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National Invasive Species Information Center
U.S. Department of Agriculture
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Community Action

Provides selected Community Action resources from agencies and organizations with an interest in the prevention, control, or eradication of invasive species.

Spotlights

  • Gone Fishing? Biologists Share How Anglers Can Support Healthy Native Fish Populations

    • Jun 15, 2022

    • USDA. Forest Service.

    • Late spring heralds the start of open water fishing season. For the casual angler, it's easy to take for granted the abundance of fish this time of year. However, many species, especially native fish, can use their help. "There are so many issues affecting the health of fish populations – barriers caused by dams and roads that cross streams fragment fish habitat. Water is diverted out of streams for other uses," said Tina Hopkins, the regional fisheries program manager for the Forest Service’s Intermountain Region. "But perhaps the biggest threat across the country is aquatic invasive species."

      Fisheries biologists from around the country have recommended a few ways that anglers, boaters and recreators can do their part to ensure healthy fish stocks for seasons to come. Here is their advice to recreators, in their words:

      • "Consult your lawbook, know the rules, and please don’t move fish around."
      • "It is extremely important that anglers clean their boats, trailers, waters, and gear when they are done fishing for the day."
      • "Every drainage is going to be different, so anglers should be informed about where they are fishing."

  • Help USDA Estimate Feral Swine Damage to U.S. Agriculture

    • Jul 22, 2022

    • USDA. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

    • USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), in coordination with the National Feral Swine Damage Management Program, is conducting a Feral Swine Survey. NASS mailed questionnaires to more than 11,000 producers growing corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, peanuts, and sorghum in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas during the last week of June 2022. If you or someone you know received a survey, please be sure to send in your responses by August 12, 2022. Use the Respondent Portal to complete surveys, track upcoming surveys, view data visualizations and reports, and more.

  • Help Stop the Spread of Aquatic Invasive Species in Wyoming

    • Mar 7, 2022

    • Wyoming Game & Fish Department.

    • The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is offering training for members of the public to become a certified Wyoming aquatic invasive species inspector. The free, day-long sessions are offered throughout the spring in statewide locations and are open to anyone interested in preventing the spread of AIS through watercraft inspection. The training includes information on basic biology of invasive species, the impacts of AIS, transport vectors and distribution of AIS. It includes classroom instruction, a question-and-answer session and a hands-on watercraft inspection exercise. Those who complete the class will be certified to inspect watercraft.

  • Smokies Nonprofit Invites Public to Participate in Smokies Most Wanted

    • Feb 26, 2022

    • Discover Life in America.

    • Discover Life in America, the nonprofit research partner of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is inviting the public to participate in its latest project, Smokies Most Wanted, an initiative that allows visitors to help conserve park species by recording sightings of animals, plants and other organisms from their smartphones. Powered by the nature app iNaturalist, Smokies Most Wanted encourages park visitors to document any organism they encounter while hiking, camping, or otherwise enjoying the park — from birds to wildflowers, insects to lichens. DLiA then uses the data collected through iNaturalist for a variety of functions, like recording new park species or detecting invasive ones, learning about under-studied or rare species, and mapping species across the park.

      For more information about the Smokies Most Wanted project, visit dlia.org/smokiesmostwanted — or browse the list of Smokies Most Wanted species at inaturalist.org/guides/9115.

  • State Seeking Volunteers to Help Monitor Vermont’s Lakes and Ponds

    • Aug 5, 2022

    • Vermont Agency of Natural Resources. Department of Environmental Conservation.

    • This summer, the Vermont Lakes and Ponds Program is seeking volunteers to help monitor and collect information about lakes and ponds in the state. With over 800 lakes and ponds, volunteers are key to the success of the program’s lake monitoring efforts. Volunteers can be found statewide greeting lake visitors, inspecting boats, collecting water samples, tracking algal or cyanobacteria blooms, reporting aquatic invasive species, and more. For general information, interested parties are welcome to visit the volunteer webpage.

  • Don't Pack a Pest

    • United States Department of Agriculture; DHS. Customs and Border Protection; Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; California Department of Food and Agriculture.

    • Don't Pack a Pest's goal is to educate travelers about the risks associated with carrying certain types of food, plants, or other agricultural items in passenger baggage and encouraging travelers to declare agricultural items and Don’t Pack a Pest. This inter-governmental program is working to safeguard food and agriculture in the U.S. and beyond.

  • Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers! - How You Can Help

    • Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force. Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers.

    • Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers is an ANS Task Force public awareness campaign intended to educate the public on aquatic nuisance species (ANS) and stop or reduce unintended spread of ANS to new habitat by recreational activities such as boating, fishing, swimming, waterfowl hunting, SCUBA diving or snorkeling, windsurfing, seaplane operations, personal watercraft use, and recreational bait harvesting. This campaign is supported by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the U.S. Coast Guard.

