Florida is host to more than 130 invasive plant species, making it a national and global hot spot for non-native, invasive species. Additionally, invasive species are a threat to the environment, economy and human health. Currently, a large number of resources regarding invasive species exist and are available to the public. At times, the resources can be hard to navigate. Two affiliate faculty members of UF/IFAS CAIP, Dr. Dean Lieurance and Dr. Lyn A. Gettys recognized this issue and created a comprehensive guide to help the public understand the uses for each list. According to Lieurance and Gettys, five different primary lists of non-native plant species are referenced in Florida:
- The Federal Noxious Weed List
- The Florida Noxious Weed List
- The Florida Prohibited Aquatic Plant List
- The Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council (FLEPPC) Plant List
- The UF/IFAS Assessment of Non-Native Plants
The EDIS document goes further into detail about each of the mentioned lists and what their purposes are.
To download the full guide, follow this link.
For more information about the UF/IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants please visit https://plants.ifas.ufl.edu. Be sure to follow us on social @UFIFASCAIP.
UF/IFAS CAIP, Turning Science Into Solutions.
By: Shelby Oesterreicher, 352-273-3667, soesterreicher@ufl.edu