Alaska’s national parks are home to complex native communities of plants and animals that have developed over millions of years. The delicate natural balance within these communities is threatened by the influx of invasive plants, which are considered the second greatest threat to biodiversity after habitat loss. Invasive plants display rapid growth, spread with little or no human assistance, and are expensive to remove and difficult to control once established. Invasive plants are a concern because they threaten the genetic integrity of native flora through hybridization, can out-compete native plant species for limited resources, and can change the structure and function of ecosystems. Establishment of invasive plants can also result in loss of habitat and food sources for native insects, birds, fish, and other wildlife.

In Alaska, National Park Service (NPS) lands have been considered immune to the establishment of many pernicious invasive species found in the lower 48 states. However, Alaska's climate and isolation are less of a barrier to invasion every year. Warming trends, increasing development, and the rising number of park visitors are contributing to the spread of invasive plants in Alaskan parks. Fortunately, the NPS community has the opportunity to head off exotic plant introduction in Alaska before it becomes a problem, but research and active management must begin now.