USDA Forest Service Southern Regional Task Force for the Assessment of Nonnative Invasive Species
The Southern Region Task Force for assessing nonnative invasive species (NNIS) was assembled in August 2006 to prioritize NNIS posing the highest threats to forests and grassland ecosystems in the South. The Task Force is comprised of specialist from all four branches of the Forest Service: National Forest System (NFS), Research and Development, State and Private Forestry, and Forest Health and Protection. The Task Force collaboratively compiled a list of the most potentially damaging invasive species from multiple existing databases and through surveys of Forest Service regional staff. Existing risk assessments for these NNIS were assembled for study. Through this process three databases were compiled of NNIS that currently or have potential to damage forest interiors, margins, openings, roadsides, waterways, and wetlands along with grasslands and special embedded habitats. These three databases as of June 2008 are available here for your use and review.
- A High Priority NNIS Database that will be used to focus programs and management
- An Early Detection Watch Database to guide prevention and containment programs
- A Database of All NNIS Currently Recognized in the Southern Region with a separate database for Tropical South Florida to gain understanding of the scope of the invasion.
These are evolving databases and further assessments are underway.
For more information, submission of review comments, and for reporting new and potential invasives of the Southern Region please contact Alix Cleveland, Southern Region NNIS Coordinator, John Taylor, Integrated Pest Management Specialist, or James H. Miller, Research Invasive Species Ecologist. OR any member of the Task Force.