Florida is a national and global hot spot for non-native, invasive species. Because researchers and land managers in Florida have been dealing with invasive species for decades, there is an abundance of resources available to the public regarding invasive species. Sometimes, the volume of available information can be confusing. There are five different primary lists of non-native plant species that are referenced in Florida: 1. The Federal Noxious Weed List, 2. The Florida Noxious Weed List, 3. The Florida Prohibited Aquatic Plant List, 4. The Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council (FLEPPC) Plant List, and 5. The UF/IFAS Assessment of Non-Native Plants. This document aims to inform the general public, land managers, researchers, local and state policy makers, and others who seek guidance in accessing regulatory and nonregulatory non-native plant lists in the state of Florida. This publication explains the origins of the lists, meaning of inclusion on a particular list, and ways to access each of the lists.
Florida
Spotlights
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University of Florida. Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension.
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Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Commissioners approved rule changes in Chapter 68-5, F.A.C., regarding nonnative species on February 21, 2019. The new rules will add high-risk nonnative animals to the Prohibited list and clarify rule language by defining key terms. The rules also include provisions for people currently in personal or commercial possession of these species. All rule changes will become effective on May 2, 2019. The 90-day grace period will begin on May 2, 2019 and end on July 31, 2019. Have questions? Contact us at NonnativeSpeciesRules@MyFWC.com, or see New Nonnative Species Rules for more information.
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Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.In an effort to keep unwanted exotic pets out of Florida's native habitats, 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.
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Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
On Jan 10, 2020, the Florida Python Challenge™ 2020 Python Bowl officially kicked off in South Florida with more than 550 people registered for the competition to remove as many pythons from the wild as possible. Native to Southeast Asia, pythons pose a significant threat to Florida’s native wildlife. Under the direction of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) have teamed up with the Miami Super Bowl Host Committee and other partners to support the Committee’s Ocean to Everglades (O2E) initiative, which features the Python Bowl. It’s not too late! People interested in taking part in the Florida Python Challenge™ 2020 Python Bowl can still register at FLPythonChallenge.org.
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University of Georgia. Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.
IveGot1 is more than just an app, it is an integrated invasive species reporting and outreach campaign for Florida that includes the app, a website with direct access to invasive species reporting and a hotline 1-888-IVEGOT1 for instant reports of live animals. By reporting sightings of invasive animals and plants, Florida agencies can better assess the extent of the infestations and hopefully eradicate new infestations before they become huge problems. The goal of IveGot1 is to make identification and reporting easy and efficient as possible.
State Specific Threats
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University of Georgia. Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.
Includes invasive species by category for insects, diseases, plants, and animals.
See also: Invasive Species Status Report by Congressional District -
DOI. USGS. Wetland and Aquatic Research Center.Provides fact sheets, maps and collection information for aquatic vertebrates and invertebrates occurring outside of their native range.
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USDA. APHIS. Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS). National Agricultural Pest Information System (NAPIS).Provides State pest detection contacts, recent state exotic pest news, links to state pest resources, and a list of state CAPS survey targets.
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USDA. NRCS. National Plant Data Center.See also: Includes also Federal Noxious Weed List and Federal and State Noxious Weeds -- Composite (summary of noxious status for all the listed plants in the U.S.)
Selected Resources
The section below contains highly relevant resources for this locaton, organized by source. Or, to display all related content view all resources for Florida.
Council or Task Force
Partnership
Federal Government
State and Local Government
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Florida Forest Service.
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Division of Plant Industry.
Academic
University of Florida. Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
University of Florida. Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.