Noxious/ Invasive Weed Management

Noxious weeds and invasive plant species pose an increasing threat to native ecosystems, croplands, and other plant communities throughout the United States. While weeds have long been recognized as a problem for agriculture, the potential impact to other plant communities, including wildlands, is receiving greater attention.

Invasive weeds are generally non-native plants introduced to North America from Europe and Asia. Weeds began entering this country in earnest in the mid-1800s. These plants have spread at an alarming rate because, unlike native species, there are no native insects, fungi, or diseases to control their growth and spread in this country. What initially began with a handful of plants in the 19th century now number in the hundreds of millions. These noxious weeds are destroying wildlife habitat and forage, threatening endangered species and native plants, increasing soil erosion and groundwater loss, and blocking recreational opportunities.