NATIONAL INVASIVE WEED AWARENESS WEEK
SAVE THE DATE!   FEBRUARY 26 - MARCH 3, 2006

The most beautiful plants can also be the most harmful. While appealing to the eye, plants such as water chestnut, spotted knapweed, giant reedgrass, and garlic mustard are weeds—invasive and noxious weeds that have caused severe ecological and economic devastation nationwide. Non-native plant species have infested hundreds of millions of acres throughout America, crowding out native vegetation and threatening biologically diverse habitats.

What is a noxious weed?

The term "weed" means different things to different people. In the broadest sense, it is any plant growing where it is not wanted. Weeds can be native or non-native, invasive or non invasive, and noxious or not noxious. Legally, a noxious weed is any plant designated by a Federal, State or county government as injurious to public health, agriculture, recreation, wildlife or property. A noxious weed is also commonly defined as a plant that grows out of place (i.e. a rose can be a weed in a wheat field) and is "competitive, persistent, and pernicious."

Are invasive plants the same as noxious weeds?

No. Invasive plants include not only noxious weeds, but also other plants that are not native to this country. The Bureau of Land Management considers plants invasive if they have been introduced into an environment where they did not evolve. As a result, they usually have no natural enemies to limit their reproduction and spread. Some invasive plants can produce significant changes to vegetation, composition, structure, or ecosystem function.

How can you help?

•    Learn to identify invasive plants in your area.

•    Use native plants whenever possible in landscaping.

•    Report weed sightings to your local county or land management agency.

•    Support local, state, and federal efforts to control invasive and noxious weeds.

For more information, here are a list of websites that direct you to current developments on invasive plants and weeds:

http://www.blm.gov/weeds               Bureau of Land Management

http://www.nps.gov/plants                National Park Service

http://ficmnew.fws.gov                      Federal Interagency Committee for the Management of Noxious & Exotic Weeds

http://www.nawma.org                     North American Weed Management Association
http://invasives.fws.gov                     U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Invasive Species Program (to be updated soon)

http://plants.usda.gov                        Plants Database, Invasive & Noxious
http://invasivespecies.gov                  National Invasive Species Council
http://www.wssa.net                         The Weed Science Society of America