Allegheny River Headwaters Watershed Conservation Plan

Allegheny River Headwaters Conservation Plan
Chapter 4. Biological Resources
threatened, species or subspecies that are declining or vulnerable nationally or listed as candidate species
by Pennsylvania Biological Survey, including sites that are important for public education.
The Northern Allegheny Plateau IMA, which spans 4,000,000 acres across nine counties in
northcentral Pennsylvania, is the only IMA located within the project area. It represents the largest block
of relatively unfragmented forest habitat remaining, and is the largest IMA in Pennsylvania. The IMA
provides a variety of habitats and types of human disturbances.
Invasive Species
Plant and animal species that do not naturally occur in the area and are likely to cause harm to the
natural environment, the economy, or human health are termed invasive species. Not all non-native
species are harmful to other species or to wildlife, but some exotic species may have severe impacts. They
impose enormous economic costs to agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and other enterprises, as well as
human health. They are a major threat to biodiversity, because they out-compete native species, due to
their fast spreading tendencies. Once these species overtake an area, they degrade the habitat value for
other plants and wildlife.
These non-native, invasive species have been introduced to Pennsylvania, whether purposely or
accidentally, since the 17 th century (Thompson, 2002). Some of the non-natives that have been identified
in the project area were originally introduced for wildlife cover, to reduce erosion, or for food cultivation.
Other species have accidently been introduced unknowingly as contaminants in seed, through ship ballast,
or in wooden pallets used in packing materials that are transported between countries. When an invasive
species dominates an area, it often decreases land value, increases maintenance and control costs,
degrades soil or water quality, causes direct human health concerns, or reduces yields and health of
agricultural operations.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques incorporate science and information about the target
pest, varying economic approaches, and utilization of ecologically sensitive control tactics to deal with
infestations. In order to be effective at managing
invasive species, the first step is prevention. Most
invasive species are opportunistic, and take advantage
of disturbed areas and weakened species. By managing
landscapes and protecting pristine natural areas,
invasive species are less likely to overtake an area. By
preventing an invasive species from establishing or
spreading to an area, little or no money and/or
chemicals will be necessary to control it.
The second step is to detect early, and begin
control as soon as possible. Early detection and rapid
response will result in less money and effort required to
control the species. Numerous tools and publications
are available to help one properly identify invasive
species. Two starting points to access the information
are USDA National Invasive Species Information
Center (NISIC) at http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov
and the Global Invasive Species Database at
http://www.issg.org/ database.
Eight Ways to Combat Invasive Species
1. Only purchase non-invasive species and
request that plant suppliers only sell native
species.
2. Seek information about invasive species.
3. Scout your property for invasive species and
remove invasive species before they become
problematic. If you can not remove them, at
least prevent them from going to seed.
4. Clean your boots before and after visiting
natural areas to prevent the spread of
invasive species.
5. Do not release aquarium plants or animals
into the wild.
6. Volunteer at local parks and natural areas to
assist efforts to control invasive species.
7. Help educate your community about invasive
species.
8. Support public policies and programs to
control invasive species.
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