  • Wild Spotter - Mapping Invasives in America's Wild Places

    • University of Georgia. Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health; Wildlife Forever; USDA. Forest Service.

    • Wild Spotter is a nationwide effort to complete a comprehensive map and survey of prioritized invasive through on-the-ground activities accomplished by citizen science volunteers. Wild Spotter is a tool that allows the general public to report invasive species in their favorite places. Unlike, EDDMapS it is focused locally and focused on the non-traditional invasive species audiences. Widespread adoption and use of Wild Spotter is key to protecting our public lands.  Wild Spotter is part of EDDMapS, data is part of the EDDMapS database, and it uses the existing EDDMapS review and verification system. 

      You can help fight back against invasive species in America's wild places by downloading the free Wild Spotter Mobile App on your smartphone or other mobile devices. You'll learn how to identify, map, and prevent the spread of these invaders in order to protect our rivers, mountains, forests, and all wild places for future generations. Learn more by watching the Wild Spotter Introduction Video. To become a volunteer, register either online or download the Wild Spotter Mobile App. Once registered, reach out to your nearest National Forest or Grassland to discover how you can volunteer to help support and protect these beautiful places from invasive species. Then, just get outside and enjoy America's wild places while keeping an eye out for those harmful invaders!

All Resources

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Selected Resources

The section below contains highly relevant resources for this subject, organized by source.

Council or Task Force

  • California Invasive Plant Council - Responsible Landscaping

    • California Invasive Plant Council.

    • Provides information to educate the California horticultural community about invasive plants, including brochures offering landscaping alternatives for invasive plants still used as ornamentals, checklists to avoid invasive plants, planting guides, and other resources.

  • Play Your Part

    • Invasive Species Council of British Columbia.

    • Every one in British Columbia can play our part to stop the spread of invasive species and protect our province. By following these simple steps, we can each help protect British Columbia's biodiversity and economy. Familiarize yourself with the following best practices and tell your friends. Together, we can all play our part.

  • What Can I Do?

    • Georgia Invasive Species Task Force.

Partnership

  • Be Plant Wise

    • Great Britain Non-Native Species Secretariat.

    • The Be Plant Wise campaign, launched by Defra and the Scottish Government, is designed to raise awareness among gardeners, pond owners and retailers of the damage caused by invasive aquatic plants and to encourage the public to dispose of these plants correctly. We have developed resources with advice for gardeners and pond owners and are working closely with retailers of aquatic plants to provide information in stores. These pages contain the detailed information you need to Be Plant Wise.

  • Eyes in the Field: Citizen Scientists

    • TexasInvasives.org.

    • The Invaders of Texas Program is an innovative campaign whereby volunteer "citizen scientists" are trained to detect the arrival and dispersal of invasive species in their own local areas. That information is delivered into a statewide mapping database and to those who can do something about it. The premise is simple. The more trained eyes watching for invasive species, the better our chances of lessening or avoiding damage to our native landscape.

  • How You Can Help

    • Great Lakes Commission. Great Lakes Detector of Invasive Aquatics in Trade.

    • Provides information on action vendors and consumers can take to help prevent the spread of invasive species.

  • Montana Invasive Species - What Can I Do

    • Upper Columbia Conservation Commission; Montana Invasive Species Council.

    • To prevent and stop invasive species we need your help. You can take simple actions to help prevent the introduction and spread of noxious weeds and invasive species.

  • Oregon Invasive Species Online Hotline

    • Portland State University (Oregon).

Federal Government

  • Defending Favorite Places: How Hunters and Anglers Can Stop the Spread of Invasive Species

    • USDA. FS. Invasive Species Program.

    • The documentary video, Defending Favorite Places, was produced on DVD as part of the National Invasive Species Threat Campaign. Linking invasive species management principles with the hunting and angling conservation ethic is critical as invasive species threaten the future of hunting and fishing.

  • Invasive Species - Ways to Get Involved

    • DOI. Fish and Wildlife Service.

    • Welcome to the What You Can Do page of the USFWS Invasive Species Web Portal. Invasive species is a global problem and everyone can play a part in preventing the introduction and spread of invasive species. The goal of this section is to provide information for the general public, via USFWS content and links to existing information, on what they can do for invasive species prevention.

  • State Citrus Contacts

    • USDA. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

    • If you suspect citrus is being moved improperly, report your concerns to APHIS' Smuggling Interdiction and Trade Compliance toll-free hotline at (800) 877-3835.

  • Traveler Information

    • 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.

International Government

  • Mission Biosecurity

    • New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (Australia).

