What Are Problematic Plants?
Sometimes plants grow in places where they don't naturally occur and some plants can cause damage to ecosystems and even harm people. Exotic plants are nonnative species that are typically introduced into an ecosystem by human actions, whether intentional or not. Invasive plants are exotic species that cause ecological or economic harm. Pest plants, which can be native species, interfere with specific management objectives and are sometimes called weeds. We refer to the collection of exotic, invasive, and pest plants as problematic plants.
Problematic Plant Management
National parks spend a lot of time trying to remove or control problematic plants to protect native plant and animal communities and visitors at parks. When a plant species is impairing park resources, managers are required to control the plant. They use five criteria to decide what other problematic plants they will control: the origin of the species, prudence of the action, feasibility of controlling the plant, the harm or impact that the plant causes, and the harm that removal of the plant could cause. Environmental assessments, the professional judgment of experts, and scientific research provide the information managers need to make these decisions. Parks also consult with regulating agencies and the public.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
