A contractor sprays invasive plants at Naval Base Ventura County, Ca. (Credit: Martin Ruane/US Navy)

National Invasive Species Organizations (NISOs) come in many different shapes and sizes and their growth is almost as prolific as the growth of the invasive species they seek to manage. That said, each NISO serves a role in the invasive species arena, from advocacy to collaboration to outreach to control and management. More important, NISOs serve as a connection between state and even local invasive species efforts. Ideally, there would be more federal funding flowing through this network to the local level for implementing projects on the ground, and increased strategic planning to ensure that on-the-ground projects fit larger national invasive species strategies.  What follows is a list of the major players.

National Invasive Species Council (NISC)

Established in 1999 by Executive Order 13112, this is a council of secretaries and administrators from 13 federal departments. NISC drafts the National Invasive Species Management Plans using expert advice from the Invasive Species Advisory Committee (see below). The council consists of:

• Department of Defense, State, the Interior, Agriculture, Homeland Security, Commerce, Transportation, Treasury, and Health and Human Services
• Environmental Protection Agency
• US Agency for International Development
• US Trade Representative
• NASA

Invasive Species Advisory Committee (ISAC)

Established in 1999, this committee includes experts from academia, industry, and the private sector who advise NISC on invasive species issues. ISAC is divided into six subcommittees that include:

• Prevention
• Early Detection and Rapid Response
• Control and Restoration
• Research and Information Management
• Communication, Education, and Outreach
• Organization and Collaboration
  

State Invasive Species Councils (ISCs)

Modelled after NISC, these councils operate at the state level to coordinate invasive species projects, public outreach, and solicit funding. Each state council is made up of state agencies, NGOs, and others. States that have ISCs: Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Palau, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin.

National Environmental Coalition on Invasive Species (NECIS)

Established in 2003, this is a partnership of environmental groups that provides a united scientific voice on invasive species policy and legislation. Members include:

• Audubon Society
• California Invasive Plant Council (Cal-IPC)
• The Center for International Environmental Law
• Conservation International
• Ecological Society of America
• Environmental Law Institute
• Great Lakes United
• Healting our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition
• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
• National Association of Exotic Plant Pest Council
• National Parks Conservation Association
• National Wildlife Federation
• National Wildlife Refuge Association
• Natural Areas Association
• Natural Resources Defense Council
• The Nature Conservancy
• The Wildlife Society

National Assocication of Exotic Pest Plant Councils (NAEPPC)

Established in 1995, this is a coalition of state and regional Exotic Pest Plant Councils (EPPC) and Invasive Plant Councils (IPC) representing professional natural resource managers, scientists and others with an interest in invasive plant management. When individual councils work on public policy, NAEPPC helps coordinate them. The individual councils include State ISCs, Cooperative Weed Management Areas (CWMAs), Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas (CISMAs), and others.

• Alabama IPC
• California Invasive Pest Plant Council
• Florida EPPC
• Georgia EPPC
• Ohio IPC
• Kentucky EPPC
• Michigan EPPC
• Mid-Atlantic EPPC
• Midwest Invasive Plant Network
• Mississippi EPPC
• New England Invasive Plant Group
• Invasive Plant Atlans of New England
• North Carolina EPPC
• Pacific Northwest IPC
• South Carolina EPPC
• Southeast EPPC
• Tennessee EPPC
• Texas Invasive Plant and Pest Council
• Invasive Plants Association of Wisconsin

National Network of Invasive Plant Centers (NNIPC)

This network was established in 2009 to focus on the early detection and rapid response (EDRR) method of combating invasive plants. Members include:

• California IPC
• Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants
• Center for Invasive Plant Mangement
• Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
• Midwest Invasive Plant Network
• Invasive Plant Atlas of New England
  

Continental Forest Dialogue (CFD)

Established in 2006, this coalition of individuals from the non-profit, business, industry, government, private, and academic sectors focuses on forest insect pests and pathogens, and is active in raising awareness, prevention, EDRR, slowing the spread of invasives, and habitat restoration.

North American Invasive Species Network (NAISN)

Established in 2010, this is a consortium of North American groups seeking to advance science-based understanding and enhance management of invasive species. Member groups include:

• Center for Invasive Plant Management
• Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants
• CONABIO, Mexico
• National Institute of Invasive Species Science
• Center for invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
• Invasive Species Research Institute, Canada
• Canadian Aquatic Invasive Species Network
• Geosystems Research Institute

North American Weed Management Association (NAWMA)

Established in 1993, this is an association of professional weed managers who implement local, state, and federal weed laws. It serves the educational, professional, and networking needs of on-the-ground weed managers and has 11 committees: Audit, Awards, Biological Control, EDRR, Healthy Habitat, International issues, Mapping Standards, Nominations, Personal Improvement, Trade Show, Weed Free Forage.

Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas (CISMAs), Cooperative Weed Management Areas (CWMAs), Partnerships for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISMs)

These are all different names for a similar concept.  They are site-specific cooperatives of federal, state, and local government agencies, private landowners, natural resource managers, NGOs, and others that manage invasive species in a defined area.

Author Bio

Damon Waitt is Senior Director of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the University of Texas at Austin.

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