What is an invasive plant?
Without knowing it, you’ve probably been spotting invasive plant species right in your own backyard. An invasive plant is one that is able to establish itself within existing native plant communities in natural areas.
Invasive plants can cause serious harm not only to our environment, but also to our economy and health. Even worse are non-native invasive plants from other parts of the world. They have no natural competitors to control their population growth. So, they spread with reckless abandon!
Non-native invasive plants compete with and often crowd out native ones, leading to decreased biodiversity, poorer habitats for wildlife and lower water quality, among other issues. According to the U.S. Forest Service, “invasive species have contributed to the decline of 42% of U.S. endangered and threatened species.”
There are many non-native invasive species to contend with on our landscapes. However, land managers are making progress in identifying and locating concentrations of these plants and trees. Below are links to documents and pictures to help you identify invasive species. (Even though most of the resources listed are from Ohio, these invasive plants are now also a problem in Kentucky and Indiana.)
Invasive Plants of the Midwest (MIPN)
Ohio’s Invasive Plant Species (OIPC)
Invasive Plants of Ohio (OIPC)
Invasive Alien Species: Impacts to Fish and Wildlife (ODNR)
Fighting Invasive Plants in Ohio with Native Alternatives (OIPC)
