Control and Management
The Forest Service currently has programs for control and management of invasive species in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Many of these activities are accomplished with partners across jurisdictional boundaries. We identify and prioritize which invasive species will be controlled and managed and we strive to effectively implement management plans to do so. When invasive species become established as free-living populations in an ecosystem, a strategic approach for control is required to minimize their impacts or reduce their spread. Effective control relies on a clear understanding of the target species including its biology, the ecosystem it has infested, and associated introduction pathways and effective tools. It also relies on persistent follow-through with monitoring of treatment efficacy.
Forest Service control and management activities are founded on integrated pest management principles that may include a combination of physical or mechanical, biological, cultural, and chemical techniques. This integrated approach also includes assessments of risk, identification of thresholds for action, and planning to reach the most desired outcome. Tools developed by Forest Service and partners support our control and management activities. In addition, the Forest Service works collaboratively with domestic and international partners to identify potential new techniques and biological control agents for invasive species control and management.
A key component of the Forest Service’s Invasive Species Management Program is to determine the extent and progression of invasive species that have been introduced into aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Using inventory data collected from a variety of sources, the Forest Service develops estimates of the size of targeted infestations and the rate of spread for those species or groups of species.
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