Combatting Invasive Species

Invasive species—non-native plants and animals from other parts of the world that cause ecological harm—are one of the biggest threats to wildlife and their habitats in the United States.

Non-native invaders affect people’s quality of life and harm our pocketbooks by clogging drinking water pipes, killing trees and spreading diseases. Invasive species also affect our supplies of food—attacking a wide variety of crops, decimating commercial fisheries and making ranchlands unsuitable for grazing.

Climate change is expected to exacerbate these impacts by creating more favorable habitats and climates for many invasive species.

Stopping New Invasions

Once invasive species become established and spread, it can be extraordinarily difficult and costly to control or eradicate them. As a result, the best practices for dealing with the invasive species are to:

• Create mechanisms that prevent their introduction
• Create effective monitoring systems for detecting new invasions
• Move rapidly to control newly detected invaders

The National Wildlife Federation works to attack the problem of invasive species by:

• Leading the charge to prevent invasive carp from entering and decimating the Great Lakes.
• Advocating for the treatment of ballast water in ocean-going vessels, a primary pathway for the introduction of damaging aquatic invasive species.
• Educating gardeners about the importance of using native plants and removing invasives through our Garden for Wildlife program.
• Championing robust restoration funding for ecosystems damaged by invasive species.
• Strengthening and clarifying the Lacey Act so it explicitly gives the US Fish and Wildlife Service the authority to restrict transport of harmful species between states and to screen new animal species being considered for import for both disease risk and invasive potential.
• Serving as a lead partner in the National Environmental Coalition on Invasive Species, a national partnership that provides a scientific voice on invasive species policy.