Pennsylvania’s diverse geography is home to thousands of different plant, animal, and insect species on land and in our waters. Unfortunately, not all of these organisms are beneficial.
Some are nonnative invasive species that are a threat to Pennsylvanians’ natural resources, economy, and health and well-being.
Invasive species are often unintentionally introduced and spread through commerce and consumer choices that seemed harmless a generation ago. They’re spread by other everyday activities as well, for example, by hiding in firewood and attaching to gear, boats, cars, trucks, and trains.
Once established, invasive species have the potential to change Pennsylvania forever. These invaders threaten our native plants and wildlife with extinction, by outcompeting them for resources and habitat. Invasive species can cause costly damages to agricultural crops and infrastructure. Some affect our health directly by carrying disease, such as the West Nile virus.
County Conservation District staff work with many entities in rural, suburban, and urban areas across Pennsylvania, carrying out agricultural best management practices, stormwater management, and construction-related erosion control. We see the damaging impacts that invasive species can have.
For example, riparian buffer plantings can fail if invasive plants, such as Japanese knotweed, monopolize streambanks, causing tons of sediment to enter our waters and damage aquatic life. Giant hogweed and goat’s rue are two more examples of noxious weeds that are determined to be injurious to public health, crops, livestock, agricultural land, and other properties.
The value of Pennsylvania’s natural and economic resources and the need to protect Pennsylvanians’ health demand a comprehensive response to the threats posed by invasive species.
The Pennsylvania Invasive Species Council is developing a statewide program called Pennsylvania Regional Invasive Species Management, or PRISM. The PRISM program would be locally based, made up of experts and stakeholders concerned with invasive species, such as conservation districts, industry associations, government offices, environmental and outdoor recreation organizations, and others.
PRISM would not only manage existing invasive species, but, just as important, monitor for new invaders, so they can be eradicated or controlled before they become a major economic and environmental problem.
National Invasive Species Awareness Week is February 28 – March 4. Learn more about PRISM, and please join the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. in support of the PRISM concept to manage invasive species in the Commonwealth.
Brenda Shambaugh is the executive director of the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc., and a member of the Pennsylvania Invasive Species Council. For more information about PACD, visit www.pacd.org.
