The Federal Interagency Committee for the Management of Noxious and Exotic Weeds (FICMNEW) represents an unprecedented formal partnership between 18 federal agencies with direct invasive plant management and regulatory responsibilities spanning across the United States and territories. FICMNEW was established through a Memorandum of Understanding signed by agency leadership in 1994 and 1997. It is currently co-chaired by USDA-NRCS (Christine Taliga) and DOI BOR (Heidi McMaster). See a printable flyer and learn more about FICMNEW Factsheet [PDF, 657 KB].
During quarterly open meetings, FICMNEW members interact on important national and regional invasive plant issues and share information with various public and private organizations participating with the federal sector to address invasive plant issues.
FICMNEW's charter directs the committee to coordinate, through the respective Secretaries, Assistant Secretaries, and Agency heads, information regarding the identification and extent of invasive plants in the U.S. and to coordinate federal agency management of these species. FICMNEW accomplishes these portions of its charter by developing and sharing scientific and technical information, fostering collaborative efforts among federal agencies, providing recommendations for national and regional level management of invasive plants, and sponsoring technical/educational conferences and workshops concerning invasive plants.
FICMNEW continues to bridge the gap between federal agency invasive plant management and science activities and has been a driving force behind the national emphasis against the broader invasive species threat.
Read the Proceedings of the 2025 North American Invasive Species Forum [PDF, 727 KB].
FICMNEW Public Meeting Panel Discussion featuring Island Invasive Species and Biosecurity Concerns.
- Date/Time: September 24, 2026, 1pm (Eastern Standard Time)
- Topic: "Invasive species relative to Island communities and associated biosecurity considerations."
- Featured speakers: Phillip Andreozzi, USDA APHIS; Christy Martin, Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species (CGAPS); Vanitha Sivarajan, DOI; Seth Tinkham, DOI.
Phillip Andreozzi is the USDA Invasive Species Coordinator. In this role he facilitates collaboration on invasive species issues among eight USDA agencies, serves as USDA Senior Advisor to the National Invasive Species Council (NISC), and represents the Department at various other collaborative invasive species efforts. Phil has worked on invasive species in the Pacific for over 20 years.
For our panel presentation, Phil will introduce the topic of invasive species relative to island communities and associated biosecurity efforts.
Christy Martin has worked on terrestrial and marine invasive species issues in Hawai‘i and the Pacific region for more than 25 years. She is the Program Manager & Information Officer for the Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species (CGAPS), a partnership of agencies and organizations working to protect Hawaii from the impacts of invasive species. Christy has also served on the U.S. Invasive Species Advisory Committee, which provides information and advice for consideration to the National Invasive Species Council.
Presentation: Bellwethers and Opportunities: Invasive Species on Islands - Islands are not just places where invasive species are a problem—they are places where the consequences of invasion are magnified. Invasive species on islands may be a bellwether for continental systems, and yet islands also offer opportunities to improve biosecurity across the entire U.S. This talk draws from white papers produced by the Invasive Species Advisory Committee from 2023-2025.
Seth Tinkham is the National Coordinator for Emergency Support Function 11, Natural and Cultural Resources at the Department of the Interior, assisting states and tribes with disaster response needs. Previously, he led the Save America’s Treasures and Emergency Supplemental Historic Preservation Fund grant programs at the National Park Service. Before this, he was a park guide at an unusual park – the White House. His affinity for ugly concrete buildings was somehow turned into a master’s thesis or two and later contract with the National Trust for Historic Preservation on engaging communities with modern architecture.
Presentation: Supporting States Tribes During Disasters - An overview of the Department of the Interior’s role in supporting states, tribes, and communities during disasters, focusing on emergency response and long-term recovery for natural and cultural resources. Highlighting the functions of Emergency Support Function 11 (ESF-11) and the Natural and Cultural Resources Recovery Support Function (NCR RSF), it explains how federal experts collaborate across agencies to assess damages, deliver technical assistance, and help communities preserve, conserve, and restore their heritage and environment after major disaster events. Real-world examples, such as the Maui wildfire response, illustrate the impact of interagency teams and the importance of capacity-building, partnership development, and hands-on recovery efforts.
Vanitha Sivarajan is an Ecologist with the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs (OIA), where she supports biosecurity, invasive species, and natural resource initiatives across the U.S. territories and freely associated states. She co-leads the Interagency Group on Insular Areas (IGIA) Biosecurity Working Group and works closely with territorial and federal partners to strengthen regional coordination and biosecurity capacity. She has played a leading role in developing OIA-supported territorial biosecurity forums, including the American Samoa Biosecurity Forum, helping translate locally identified needs into technical sessions, training, exercises, subject matter expert engagement, and actionable next steps.
Presentation: From Gaps to Action: Strengthening Biosecurity Across the U.S. Territories - The U.S. territories face significant biosecurity challenges associated with invasive species, geographic isolation, limited capacity, and the movement of people and goods across island borders. In response to priorities identified by the territories, the Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs is supporting a series of territory-led biosecurity forums that bring together territorial, federal, regional, and technical partners to identify gaps, strengthen coordination, build local capacity, and develop actionable priorities. This talk will share lessons emerging from past forums in Guam and the CNMI and the development of the upcoming American Samoa Biosecurity Forum. American Samoa provides a current case study in moving from identified capacity and coordination gaps toward a more integrated biosecurity framework spanning prevention, terrestrial and marine biosecurity, policy and governance, and emergency preparedness. Together, these efforts highlight opportunities to strengthen biosecurity capacity and collaboration across the U.S. territories.
The next FICMNEW public meeting will be April 22nd, 2027 at 1pm, featuring the National Invasive Species Council (NISC) staff sharing information about their 2027 workplan.