Welcome to the Early Detection and Rapid Response Tools Page

With over 97,000 square miles of farm, forest, and gardens, Oregon has many places a new invader can hide. That is why we need YOU to help look out and report new invasive species. This page provides guidelines and resources for how to detect early and respond rapidly to a new invasive species.

EDRR in Oregon: Who is doing what?

The Center for Lakes and Reservoirs provides information on detection and reporting aquatic invasive species.

The Northwest Weed Management Partnership is facilitating EDRR efforts through the creation of the WIN website.

Oregon Department of Agriculture Noxious Weed Control Program provides a statewide leadership role for coordination and management of state listed noxious weeds.

Oregon Public Broadcasting is building a website where people can post photos of possible new invaders and get expert help. This website is part of a state wide Invasive Species Awareness campaign, which will kick-off with the airing of an OPB special documentary called The Silent Invasion on April 22, 2008. Oregon Invasive Species Council, The Nature Conservany, Oregon State University, SOLV, and Portland State University are partnering in the landmark effort.

The Oregon Invasive Species Council fosters an effort to keep invasive species out of Oregon and to eliminate, reduce, or mitigate the impacts of invasive species already established in Oregon.

The Oregon State Weed Board guides statewide noxious weed control priorities awards noxious weed control projects through the use of lottery funds.

The USFS in cooperation with OSU Sea Grant Extension is implementing a pilot Aquatic Invasive Species Early Detection program with their stream survey crews.

The Center for Lakes and Reservoirs provides information on detection and reporting aquatic invasive species.

The Northwest Weed Management Partnership has facilitated EDRR efforts by forming and facilitating information to the CWMAs. It has also partnered in the development and creation of the Western Invasives Network website.

The Nature Conservancy Weed Watcher Program works to develop a statewide network of public and private partners working together to detect, report, and respond to invasive species infestations (plants and animals) before they become established, thus abating the threat of invasive species on watershed health across Oregon.

TIP: A stiff bristled brush can do wonders for removing unwanted seeds or aquatic invasives from your clothing and gear.

Prevention

Even more important than early detection is prevention. Invasive species often hitchhike with humans (in our cars, boats, or attached to our clothing) as we move across the landscape. Always inspect and remove invasive species from your gear, clothing, and your pets before you leave one area and travel to another.

Investigate before you plant! Gardeners can help prevent new introduction by not planting invasive species in their gardens. Garden Smart: A Guide on Non-Invasive Plants for Your Garden is an excellet rescource for native and non-ivasive alternatives to invasive gardern plants. It will be available through OSU Extencion in April, 2008.

Early Detection

Why Early detection? Invasive species decrease the value of land and negatively impact native plants, animals, and their habitat. Controlling large infestations of invasive species not only has an enormous cost, but also involves a high level of soil disturbance, use of herbicides, and lots and lots of hard work! We can avoid the environmental and economic cost of invasive species AND their control by detecting and controlling them early BEFORE they get established.

Where should I be looking? Think Pathways. You will often find the new invaders along their pathways for spread, such as roads and trails, at trail heads, and other introduction points. Walk the boundaries of your property, as these new invaders can be creeping in from neighboring lands. Birds and wind also help spread invasive species, so it is possible to find many of these species in the interior of your land. Always keep an eye out for new invaders.

Which invaders should I be looking for? Check the Watch Lists. The Oregon Department of Agriculture regulates and maintains a list of noxious weeds of state-wide importace. Species listed as either A or T are targeted for EDRR. Oregon Invasive Species Council’s list of 100 most dangerous invaders includes animals, plants, and diseases not yet here or with a very small distribution in Oregon and are therefore targeted for EDRR on a state scale. The Western Invasives Network maintains lists of plants of concern to the Cooperative Weed Management Areas in Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington. The Nature Conservancy Global Invasive Species Initiative Website posts periodic plant alerts across the Nation. This is a good place to check out what invasive species are on Oregon’s doorstep. Think Habitat. Which species to be looking for depends on the habitat they invade. Look for aquatic species in ditches, lakes, streams, and wetlands; look for terrestrial invaders along roadsides, in prairies, and fields; and look for riparian invaders along the edges of rivers, ponds, and even in roadside ditches.

To learn about the habitats you are working in, refer to the Oregon Conservation Strategy. It has a wealth of information about native species and habitats in need of help; invasive plants and animals; and other issues of environmental concern. Find a copy on the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife website.

