

• POLITICAL SUPPORT AND FUNDING ARE LIMITING FACTORS REGARDING PPA AND APHIS POLICY.

• DIRTY LIST APPROACH.

STATE STATUTESSTATE STATUTES

TYPE OF AUTHORITY

• NONE• NOTIFICATION &

ACTION• RELY ON LANDOWNER• BLANKET AUTHORITY• PUBLIC LANDS ONLY• LANDOWNER

RESPONSIBILITY

NUMBER OF STATES

NINE (MS, GA, NC)

TWENTY-SIX

NINE

FOUR (AL, LA, SC)

SIX (FL)

TWO (TX, AR)

ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMSENFORCEMENT MECHANISMSSTATE:ALABAMAARKANSASFLORIDAGEORGIAKENTUCKYLOUISIANAMISSISSIPPISOUTH CAROLINA TENNESSEETEXAS

PENALTY:IMPRISONMENTFINES, CIVIL PEN., MISD. FINES, MISD. FINES, MISD. FINES, MISD. NONECIVIL PEN., MISDFINE, CIV. PEN., IMP., MISCIVIL PEN., MISDMISD

EMERGENCY POWERSEMERGENCY POWERS

NINE STATES AUTHORIZE NINE STATES AUTHORIZE EMERGENCY POWERS RE EMERGENCY POWERS RE

INVASIVE PLANTS INVASIVE PLANTS SC IS THE ONLY STATE IN THE SESC IS THE ONLY STATE IN THE SE

STATES W/ RESTORATION STATES W/ RESTORATION AUTHORITYAUTHORITY

SEVEN STATES AUTHORIZE SEVEN STATES AUTHORIZE RESTORATION PROGRAMSRESTORATION PROGRAMS

FL, KY, TNFL, KY, TN

COORDINATIONCOORDINATION

• AS MANY AS THIRTY ENTITIES IN ANY GIVEN STATE MAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR DEALING WITH INVASIVE SPECIES

COORDINATION TOOLSCOORDINATION TOOLS

• STATEWIDE INVASIVE SPECIES COUNCILS (THIRTY-SIX STATES)

• STATEWIDE INVASIVE SPECIES PLANS (TEN + STATES)

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?

EVERYBODY!EVERYBODY!

ACRONYMSACRONYMS

• APHIS – Animal and Plant Health Inspection service

• CWA – Cooperative Weed Management Area

• EPPC – Exotic Pest Plant Council• FICMNEW – Federal Interagency

Committee for the Management of Noxious and Exotic Weeds

• PPA – Plant Protection Act