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Invasive species – non-native plants, animals, or pathogens that cause harm to natural areas – impact both our economy and the environment. Their environmental impacts can affect outdoor activities such as fishing, hiking and birding. You can help prevent these impacts by becoming a hero and joining the more than 90% of outdoor enthusiasts in Illinois who are already fighting the spread of invaders.

Provides best management practices (BMP) resources for specific species and also management resources (general information, planning tools, pesticides and additional resources).

Most natural resource managers are familiar with the concept of Best Management Practices or BMPs uses in forestry as guidelines for recommended practices to protect water and soil resources during management operations such as timber harvests. As invasive species threaten more lands in the South, land managers can use BMPs for invasive species by developing a proactive approach to invasive species identification, documentation and control on their properties. To accomplish this, landowners must develop an awareness of the potential for the introduction and/or spread of invasive species as related to "normal use or management on their lands".

Forest*A*Syst is funded by USDA Forest Service and Natural Resource Conservation Service and developed by the Center for Invasive Species & Ecosystem Health at the University of Georgia.

Prevent delays and reduce costs associated with transporting, buying, and selling boats. Aquatic invasive species, such as zebra and quagga mussels, pose a threat to the economy and natural resources of western states and provinces. In addition, fines and costly delays associated with transporting boats with aquatic invasive species can affect you and others in the recreational boating industry.
See also: Commercial Boat Haulers - Call Before You Haul

See also: Publications on Insect Pest Control

Provides invasive species news from the Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health (formerly the Bugwood Network) at the University of Georgia.

Initiative of the Western Regional Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species (WRP). The goal of the WRP initiative is to develop a multi-state vision for watercraft inspection and decontamination (WID) programs. The National Sea Grant Law Center is an active participant in this initiative, providing legal research support and leading efforts to develop model legislation and regulations for WID Programs.

Non-native invasive species, such as insect pests and weeds, have a huge impact on livelihoods, food production and biodiversity around the world. Classical biological control (CBC) by the introduction of exotic biological control agents from the area of origin of an introduced pest provides a sustainable and cost-effective control method that minimises the use of pesticides. It has been practised widely for more than 100 years, with many successes.

The National CAPS Committee will revise the National Pest Surveillance Guidelines when annually reviewing the policy, strategy, and performance of the CAPS program. The NCC also will approve annually a “Priority Pest List.” This list will include the Commodity and Taxonomic Survey Pests, as well as Pests of Economic and Environmental Importance (OPEP Prioritized List). The Priority Pest List will be based on input by PPQ, the States, Center for Plant Health Science and Technology (CPHST), National Identification Services (NIS), and commodity organizations.

See also: Pest Tracker - Box Tree Moth for more information

Center staff design and publish comprehensive mobile applications that engage users with invasive species, forest health, natural resource and agricultural management. Previous apps were designed for specific areas of the U.S. Two new apps are available for reporting invasive species throughout the U.S.:

• EDDMapS app  - the Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System app will allow invasive species reports to be submitted from a smartphone while outdoors. Anyone can report an invasive species sighting, submit photos, provide sighting details, and document a negative survey. In addition to its reporting function, the app contains information on the top invasive species including common names, scientific names, general descriptions, habitats, and reference photos to aid with identification.
• EDDMapS Pro app - designed for professionals; includes the ability to download offline map data if users are going to be in areas where internet coverage may not be available.

In 2003, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released the publication, Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Landscaping: Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Citizens, schools, non profit organizations, communities and government agencies used this resource to find the native plants that met their local conditions and interests in order to create landscapes to attract wildlife and reduce the amount of pollutants going into the Chesapeake Bay.

To reach more citizens and organizations, the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service envisioned an online version of the guide, the Native Plants Center Chesapeake Region. This expanded online guide includes a geo-locator feature to identify plants suited to your location, a searchable database of the native plants that meet your conditions, and (coming soon) an online network to interact with other Chesapeake Bay stewards.