Land managers, weed scientists, foresters, ecologists, and other conservationists are joining together to face this challenge in ways that help conserve native species and natural communities and protect environmental quality. An invasive plant infestation is like a slow motion explosion, which, if left unchecked, may severely alter a site's natural, economic, aesthetic, and other cultural values. Management of invasive species while maintaining these values can appear to be a complicated and unending task. For this reason, planning and prioritizing are crucial. By articulating clear goals, gathering the best available information, and prioritizing actions based on the significance of an infestation's impacts and feasibility of control, land managers can identify how their time, effort, and money can most effectively be applied.
Invasive species present a difficult challenge with no quick and easy solutions.
Many unknowns exist regarding control methods and their efficacy, in addition to limited budgets for managing invasive plants. Sometimes, the best course of action may be to do nothing. How You Can Help Use native plant species grown from local stock for conservation and landscaping purposes whenever possible. See our list of native plants for conservation, restoration, and landscaping. When using alien plants, avoid highly invasive species.