An invasive species is an organism that causes ecological or economic harm in a new environment where it is not native*, and its introduction can be intentional or unintentional.

There are many kinds of invaders such as algae, plants, fungus, and animals. A few examples of invasive species in Florida are Lionfish (Pterios miles), New Guinea Flatworm (Platydemus manokwari), Cuban Treefrog (Osteopilus septentrionalis), House finch (Carpodacus mexicanus), Burmese Python (Python molurus), Rhesus Macaque (Macaca mulatta) and Air Potato plant (Dioscorea bulbifera). The list is long. Of these invasive species, some of them have been extirpated, some are established, and many of their statuses are unknown.

We all have a role to play when it comes to managing invasive species, from learning our native species, to reporting the presence of invasive, to preventing their spread.

If you want to learn more about invasive species such as what makes a specie invasive, what the conditions are that allow them to invade, why you should care about them, and what you can do to help control invaders. Please register for my upcoming webinar “Invasive Species”.

Register early through ufsarasotaext.eventbrite.com. Once registered through Eventbrite, the system will send you a confirmation email with the webinar link.

For questions or further information, please call 941-861-5000 or email sarasota@ifas.ufl.edu. If you require special accommodations to attend one of our events, please contact us in advance at 941-861-5000 or sarasota@ifas.ufl.edu.

NOTE: Classes and events may be canceled at any time due to low registration or other circumstances, with full refunds issued for paid events. Similar classes or events often are offered on future dates.

• oceanserive.noaa.gov

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