A healthy ecosystem requires a balance of plants, insects, herbivores (plant-eating animals), and carnivores (meat-eating animals) which have evolved together in a system that works with the local environment. Non-native species often throw off the balance by out-eating, out-breeding, or otherwise competing with local species, and the loss of those local plants and animals is a serious threat to global biodiversity. Biologically speaking, Louisiana's Gulf Coast is positioned on the edge of the subtropical community. It is also part of the Mississippi River Flyway and home to over 400 species of plants and 200 species of birds. Louisiana's wetlands sustain some of the most productive fisheries and waterfowl populations on the planet. Invasive species and their control cost millions of dollars to land managers---and taxpayers and consumers---around the world. At Jean Lafitte, invasive species are not only costly but also a daily threat to the area's native biological richness and to human uses of those riches. By learning about the impact of invasive species, we can also learn about the importance of the species native to the area and appreciate all the riches that south Louisiana holds.