Pennsylvania Governor’s Invasive Species Council
Statewide Collaboration to Control Invasive Species
Members of the Pennsylvania Governor’s Invasive Species Council work together to identify invasive plant, insect, and animal species that currently threaten or are likely to threaten Pennsylvania. The council does this by:
• Developing and implementing the Pennsylvania Invasive Species Management Plan –a framework for prevention and control of invasive species at the state level.
• Advising the governor on invasive species policy development.
• Helping to coordinate agencies and organizations to address invasive species threats.
• Conducting outreach and education.
Invasive Species Harm:
• Pennsylvania’s natural and agricultural resources and the industries they support
• The native biodiversity that provides clean air, land, and water and supports wildlife
• Pennsylvanians’ health, through increased tick habitat and other means
• Our enjoyment of Pennsylvania lakes, rivers, trails, and forests
Be Informed and Get Involved:
Sign up for the council e-newsletter and join our meetings. Meetings are quarterly and open to the public.
State Agencies:
• Department of Agriculture (Chair)
• Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
• Department of Environmental Protection
• Department of Health
• Department of Transportation
• Fish and Boat Commission
• Game Commission
Non-Governmental Organizations:
• Allegheny Plateau Invasive Plant Management Area
• County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania
• PennAg Industries Association
• PA Association of Conservation Districts
• PA Farm Bureau
• PA Lakes Management Society
• PA Landscape & Nursery Association
• PA Sea Grant
• PA State Association of Township Supervisors
• Penn State University
• Philadelphia Port Authority
• Temple University
• University of Pennsylvania
• Western PA Conservancy
For Information:
Visit: agriculture.pa.gov/invasivespeciescouncil
Contact: Kristopher Abell | Pennsylvania Governor's Invasive Species Council Coordinator PA Department of Agriculture | Bureau of Plant Industry 2301 N Cameron Street | Harrisburg, PA 17110
Office: 717-787-2227 | krabell@pa.gov
Plan:
PRISM: Partnerships for Regional Invasive Species Management in Pennsylvania
The Most Effective Way to Identify and Control Invasive Species
To establish a six-PRISM approach across Pennsylvania, accomplished through:
• Public-private partnerships among private landowners, governmental agencies, and nonprofit organizations to work together to address invasive species at regional and local levels
• Coordination by a local host organization
• Development of priorities, objectives, and a strategic plan to address invasive species in each region
• Administration by Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and Pennsylvania Governor’s Invasive Species Council
Advantages of PRISM:
PRISM regions correspond to the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts regions to capitalize on existing infrastructure, organization, networks, and resources.
• Early detection and rapid response to manage and eradicate invasive species.
• Increased, targeted education and outreach.
• Benefits for all Pennsylvanians:
- Preserved ecosystem services, native species, critical habitats, and threatened and endangered species.
- Increased resilience of green spaces in urban and natural environments.
- Protected and improved soil, air, and water quality.
- Mitigation of invasive species’ contributions to climate change.
Invasive Species in Pennsylvania
Plants:
Japanese Knotweed
Phragmites
Hydrilla
Mila-a-Minute Weed
Oriental Bittersweet
Japanese Barberry
Autumn Olive
Glossy Buckthorn
Kudzu
Garlic Mustard
Insects:
Spotted lanternfly
Emerald ash borer
Hemlock wooly adelgid
Spongy moth (Lymantria dispar)
Elongate hemlock scale
Brown marmorated stinkbug
Aquatic Animals:
Round goby
Northern snakehead
New Zealand mudsnail
Zebra & Quagga mussels
Rusty & Red Swamp crayfish
Diseases:
Sudden oak death
Beech leaf disease
Mammals:
Wild boar
Other:
Asian jumping worms
