Southwest Exotic Plant Information Clearinghouse
 |
 |
 |
About the Criteria
A regional committee comprised of representatives from California Invasive Plant Council (formerly California Exotic Pest Plant Council), Southwest Vegetation Management Association, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, and several state and non-profit organizations (Criteria Development Committee), convened to develop an explicit set of risk assessment criteria that is transparent, repeatable, and credible for identifying invasive non-native plants that have ecological impacts on natural areas. The Criteria for Categorizing Invasive Non-native Plants that Threaten Wildlands, was reviewed by experts from Arizona, California, and Nevada as part of its development.
These criteria are adapted from An Invasive Species Assessment Protocol: Evaluating Non-Native Plants for Their Impact on Biodiversity, developed by NatureServe and The Nature Conservancy in cooperation with the National Park Service and the Plant Conservation Initiative’s Alien Plant Working Group (Morse et al. 2004). The Criteria Development Committee, composed of 11 individuals representing various academic, agency, and conservation organizations from the states of Arizona, California, and Nevada, developed the Criteria in slightly more than one year. They modified the preceding protocol for the specific purpose of developing categorized lists of invasive non-native plants that threaten wildlands within their respective states. During this time numerous other scientists and interested parties were apprised of the Criteria's development status. Once the Criteria neared completion, the Development Committee solicited comments from a broader group of people. Formal and informal reviews were received and comments were incorporated into the final version of the Criteria.
Please contact Kathryn Thomas regarding any questions.
