Introduction

An invasion of nonnative plants into our southern landscape continues to expand every year and goes relatively unchecked and unmonitored. Nonnative plants infest our forests, forest edges, roadsides, pastures and right-of-ways. These invasive plant infestations cause loss of productive forest areas, hinder forest activities and severely degrade wildlife habitat by replacing native plants. Invasive non-native organisms are one of the greatest threats to the natural ecosystems of the United States. According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, 42% of the nations endangered species have declined as a result of encroaching invasive species (Westbrooks 1998). Invasive species cause great economic losses, and billions of dollars are spent each year for control in agriculture and forestry, on range lands and along roadways.

 

An invasive species is one that displays rapid growth and spread, allowing it to establish over large areas. Sometimes these nonnative plants expand rapidly because their new environments lack the insects and diseases that keep them in check in their native countries. Many of these plants were brought over as ornamentals or as livestock forage and a few were introduced accidentally (Miller 2003).