By: Courtney Thrams

 An Invasive Species is an alien species whose introduction causes or is likely to cause harm to the economy, environment, or human health.

 Canada Thistle  Diffuse Knapweed  Downy Brome  Eastern Red Cedar  Japanese Honeysuckle  Japanese Knotweed  Kudzu  Leafy Spurge  Multiflora Rose  Musk Thistle  Plumeless Thistle  Purple Loosestrife  Russian Olive  Salt Cedar  Scotch Cotton Thistle  Spotted Knapweed  Tree of Heaven  Yellowstar Thistle

 Wetlands, Sand Dunes, Fire Prone Areas and Serpentine Barrens.  Disturbed Sites  Foot Traffic.

 Aggressive  Hard to Control Naturally  Rapid Growth  Reduces Biodiversity

 Accidental Spread  Gardeners  Horticultural Attributes

 Pueraria Montana  Found in Nebraska south of Nebraska City.  Commonly found in the South, but has adapted to colder climates in Northern parts of the United States.  Can overgrow on trees, houses, and even cars.

 Virtually Un-killable  Has deep root systems  Produces flowers  Does not spread by seed  In the worst cases, plants such as Kudzu can ruthlessly choke out other plant life.

IF YOU SEE IT, REMOVE IT:MANAGE WISELY:  Pull the seedlings after identification.  Some seedlings when matured can be hard to remove, therefore pull immediately.  Some types of plants are hard to completely remove, therefore you should contact Nebraska Department of Agriculture so they can manage and control the spread.

 Classes and presentations  Media Pages  NISAW

 According to experts with the Weed Science Society of America, it's a topic that deserves our attention. Non-native plants, animals and pathogens can harm humans and the environment and impact our nation's economy. The damage done by invasive plants alone costs the U.S. an estimated $34.7 billion a year.  Invasive weeds can produce skin irritation, trigger allergies and poison pets and livestock. They can clog waterways, kill native trees, and shade out crops, ornamentals and prized native flora. They are found in every imaginable habitat, including oceans, lakes, streams, wetlands, croplands, rangelands, natural areas, parks, forests, urban environments, yards and gardens.

 Learn about invasive species, especially those found in your region through your county extension office.  Clean hiking boots, waders, boats and trailers, off-road vehicles and other gear to stop invasive species from hitching a ride to a new location.  Volunteer to help remove invasive species from public lands and natural areas.  Use forage, hay, mulch and soil that are certified as "weed free.“  Plant only non-invasive plants in your garden, and remove any known invaders.  Report new or expanded invasive species outbreaks to authorities.  Ask your political representatives at the state, local and national level to support invasive species control efforts.

 As seen throughout this slide, invasive plants such as Kudzu can completely kill and overrun acres upon acres of land.  Without the spread of awareness and prevention, almost the entire plant population could disappear.  These plants are not just harmful to other plant habitats, but also to humans and animals as well.  A world where invasive species are controlled is a healthy world for all.

 Invasive Species of Nebraska. (n.d.). Retrieved December 8, 2014, from  National Invasive Species Awareness Week. (n.d.). Retrieved December 8, 2014, from  Headlines. (n.d.). Retrieved December 8, 2014, from  Invasive Species: The Threat of Kudzu | The Nature Conservancy. (n.d.). Retrieved December 8, 2014, from ests/explore/kudzu.xml