To date our organization has protected more than 10.5 million acres in the 50 states and Canada, and has helped local partner organizations preserve millions of acres overseas. The Conservancy's conservation programs are characterized by sound science and strong partnerships with public and private landowners. We are dedicated to achieving tangible and lasting conservation results in all of the many locations at which we work. The harmful impacts of invasive weeds on the economy and the environment have been amply documented. Conservative estimates are that they exact a price of hundreds of millions of dollars each year in losses and control costs.
Invasive weeds raise crop production costs and cause post-harvest losses.
They clog U.S. waterways and impair the forage quality of rangelands for grazing. A growing area of our federal lands is now infested with invasive weeds, diminishing their natural resource, wilderness, and other values. Such invasive weeds listed as noxious under state and federal law represent only some of the invasive alien plants with which the Conservancy is concerned. Noxious weeds are also taking a great toll on our nation's biological heritage by displacing native species and sometimes even degrading fundamental aspects of ecosystems. The Conservancy's close connection with the land makes us acutely aware of the national scope and severity of this problem.