Think distribution. Early detection means finding plants that are still not abundant in a certain area so there is still a possibility or eradication or containment. Plants listed by each CWMA have been selected because they are still not abundant in the CWMAs. Check our Interactive Map and with your local CWMA to find out what plants to be looking for in your area of concern. Weed Mapper is the best source of data for ODA listed noxious weeds. Oregon Plant Atlas has the most comprehensive database of native and invasive plant locations. INVADERS database gives you a regional look by producing maps for weeds in five Western States: Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana

Identification

First identify, then notify! It is important that you are fairly confident you have found the correct species before you report it. Early detection and rapid response networks are often bogged down by false reports. You can help by keeping identification references in your backpack or car in case you come across a suspected invader. The plants pages on the WIN site contain a wealth of identification information for each species. Also The National Biological Information Infrastructure Identification Page has a great database of check lists and identification guides.

Need Identification Help? Did you find a completely new species that you are sure you have never seen before? Would you like additional help identifying the listed species targeted for early detection? The following resources may help you identify a suspected invader.

Taking a picture of the suspected invader and posting it to Western Invasives Network forum is a great way to get additional identification help. Taking the time to take a quality photograph helps in identification. Try to get a close up of the leaf, the flower, as well as the entire plant to further help in identification.

Documentation

So, you found and identified an invasive plant listed in your area. Before you call in, it is useful to collect information about the species exact location, abundance, and what action you took on site. A report form, a map, and a camera will help you document the infestation.

The report form is designed as a reminder of the information ODA would like you to collect about the invasive plant you encounter. You do not necessarily need to turn in the form.

A map should show enough detail to allow you to describe exactly how to re-locate the plant or species. USGS Quad maps are ideal.

Reporting

Please report any new plant infestation you find, even if it is on your own property. Guidance and control help may be available depending on what species you found.

Who do I report to? Call the Oregon Department of Agriculture at 1-866-INVADER. You can also use Weedmapper's on-line form.

What information will I need to provide?
Be prepared to provide accurate location and identification information. Fill out a report form before you call, or use Weedmapper's online form.

Rapid Response

Should I pull the plant out on site? Yes, but only if you are certain of its identification and that pulling the plant will be effective or won't just make the problem worse. Some plants grow more vigorously if their root systems are disturbed. Check out the WIN plant pages for information about how to control the species before you pull. Also be certain that the plant won't be harmful to your skin (think poison oak or spurge)

Who will take the lead? The person or agency responsible for controlling a weed depends on the species in question and the land ownership. You may be the one controlling the plant if it is on your own property.

The Oregon Department of Agriculture is charged take the lead in controlling noxious weeds listed as either A or T species.

Public land management agencies are responsible for weed infestations on the land they manage, and are interested in controlling those plants listed by the CWMA to which they belong.

Private property owners are asked to control invasive weeds found on their land. Private land owners may receive help from the State (ODA), County, City, or from Soil and Water Conservation Districts. If you have a large infestation on private lands the Oregon State Weed Board has grants available

Rapid Response Steps. We recommend the following steps for rapidly responding to a new invasion:

Confirmation of the identity of a suspicious organism;
Survey (delimitation) to determine the extent of the infestation;
Quarantine of the infested area if possible;
Do a quick review of the available control options to choose the one best suited for the treatment conditions;
Application of the chosen control options, with at least a visual evaluation of the results on the target and non-target species; and
Modify the control strategy as indicated by the results

Plant Management Information

National Biological Information Infrastructure - Invasive Species Information Node
USDA National Invasive Species Information Center Managers tool kit
Center for Invasive Plant Management
PNW Weed Management Handbook
Managing weeds in your garden, by OSU extension
Weed Control Handbook by The Nature Conservancy Global Invasive Species Initiative

Help is available. Check out the following links for advice on controlling weeds on your property.

Identification and management information on weeds listed by your CWMA
Post a question to the forum for help with identification, control options. Also share your weed management successes and failures.
EXPERTISE on Invasive Species compiled by National Biological Information Infrastructure
County noxious weed programs & CWMA contact
OSU Extension Service
OSU Weed Program

Equipment list for the weed watcher

The experienced weed watcher never leaves home without the following items:

Plant identification materials
Map (and GPS if possible)
A report form, paper, and a pencil
Digital camera
Plant digging tools (gloves, weed tool, plastic bags)
First aid kit

Help Spread the Word

Go to the Education page to find out how.

References

Federal Interagency Committee for the Management of Noxious and Exotic Weeds (FICMNEW). (2003) A National Early Detection and Rapid Response System for Invasive Plants in the United States. Published by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service

McNeely, J, LE Neville, and M Rejmanek. (2003)When is eradication a sound investment? Conservation In Practice, 4:30-31.

National Invasive Species Council. (2003) General Guidelines for the Establishment and Evaluation of Invasive Species Early Detection and Rapid Response Systems. Published by the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) Invasive Species Information Node.

Westbrooks, R.G. (2004) New Approaches for Early Detection and Rapid Response to Invasive Plants in the United States. Weed Technology. 18:1468–1471