From combustible cheat grass to voracious carp to the West Nile virus, harmful, non-native species are spreading into U.S. lands and waters at an accelerating pace. Their damage to economic activity, ecosystems, and human welfare is accumulating. Without an improved national strategy based on science, these invasive species will cause increasing damage to the nation's natural and economic resources, reports a new position paper by the Ecological Society of America (ESA), Biological Invasions: Recommendations for U.S. Policy and Management.

"Invasive species that cause harm to ecosystems are a major challenge to the nation's economic and environmental welfare," says ESA President Nancy Grimm. "This position paper provides insight into both the ecology of invasions and key, science-based recommendations that will be useful for policy makers grappling with the effects of invasive species."

Globalization of trade and travel is fueling an increase in invasions of the U.S. and elsewhere. The U.S., as the world's largest economy and home to many of the world's richest ecosystems, is especially at risk of additional biological invasions. Yet current U.S. strategy on invasive species lacks coordination or cost-effectiveness. ESA believes an urgent need exists for more effective means of prevention, eradication, and control of invasive species.

Please join us for the release of the Ecological Society of America's position paper, Biological Invasions: Scientific Recommendations for U.S. Policy and Management, in which several of the paper's authors will detail key recommendations for U.S. strategy on invasive species.

The Briefing will take place Friday, March 3, 2006, from 9:30-11:00 AM at the National Press Club's Holeman lounge in Washington, DC.

Featured Speakers:

Dr. David Lodge, University of Notre Dame Dr. Susan Williams, University of California - Davis Dr. Richard N. Mack, Washington State
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Contact: Nadine Lymn
nadine@esa.org
202-833-8773 x205
Ecological Society of America
3-Mar-2006

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