Invasive/Exotic Plants
Parks where protocol will be implemented
All Upper Columbia Basin Network Parks
Importance / Issues
- Invasive plants are one of the greatest threats to natural and cultural resources in all the Upper Columbia Basin Network parks.
- Invasive exotic plant species are of concern given their ability to quickly expand into new areas, compete with and exclude native species, and alter ecosystem processes across multiple scales.
- The management and control of invasive non-native species has been identified as a high priority issue within the National Park Service and is an accountable goal under the Government Performance Results Act of 1993.
- Prevention and early detection of invasive plants is critical. Monitoring status and trend detection of a prioritized list of target invasive species is important and will be accomplished in a cost-effective approach that will rely heavily on integration with other terrestrial vegetation monitoring efforts.
Preliminary Monitoring Objectives
- Detect incipient populations and new occurrences of selected invasive nonnative plants before they become established.
- Estimate the status and trend of established target weed species frequency and abundance in UCBN parks.
Potential Measures
Frequency (presence/absence), distribution, abundance (cover), and detection of new species and incipient invasions.
Management Applications
Information gathered from this monitoring will be used to:
- Identify high priority areas for treatment.
- Provide trigger points for management action.
- Direct early detection and intervention efforts.
- Help assess progress toward several land health goals.
Protocol Development & Status
A servicewide effort is underway to standardize NPS monitoring of invasive species. The Network plans to adopt and revise as necessary components of an established NPS protocol during 2010. Monitoring of established target weed species in UCBN parks is underway through the camas and sagebrush steppe protocols. The riparian vegetation protocol will also provide status and trend information on a suite of high-priority weeds.
Contact Information
Tom Rodhouse
Upper Columbia Basin Network Ecologist
National Park Service
2600 NW College Way - Ponderosa Bldg.
Bend, OR 97701
Email