Exotic Plant Early Detection
Importance / Issues
Controlling invasive plants is a high priority to NGPN parks (Symstad 2004) and a primary conservation issue globally (Mack et al. 2000).
Early detection and rapid treatment are the most effective way to control exotics plants (Hobbs and Humphries 1995, Rejmánek and Pitcairn 2002).
Monitoring Parks :
All Parks
Preliminary Monitoring Objectives
- Develop and update every 1–5 years a list of high-priority non-native plant species encroaching on each NGPN park unit.
- Develop and distribute educational materials (e.g., identification and habitats of concern) about these species to parks, other NPS programs, partners and other agencies, and park visitors.
- Develop and maintain a communications plan and online database for soliciting, storing, reporting, and sharing information about incidental observations of these species by park staff, other NPS program staff, partners, and visitors.
- Based on qualitative or quantitative prioritization and prediction of habitats most at risk of colonization by targeted species, design and implement field sampling (in collaboration with park staff and volunteers) in each park at 2–5 year intervals to detect new occurrences of these species.
Potential Measures
Presence /location of colonizing plants
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Expected Approach
To be determined. May consist only of information exchange.
Status & Trends
Status and Trends will be posted once monitoring has begun.
Protocol Development & Status
Just Started
Contact Information
Mike Bynum
Biological Science Technician
Northern Great Plains Inventory and Monitoring Program
231 East St. Joseph Street
Rapid City, SD 57701
605-341-2801
michael_bynum@nps.gov
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Link to Exotic Plant Intranet page (NPS only)
