INVASIVE SPECIES: WHO IS RESPONSIBLE? DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND NATURAL RESOURCES LARRY NELSON

9.9 Million ACRES in California

Cheatgrass in the American West (Bromus tectorum) Covers 1/3 of Great Basin Fire Frequency Before Cheatgrass: Years Fire Frequency with Cheatgrass: 3-5 Years

Negative Effects of Invasives Affect Growth of Natives Regeneration Species Exclusion Water Quality Bio-Diversity

TOTAL COST: $137 BILLION PER YR

Hilly Coastal Plain Appalachian Mts. Piedmont MCP LCP Hilly Coastal Plain Lower Coastal Plain Alluvial Floodplain Middle Coastal Plain Mile-a-minute Weed Tree-of-heaven Winged Burning Bush Wintercreeper Chinese Silvergrass European privet Tropical Soda Apple Cogongrass Air Yam & Water Yam Japanese Climbing Fern ??? Subtropical Weeds Cogongrass Tallowtree Japanese privet Japanese Honeysuckle Chinese Privet KudzuWisterias Nonnative Roses Tall fescue Bamboos Lespedezas Autumn Olive Bush Honeysuckles Garlic Mustard Russian Olive Paulownia Chinese Yam

Chinese Privet

NRCS Website

Tallowtree or Popcorntree 10% of Forests in East Texas Infested

Tropical Soda Apple

Shrubby Lespedeza (Bicolor)

Chinese Lespedeza Chinese Wisteria Chinese Privet

Most Exotic Species are not invasive!!

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 Tahiti

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

Circular Cogongrass Infestation

90ºW 25ºN 35ºN 30ºN Cogongrass Infestations Treated Eradicated Not Verified ?

Invasive Plants of the Thirteen Southeastern States TreesTrees ShrubsShrubs VinesVines ForbsForbs Aquatic ForbsAquatic Forbs Grass/grasslikesGrass/grasslikes FernsFerns TOTAL TOTAL FL only FL only

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 CONTROL MUST INCLUDE: FEDERALSTATE & PRIVATE LANDS

Invasive Species Control WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT STATE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY LANDOWNER INDUSTRY

Invasive Plant Management Programs Prevention Prevention Detection, Monitoring, and assess Detection, Monitoring, and assess Eradication, Control, and contain Eradication, Control, and contain Restore, Rehabilitate, or Reclaim Restore, Rehabilitate, or Reclaim Research and Development Research and Development Education and Extension Education and Extension

The Federal Response…… FICMNEW Established 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 RESPONSE FRAGMENTED APPROACH FOCUSED ON NATURAL RESOURCE-BASED INDUSTRIES INCREASED EFFORTS ON SURVEYS AND MAPPING

FEDERAL RESPONSE: SOME 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 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 MECHANISMS STATE: ALABAMA ARKANSAS FLORIDA GEORGIA KENTUCKY LOUISIANA MISSISSIPPI SOUTH CAROLINA TENNESSEE TEXAS PENALTY: IMPRISONMENT FINES, CIVIL PEN., MISD. FINES, MISD. NONE CIVIL PEN., MISD FINE, CIV. PEN., IMP., MIS CIVIL PEN., MISD MISD

EMERGENCY POWERS NINE STATES AUTHORIZE EMERGENCY POWERS RE INVASIVE PLANTS SC IS THE ONLY STATE IN THE SE

STATES W/ RESTORATION AUTHORITY SEVEN STATES AUTHORIZE RESTORATION PROGRAMS FL, KY, TN

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

COORDINATION TOOLS STATEWIDE INVASIVE SPECIES COUNCILS (THIRTY-SIX STATES) STATEWIDE INVASIVE SPECIES PLANS (TEN + STATES)

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE? EVERYBODY!

ACRONYMS 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