USDA Forest Service
Rangeland Management & Vegetation Ecology - Invasive Species Program
1400 Independence Ave SW
3rd Floor SW Mailstop 1153
Washington DC 20250-1153

Invasive Species Program

Welcome to the USDA Forest Service Invasive Species Program website, a portal to Forest Service invasive species information and related management and research activities across the agency and with our many partners. The goal of the USDA Forest Service invasive species program is to reduce, minimize, or eliminate the potential for introduction, establishment, spread, and impact of invasive species across all landscapes and ownerships. The Invasive Species Program integrates many divisions of the agency.

The Chief of the USDA Forest Service has identified invasive species as one of the four critical threats to our Nation’s ecosystems. In response to this national threat, we have evaluated the role of the Forest Service as a leading forest research, forest health, and Federal resource management agency. We are aware of our significant role in addressing invasive species threats at the local, state, and national levels, as well as internationally. We have found the best opportunity for success comes from working strategically, using all our scientific, management, and partnership resources in unison.

Forest Service National Strategic Framework for Invasive Species Management

The Forest Service National Strategic Framework for Invasive Species Management responds to a 2010 USDA Office of Inspector General audit of Forest Service invasive programs by providing a consistent, agency-wide approach to the prevention, detection, and control of invasive insects, pathogens, plants, wildlife, and fish.

The Framework incorporates the Invasive Species Systems Approach (ISSA) developed by the Forest Service to respond to threats over the next 5 to 10 years and supersedes the National Strategy and Implementation Plan for Invasive Species Management (2004) (PDF, 739 KB).

Playing Smart Against Invasive Species

America's spectacular public and private lands and waters provide some of the greatest opportunities for outdoor recreation in the world. However, these beautiful and inspiring natural places in which we enjoy our outdoor recreation heritage are under attack from hundreds of invasive plants, animals, and pathogens. These exotic invaders disrupt the natural ecological balance of these places and can negatively impact the quality of our outdoor recreation experiences, reduce access to these areas, and can threaten human health and safety. The loss of outdoor recreation uses in an area due to invasive species infestations can drastically impact local recreation-dependent economies.

The video “Playing Smart Against Invasive Species” was produced by the U.S. Forest Service as part of the National Invasive Species Threat Campaign with generous support from Wildlife Forever, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the Center for Invasive Plant Management, the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and many other public and private organizations and individuals.

Front cover image of Defending Favorite Places DVD case.

Preventing and controlling invasive species is an achievable goal. Linking invasive species management principles with the hunting and angling conservation ethic is critical. Invasive species threaten the future of hunting and fishing. Sportsmen and women across the nation are joining forces to defend their favorite places.

The video, Defending Favorite Places, was produced for the National Invasive Species Threat Campaign with support from Wildlife Forever, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the National Wild Turkey Federation, the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Center for Invasive Plant Management, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, and many public and private organizations and individuals.

Partnership Bringing Hunters and Anglers Into the Battle Against Terrestrial and Aquatic Invasive Species

America’s hunters and anglers represent an essential stakeholder group in the combating invasive species. Hunters and anglers number over 50 million individuals who spend a substantial portion of their recreational time outdoors in pursuits that involve them directly with fish and game populations and their habitats.

Dangerous Travelers

The USDA Forest Service San Dimas Technology and Development Center in partnership with the National Forest System Invasive Species Program, the US Department of Transportation Federal Highways Administration, the US Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has developed a training video for road maintenance crews, “Dangerous Travelers: Controlling Invasive Plants Along America’s Roadways.”