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Invasive Species Resources
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Humans adores trees. But humans also migrate and trade, habits that led to the accidental introduction of insects and diseases that harm trees and alter the landscape. Examples are easy to find and may be outside your front door: American elms that once dotted streets across America succumbed to Dutch elm disease. Now all colors of ash species – black, green, white, pumpkin, and blue – are threatened by emerald ash borer. The already uncommon butternut tree, also known as white walnut, faces the possibility of extinction from a mysterious attacker. Many invasive insects and fungi come from regions where native trees have evolved to resist their attacks. When these species enter the United States, they find trees that lack this resistance. There's no immediate end to this dismal pipeline, but there is hope on the horizon.
DOC. NOAA. National Marine Fisheries Service. West Coast Region.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Now is the time to register for the 2020 Lionfish Challenge! The Lionfish Challenge is an incentive program that rewards harvesters for their lionfish removals. With a tiered system, everybody can be a winner. The participant who harvests the most lionfish will be crowned the Lionfish King/Queen. The Challenge is open now and will run through November 1. You can register for the 2020 Lionfish Challenge and find more information at FWCReefRangers.com/Lionfish-Challenge. Questions regarding the challenge can be sent to Lionfish@MyFWC.com.
Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection.
The Emerald ash borer was first found in Connecticut during the week of July 16, 2012. Since that first find in Prospect, EAB has been found in many other parts of the state, particularly in towns in central and western Connecticut. DEEP, the CT Agricultural Experiment Station, USDA APHIS PPQ and the U.S. Forest Service are working together with local partners to slow the spread of the insect and to take steps to minimize its impact. This will be a long-term effort on the part of all involved.
King County Department of Natural Resources (Washington). Water and Land Resources Division.
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center.
Are you a crabber, waterman, or concerned citizen? We need your help to detect and assess the status of Chinese Mitten Crabs. The "Mitten Crab Watch" website provides information on the invasion of the mitten crab and allows users to more easily report catches.
Please help us detect live mitten crabs by reporting any sighting in North America. We are especially interested in collecting sightings from the Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Bay, Hudson River, and San Francisco Bay --- where the crab has been common in the past. Please visit the Mitten Crab Watch website to learn more about the crab and to report sightings.
Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
Do you hike, ride, bird, camp, fish, or otherwise recreate in state parks, forests or wildlands? Lend YOUR eyes to help Maryland's biodiversity! The Maryland Natural Heritage Program designed Statewide Eyes to allow volunteers and researchers alike to collect more information about invasive plants on state lands quickly. Volunteers (like you!) use a free mobile application called the Mid-Atlantic Early Detection Network (MAEDN) to identify, photograph and map the location of invasive plants, focusing on ecologically significant sites.
USDA. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
This site can help you determine what items can be brought into the U.S. Bringing food and other items back from your travels could impact the health and safety of American agriculture and natural resources. For example, travelers cannot bring in most fresh fruits and vegetables because they can carry plant pests or diseases. Just one pest could devastate multiple agricultural industries.
Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office. Washington Invasive Species Council.
Washington Pest Watch is a citizen science initiative led by agencies and universities at the front line in protecting our state’s natural resources and economy from invasive species. You don't have to be an entomologist or biologist to participate in the network; the majority of network members are everyday people who keep their eyes peeled for the signs and symptoms of high priority invasive species and report them to agencies to aid in detections and rapid response. Just keep an eye out in your yard, your neighborhood, or when enjoying outdoor activities. Be aware and report what you spot—it’s simple and easy.