Sharon GrossU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

The U.S. Invasive Species Management Plan

Federal Efforts

Letter from 500 scientists and land managers inspired Executive Order (EO) to improve coordination among 23 Federal agencies in 11 different federal departments with responsibilities relating to IAS.

EO established Council and called for National Invasive Species Management Plan.

Goal: To develop federally-coordinated plan to reduceintroduction and spread of invasive species.

Green Crab

National Invasive Species Council

Established to ensure that Federal agency activities are coordinated, complementary, cost-efficient and effective.

Council’s co-chairs: Interior, Agriculture and Commerce.

Other members: DOT, DOD, Treasury, State, EPA, HHS,

USAID and DHS.

Salt Cedar

Executive Order 13112

Issued in February of 1999

Invasive Species Advisory Committee

Established under FACA to provide information and stakeholder input for consideration by the Council.

Represents a balance of non-Federal expertise, geographic representation, and stakeholder interests.

The Executive Order directs the Council to:

1) provide leadership and oversight on IAS issues.

2) promote action at local, State, tribal and ecosystem levels.

3) recommend measures to enhance international cooperation.

4) develop a web-based information network on IAS.

5) develop NEPA guidance related to IAS.

6) draft and update a National Invasive Species Management Plan every

two years.

Zebra Mussels

MANAGEMENT PLAN (approved Jan. 18, 2001)

Blueprint for coordinated action in areas of:• Coordination and Leadership• Prevention• Early Detection and Rapid Response• Control• International Cooperation• Research• Information Management• Education and Outreach

Actions:

  Develop a crosscut budget for invasive species programs to

highlight cooperative efforts and for use as a planning tool

Adopt oversight mechanism and dispute resolution process

Prepare annual progress report on Plan implementation

Hydrilla

Key Areas Addressed in Plan and Recommended Actions

Coordination and Leadership: More than 20 Federal agencies share responsibility and authority over some facet of IS management, along with all 50 states and territories.

Prevention: The first line of defense and most cost effective approach

Actions:

Develop & test a risk assessment screening system for evaluating intentionally introduced invasive species and reducing risk of establishment

Identify & rank key pathways by which IAS move & develop mechanisms to reduce movement through these key pathways

- Take action on known high-risk pathways

Plum Pox An APHIS dog used for detection

 

Early Detection and Rapid Response: Finding IAS early may provide the only opportunity to eradicate or contain them.

Actions:

Improve detection methods to speed up the process    

Seek a flexible funding source for rapid response contingencies Establish rapid response guidelines and teams in cooperation with local/state organizations

Melaleuca Asian Longhorned Beetle

Research: A critical underpinning for all other major areas of Plan – including prevention, control, restoration, education, etc.

Actions:

Include, as part of the cross-cut budget proposal, an initiative to

adequately fund Federal invasive species research programs

Prepare a catalog of existing aquatic and terrestrial control

methods

Develop and implement a plan to strengthen international research

collaborations

Nutria

Control and Management: Reducing established IAS & limiting their spread can dramatically decrease negative impacts.

Actions:

   Increase funding for control and management on Federal lands

Seek legislative authority to establish matching grants to assist state, local, regional control efforts

Work with state and local entities to determine and coordinate control priorities

Gypsy Moth

International Cooperation:

Global Problem – cannot address prevention without international component. Our actions create problems for other nations.

Actions:• Develop a strategy to deal with IAS problems in North America (working with Canada and Mexico)

• Improve technical assistance and information sharing

• Support work of the Global Invasive Species Programme

• Conduct a study of international assistance as an “invasion pathway”

• Provide financial and technical support to:• International meetings of policy makers• Regional and global programs

Chinese Tallow Formosan subterranean termites

Education and Public Awareness: Scope of the IAS problem, their impact, and how to help must be communicated to the general public.

Actions:

Develop a National Invasive Species Awareness Campaign in cooperation with States, tribes and local governments civic organizations and industry

Work to increase public cooperative efforts to counter IAS.

- state, regional and international organizations play a key role

- critical to prevention of aquatic invasions