    • The departments of agriculture and primary industries across Australia have proudly partnered with Costa Georgiadis of Gardening Australia to develop a suite of interactive and digital resources which showcase the importance of biosecurity across Australia. Join us on Mission: Biosecurity. As you Watch, Play & Listen, you’ll discover what Biosecurity is, how it can impact our way of life and how we can all help protect our environment, community and economy from biosecurity baddies. ​ Biosecurity – Be a part of it!

State and Local Government

  • Florida Python Challenge

  • Amnesty Program

    • State of Hawaii. Plant Industry Division.

    • Hawaii restricts the import and possession of many animals due to the threat to the state’s unique environment and agriculture.  Many animals are not allowed as pets and some require permits. Animals such as snakes, large reptiles, wild predatory mammals, invasive bird species and non-native mammals are illegal in Hawaii.

      The state’s Amnesty Program allows the voluntary surrender of illegal animals. No penalties will be assessed if a person voluntarily turns in a prohibited species before an investigation is initiated. Animals may be dropped off at local humane societies, municipal zoos, or any Hawaii Department of Agriculture’s Plant Quarantine Office.
      See also: Importing Animals to Hawaii from the U.S. Mainland (includes information for restricted or prohibited animals)

  • Exotic Pet Amnesty Program

    • Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

    • The Exotic Pet Amnesty Program is an effort to reduce the number of nonnative species being released into the wild by pet owners who can no longer care for their pets or no longer wish to keep them. People can surrender exotic pets free of charge with no questions asked. Every attempt will be made to place all healthy animals with experienced exotic pet adopters.

  • Invasive Species of Idaho - What Can I Do?

    • Idaho State Department of Agriculture.

    • It is important to stop new outbreaks before they start. You can protect Idaho from invasive species by taking action. By the time an invader is readily noticeable and begins to cause damage, it is often too late, resulting in an expensive removal of the established invader. If we detect new outbreaks early and act quickly to control them, we can avoid many of the environmental and economic losses caused by invasive species.

  • Reduce Invasive Hitch-Hikers

    • Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

    • Do you hike? Boat? Or camp? Check out these fact sheets for tips to reduce the chance of spreading invasives when you recreate on DCNR lands and in your own backyard.

  • Statewide Eyes

    • 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.

Academic
Professional

  • Watch for Garlic Mustard Aphids

    • May 2022

    • Indiana Native Plant Society.

    • A European aphid that is only known to eat invasive garlic mustard has recently been found in the Midwest. If you see garlic mustard with curled leaves or aphids, help researchers studying this insect by sending in a report. Because the aphids may help control invasive garlic mustard plants, they are working with citizen scientists to map their distribution.

  • 10 Ways You Can Prevent the Spread of Invasive Species

    • Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay.

  • Play Clean Go: Stop Invasive Species in Your Tracks

    • North American Invasive Species Management Association.

    • The annual PlayCleanGo Awareness Week (June 3-10, 2023) will be held across North America. The goal of the campaign is to show outdoor enthusiasts how they can stop invasive plants and pests from spreading — while enjoying the great outdoors.

      PlayCleanGo is an education and outreach campaign for outdoor recreationalists in North America. The goal is to encourage outdoor recreation while protecting valuable natural resources. The objective is to slow or stop the spread of terrestrial invasive species (those that occur on land) through changes in public behavior. See how you can take action and stop invasive species in your tracks.
      See also: 2023 PlayCleanGo Awareness Week National Press Release [PDF, 63 KB]

  • Play Clean Go: Work.Clean.Go.

    • North American Invasive Species Management Association.

    • As a resource professional (construction, agriculture, horticulture/growers, road crews) you see firsthand what invasive species can do to the landscape, so it is important that you remain vigilant in your own prevention actions. You and the work that you do as an outdoor professional play a crucial role to the success of biodiversity and reducing the spread of invasive species. Learn how you can prevent the spread of invasive species.

  • The Great Chesapeake Invasives Count

    • Coastal Conservation Association Maryland.

    • Report your catch of invasive fish species (northern snakehead, blue catfish, flathead catfish) in the Chesapeake Watershed for a chance to win great prizes! The Great Chesapeake Invasives Count is an annual angling-based effort (April 1-October 31, 2023)  to provide important data to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, USFWS, and other management agencies on what you're seeing on the water. Information related to the number of fish you catch during a given time, as well as the length and weight of the fish you catch is important to fishery managers. It is also vital to investigate the feeding habits of invasive fish to help understand the short and long-term impacts that their existence may cause on native species. It is important that the public recognizes the impacts that these species can have on our natural ecosystems, and does not continue the spread of these fish.

      Monthly drawings for prizes are based on your catches reported. Every invasive you catch-photo-enter (via the iAngler app) earns you a chance of winning.