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Nonnative invasive plants – or weeds – are spreading at an alarming rate, estimated at about 4,600 acres per day on federal lands alone in the Western United States. In fact, invasive plants have more than quadrupled their range in the Western United States in 10 years – from 1985-1995 – to an estimated 17 million acres.

These invasive plants destroy wildlife habitat, threaten endangered species and native plants, increase soil erosion and groundwater loss, and block recreational opportunities.

But there is good news. Recent inventories indicate that less then 10 percent of public lands have serious invasive plant problems. The challenge is to prevent the spread of invasive plants to non infested areas. Students and others can make a big difference by getting involved, learning to identify invasive plants, taking care not to spread them, reporting them when found, and enlisting the help of others in the community.

BLM Senior Weeds Specialist:

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INVASIVE PLANTS WEB RESOURCES

Silent Invaders
Developed by Florida State University's Science Education Department in cooperation with the BLM to engage middle school students in learning about invasive plants and animals. Includes a colorful and informative field guide to the top 20 most troublesome plant and animal species, an invasive plant control game, videos offering basic background information, and an educator's guide.
http://www.fsu.edu/~imsp/silent_invaders/new_weeds/main_html/

BLM Invasive Plants Website
Serves both as a gateway (with links to other BLM and non-BLM invasive plant sites) and provides general information (Such as the BLM National Strategy, "Weeds Wanted" posters, Frequently Asked Questions, and more).
http://www.blm.gov/weeds/

"What's Wrong With This Picture?"
This site provides student activities and background information.
http://www.blm.gov/education/weed/weed.html

Weeds Hall of Shame
Ten of the most problematic invasive plants of the West are profiled, with photos.
http://www.blm.gov/education/weeds/hall_of_shame.html

Silent Invaders (Walk on the Wild Side/Support Your Public Lands)
"Where's Weedo" (Walk on the Wild Side/Support Your Public Lands)
These two pages are from the BLM activity book, Walk on the Wild Side, written for an elementary school audience. The first link provides a brief introduction to the invasive plant problem and the second contains an exercise where students identify invasive and native plants.
http://www.blm.gov/education/00_kids/wild12.pdf
http://www.blm.gov/education/00_kids/wild13.pdf


STATE AND FIELD OFFICE RESOURCES

BLM Alaska State Office Invasive Plant Identification and Prevention
Photos of common invasive plants and other information about invasive plants in Alaska.
http://www.ak.blm.gov/ak930/noxweeds.html

BLM California State Office Invasive Plants Home Page
General information on BLM's invasive plant management program in California with links to BLM field office websites on invasive plants.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/caso/weeds.html

BLM Colorado State Office Invasive Plants Home Page
Background and links
http://www.co.blm.gov/botany/weedhome.htm

BLM Glenwood Springs, CO, Field Office
Introduces nonnative thistles of the area
http://www.co.blm.gov/gsra/weed.htm

BLM Eastern States Office Invasive Plants Home Page
A little bit about kudzu, the "plant that ate the south."
http://www.es.blm.gov/field/jfo/weeds.html

BLM Idaho State Office Invasive Plants Home Page
General information with links outside Idaho BLM
http://www.id.blm.gov/whatwedo/weeds.htm

BLM Nevada State Office Invasive Plants Home Page
Roots to petal look at invasive plants in Nevada: how they hurt Nevada, how they spread, how to recognize them, and what is being done about them. Links too.
http://www.nv.blm.gov/Resources/noxious_weeds.htm

Oregon

    BLM Medford, Oregon, District Office
    General information about the invasive plant situation in this district
    http://www.or.blm.gov/Medford/Mednoxiousweeds.html

    BLM Prineville, Oregon, District Office
    Integrated Invasive Plant Management on the Prineville District, BLM. Includes explanation of the problem and efforts to combat invasive plants, links, and photos with text details about the invaders
    http://www.or.blm.gov/Prineville/weed/

BLM Utah State Office Invasive Plants Home Page
Partners Against Noxious Invasive Plants. Information about invasive plants in Utah (including information about partners) and photos
http://www.blm.gov/utah/resources/weeds/index.html

This page was created by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Environmental Education & Volunteers Group, 1849 C Street, Room 406-LS, Washington, DC 20240. Send comments or questions relating to accessibilty of documents to Kevin_Flynn@blm.gov
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