Many authors on the subject contend that while conservation is an important mission of botanical gardens, they also contribute to the problem by both importing exotic plants for public display and, in many cases, exporting these seeds and plants to other geographic areas. The two relatively new themes for gardens are the Conservation Aware Garden and the Strict Conservation Garden . Another component that must be considered in evaluating the invasive exotic plant problem is consumer demand. It is widely recognized that newly introduced species give gardeners exciting new options, but many do not understand that ecologically, this may pose a threat to the composition of the native environment. More educational efforts could be aimed at consumers so they can make wise planting decisions.
Urban sites are especially vulnerable to invasions.
Most planting environments in cities are disturbed. Soil compaction as well as poor composition, construction damage, heat island effects, and poor management practices give hardy introduced plants the advantage. Litigation may be inevitable in the future of this issue, although it seems unlikely that this will yield more desirable results. Current legislation is limited. Noxious weed laws exist, but relatively few plants are included.