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**Invasive Plants. Coming to America.**

**Overview of the FICMNEW National Early Detection and Rapid Response
System for Invasive Plants.**

January 26, 2004

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**Overview of the Issue.**

Throughout history, as people colonized the Earth, they carried their
cultivated plants and domesticated animals along with them. Since the
advent of European colonization, about 50,000 taxa of plants and animals
(species, varieties, and hybrids) have been introduced to the United
States. While the vast majority of these species are well behaved and
provide immense benefits to human society, a small percentage of them
have escaped from cultivation and are causing serious threats to crop
production and/or natural ecosystems. To date, about 4,200 species of
introduced plants, or about 8.4% of total introductions, have escaped
from cultivation and established free living populations with the
country. Recently, researchers at Cornell University estimated that
costs of exotic invasive species to the American economy to be about
\$138 billion per year. Of this total, costs and losses due to invasive
plants are now estimated to be over \$30 billion per year. Unlike
chemical pollutants, which can be eliminated from usage and will
eventually break down in the environment, invasive species can reproduce
and spread, causing ever increasing problems. Since there is so little
awareness of this issue, it will take a large, and concerted effort to
develop public support to effectively address this growing environmental
threat. Clearly, land owners and managers, as well as gardeners who have
a strong connection to the land, and understand the importance wild
lands, can provide a major leadership role as we grapple with this
'silent -- invisible invasion'.

**Early Warning and Rapid Response to new Plant Invaders.** To minimize
the establishment and spread of new invasive plants in the United
States, the **Federal Interagency Committee for the Management of
Noxious and Exotic Weeds** (FICMNEW), is leading a national effort to
develop and implement a **National Early Detection and Rapid Response
System for Invasive Plants** in the United States. The primary long term
goals of the proposed system are to **detect**, **report**, and
**identify suspected new plants** with free living populations in the
United States. Confirmed new state and national records would be
**rapidly assessed** to determine their potential threat to various
habitats and environments, and to determine appropriate **rapid response
actions** for eradication or management of the species.

![](media/image2.jpeg){width="3.0208333333333335in"
height="2.2708333333333335in"}**Giant Salvinia, a devastating new
aquatic weed in wetlands of Pender County, N.C.**

**System Overview.** The overall purpose of developing a National Early
Detection and Rapid Response System is to provide a coordinated
framework of public and private partners at the local, state, regional,
and national levels to more effectively address new invasive plants
through:

-   Early detection and reporting of suspected new plants to appropriate
    officials

-   Identification and vouchering of submitted specimens by designated
    botanists

-   Verification of suspected new state, regional, and national plant
    records

-   Archival of new records in designated regional and plant databases

-   Rapid assessment of confirmed new records

-   Rapid response to new records that are determined to be invasive.

Once fully implemented across the United States, the proposed early
detection and rapid response system would provide an important second
line of defense against invasive plants that complements Federal efforts
to prevent unwanted introductions at the ports of entry. With both
prevention and early warning systems in place, the nation would be
better able to defend against future economic and environmental losses
due to "plants out of place".

Biological Protection -- a New Land Conservation Ethic for the 21^st^
Century. In the second half of the 20^th^ century, enormous strides were
made in establishing an environmental protection programs for preventing
wildfires (Smokey Bear), chemical pollution, littering (EPA, Woodsy
Owl), and to promote recycling. As we enter the 21^st^ century, the
silent biological explosion that is being caused by the movement of
invasive plants far beyond their native ranges will require a comparable
effort in order to protect agriculture and biodiversity. Although
increased efforts through prescreening of imported plants, border
inspections, early detection and rapid response, and long term
management, will provide added protection against biological invasions,
it is critically important to have public understanding and cooperation
in minimizing the introduction, establishment, and spread of invasive
plants.

The Role of Land Managers and the Public in Addressing Biological
Pollution. Land managers and the public can greatly assist in the
national effort to prevent the introduction and spread of exotic
invasive plants. Here's how.

1.  Use native or non-invasive exotic plants for landscaping.

2.  Eradicate and prevent the spread of new invasive plants when
    possible.

3.  Volunteer to help remove exotics from area parks and public lands.

4.  Help increase awareness and understanding of the invasive species
    problems.

5.  Report unknown new plants to local and state officials.

U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Resources Discipline

233 Border Belt Drive , Whiteville, NC 28472

Phone: 910-648-6762 E-Mail: <rwestbrooks@usgs.gov>