National Invasive Species Awareness Week is Feb. 24-28, 2025. If invasive species have not been on your radar, consider why many believe there is merit to being aware of invasive species, the damage they can do, and understanding some management/prevention strategies.
Awareness and prevention efforts are important because invasive species impact just about everyone. When not monitored or controlled, invasive species can cause harm to our economy, environment, or human health. The term “invasive” is used for aggressive species that grow and reproduce rapidly, displace native species, and cause major disturbance to the areas in which they are present.
Invasive species can impact native plants, insects, birds, fish, water bodies, and wildlife. Control efforts are expensive and time-consuming. Invasive species, if left uncontrolled, can and will limit land and water use now and into the future.
Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) defines invasive species. “Invasive species are plants, animals, and diseases that are not native to the area in question and have or are likely to cause environmental, human health, or financial harm in Indiana,” they said. “Many invasive species have entered Indiana or are a threat to arrive in our state.”
The National Park Service website states that it is often thought that the terms ‘invasive’ and ‘non-native’ can be used interchangeably, but this is not always true. “For a plant or animal to be invasive, it must do harm,” they said. “Simply being non-native is not cause for concern.” They go on to state that non-native species are organisms that do not occur naturally in an area but are introduced as the result of deliberate or accidental human activities.
So, an invasive species can be a non-native insect, plant (terrestrial or aquatic), pathogen, disease, aquatic organism, or animal that causes harm to the environment, economy, or human, animal, or plant health. Note, however, that not all non-native organisms cause harm.
Some may even have unknowingly used non-native species in their own landscape or garden. According to the National Park Service, non-native species, such as petunias and tomatoes, present no threat to native plants and have been cultivated by humans for centuries. Additionally, a species may be native to one area of the country, but not native to others. Colorado blue spruce fits this description. It is native to Colorado and other western states, but it is not native to Indiana.
Local residents can report invasive species by calling the Invasive Species hotline at 1-866-NO-EXOTIC (1-866-663-9684) or using the free Great Lakes Early Detection Network smartphone app, which can be downloaded on iTunes or GooglePlay. Purdue has put together a YouTube video to demonstrate how easily the app can be used to alert authorities: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFvaweR4cSw. You can also email DEPP@dnr.in.gov.
For more information, see the websites below:
Additionally, learn more about national efforts during Invasive Species Awareness Week at: https://www.nisaw.org/.
If you enjoy or manage natural areas, I encourage you to become more aware and knowledgeable of invasive species and to take steps to minimize their impact.