About the Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States
The Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States is a collaborative project between the National Park Service and the University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health. The Atlas provides information about non-native plant species that invade natural areas, excluding agricultural and other developed lands. Non-native invasive plants compete with native plant species for light, nutrients, water, and soil. They degrade natural areas by displacing native plant communities, reducing light penetration, increasing ground level humidity, changing soil ph and chemistry, and altering hydrologic and fire regimes. The changes invasives bring can affect things like the amount and quality of food and nesting sites available for wildlife, the extent and survival of native plant populations, the quality and functions of wetlands and waterways, and the appearance and enjoyment of natural landscapes.
The Invasive Plant Atlas is just one step in the effort to combat invasive species and preserve our native landscapes and the plants, animals, and other creatures that inhabit them. Information in the Atlas is compiled from many sources including federal, state and local government agencies, Exotic Pest/Invasive Plant Councils, Invasive Species Councils and other experts and organizations. The purposes of the Atlas are informational and educational. It is neither intended nor approved for use as a regulatory tool. Many of the species included are economically important horticultural plants that are problematic when they escape, establish and spread in natural areas.
If you have questions about the Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States, please contact Jil Swearingen.
