Invasive Species¹

The Society for Range Management recognizes that invasive species (invasives) have a major debilitating effect on rangelands and other grazed ecosystems worldwide. They threaten biological diversity, and the structure, function, and sustainability of ecosystems. They diminish the multiple uses and values these ecosystems are intrinsically capable of providing.

1. Educational programs for landowners, resource managers, and the general public on the causes of invasion and increasing abundance of invasive species, their impacts on natural resource and society, and proven management technologies;
2. Research to improve technologies to manage invasives;
3. Laws, regulations, and cooperation among land management agencies, private landowners, governmental entities, and other interested groups to minimize the dispersal of invasives and to maximize efforts to contain or reduce existing infestations.

The Society believes it is ecologically and economically sound to prevent the arrival of invasives into new areas, and that the next best solution is early detection of new outbreaks and the initiation of aggressive and timely eradication efforts based on species physiology. Established infestations of invasives should be contained and controlled with integrated management systems that utilize mechanical, chemical, biological, or cultural control technologies. Neither single-treatment approaches nor short-term efforts will result in satisfactory long-term solutions to invasive species problems. The affected ecosystems and their native or desired species should be restored and protected as invasives are controlled.

Definitions - from Executive Order 13112 of February 3, 1999 - Invasive Species

"Alien species" means, with respect to a particular ecosystem, any species, including its seeds, eggs, spores, or other biological material capable of propagating that species, that is not native to that ecosystem.

"Ecosystem" means the complex of a community of organisms and its environment.

"Invasive species" means an alien species whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic harm or environmental harm to human health.

¹Approved by Rangeland Invasive Species Committee, February 12, 2006