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The Global Invasive Species Team | |
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Our program
The Global Invasive Species Team's role is to help ensure that The Nature Conservancy and other organizations can succeed in protecting native plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by addressing invasive species threats to biological diversity. Many of The Nature Conservancy's state and country programs and partner organizations and agencies have long experience and expertise in controlling invasive species, particularly plants and some vertebrate invaders, on preserves and other conservation areas. But we know that this is not enough to adequately abate the damage being caused by established invaders or to prevent the harmful new invasions that continue to occur. For these reasons the Team is focused on two goals:
We help build capacity by helping The Conservancy's state and country programs create realistic, effective invasive species strategic plans and by providing tools, training, information and advice to land and water managers and other conservationists. This website is a key part of our ongoing effort to provide information and tools on best practices for preventing, controlling and managing invasive species. Staff profiles John Randall, Director 
The Nature Conservancy and other conservation agencies and organizations identify invasive species as a top threat to
biological diversity conservation in terrestrial, freshwater and marine habitats around the world. What is worse is that harmful
new invasions continue to occur, although many of them are preventable.The Global Invasive Species Team's role is to help The Conservancy and our partners ensure that invasive species of all types, plants, animals, diseases and other microbes, do not eclipse all our efforts to effectively protect native species and natural communities. To this end, GIST is focused on two goals:
Frank Lowenstein, Deputy Director Global Invasive Species TeamThe Nature Conservancy 4245 North Fairfax Drive Arlington, VA 22203-1606 More from Frank Lowenstein....(coming soon) Stas Burgiel, Senior Global Invasive Species Policy Advisor 
Globally, invasive alien species are recognized as one of the top two threats to biological diversity, endangered species and
fragile ecosystems with additional impacts on human health and local livelihoods. World trade and travel are primary drivers
for transporting species between countries with the movement of goods, vehicles and people in an increasingly integrated
world system. Given this expanding rate and volume of trade and travel we expect the number of new harmful invasions in
terrestrial, freshwater and marine habitats to continue increasing unless we take action now. Fortunately, we do know how to
prevent many invasions at a cost that is far less than the harm they would inflict or the resources required to manage them
if they are allowed to invade and establish.While The Nature Conservancy and our partners must continue to manage the most damaging invaders established on and near high priority conservation sites, we must also turn out attention to preventing new invasions. The Nature Conservancy's Global Invasive Species Team is working with governments, the private sector and other organizations to develop policy and technical measures to reduce the introduction of invasive alien species around the world, while also avoiding or minimizing adverse impacts on economic growth.... More from Stas Burgiel.... Faith T. Campbell, Senior Policy Representative 
Invasive species are widely considered to pose a serious threat to biological diversity conservation, to ecosystem
services, and to human well-being around the world. Non-native insects and plant diseases that attack tree species
threaten ecosystems and the character of our neighborhoods, as well as links across generations. These non-native
insects and plant diseases are particularly challenging to manage because of the high level of damage that they cause
and the difficulty in containing them once they have been introduced. More than 400 non-native insects and pathogens
already are killing trees across North America. Worse, harmful new invasions continue to occur, although many
of these introductions are preventable.
Within the Global Invasive Species Team, the forest pest and pathogen program helps The Conservancy and our partners
ensure that invasive species of insects and plant diseases do not undermine all our efforts to effectively protect
native tree species and natural forest communities. To this end, our work has focused on two goals....More from Faith Campbell.... 
W. Lindsay Chadderton, Aquatic Invasive Species Ecologist Great Lakes ProgramThe Nature Conservancy 8 S. Michigan Avenue, Suite 2301 Chicago, IL USA More from Lindsay Chadderton....(coming soon) Leigh Greenwood, Coalitions and Networks Manager 
The Nature Conservancy is only one piece of a huge puzzle in the fight against invasive species.As the Coalitions and Networks Manager for the Global Invasive Species Team, I work with a diverse group of private industry leaders, academic organizations, non-profits and our colleagues at state chapters of The Nature Conservancy to combat existing invasions and prevent future invasions from occurring. By bringing these voices together and keeping the lines of communication open, the interests of all the different groups can be heard, respected, and our common interests can be advanced. More from Leigh Greenwood.... Catherine Hazlewood, Senior Invasive Species Policy Advisor for North America 
I started with The Nature Conservancy in December 2005, and I am a member of the Global Invasive Species Team.
Invasive species have been identified by The Conservancy as a top threat to biological diversity at sites where we work
around the world, and what is worse is that harmful new invasions continue to occur, even though many of them are
preventable. The Global Invasive Species Team's role is to help the organization ensure invasive species do not impede
our ability to reach our 2015 goal by implementing strategies to help prevent harmful new invasions and to help our state
and country programs build their capacity to prevent and abate invasive species threats.Primarily, I hope to work with staff around the Conservancy to promote strong federal policies to prevent new invasions to the US and North America. Currently in the U.S., our laws with regard to invasive species are extremely weak. We spend billions to control known outbreaks while we fail to spend even a few million to prevent the outbreaks from happening in the first place. We need to develop the federal capacity to prevent invasive species, to rapidly respond to outbreaks once detected, and to make agencies accountable for slowing the spread of invasions.... More from Catherine Hazlewood.... Barry Rice, Invasive Species Specialist 
I work to help abate the threats posed by alien invasive species. These organisms--plants, animals, and pathogens--pose the
second greatest threat to biodiversity around the world. They can prey upon, compete with, or displace native species. They can
even completely transform environments by changing ecosystem processes such as nutrient cycling, hydrology, or fire regimes.
These threats, unaddressed, stand between us and The Nature Conservancy's 2015 organizational goal, and risk undoing those
conservation successes we have made to date. While daunting, invasive species should not be thought of as overwhelming. Instead,
the severity of the situation demands strategy and planning in order for our efforts to be successful. I am the Communications Manager for The Nature Conservancy's Global Invasive Species Team. The Team's job is to encourage the best practices we can to most affectively abate the threats posed by invasives. We work first and foremost within The Nature Conservancy, but we of course work closely with partner organizations. Dealing with invasives means you must think outside borders, either organizational or political! In order to ensure that invasive species do not prevent achievement of TNC's 2015 goal, the Global Invasive Species Team will work to accomplish two primary goals.... More from Barry Rice.... Mandy Tu, Invasive Species Ecologist 
Did you know that all of the lands and waters that The Nature Conservancy and its partners have worked to protect in our
entire 50+ year history are currently or potentially at risk from invasive species? Invasive species are those organisms
such as plants, animals, insects, and pathogens that are not native to a particular area, and have the potential to damage
and negatively impact the ecology, biodiversity and economy of a given area. Invasive species are a top threat to biological
diversity in all terrestrial and aquatic habitats around the world, and that is why working to abate the threat of invasive
species to our goals and objectives are a top priority for The Nature Conservancy.The Conservancy's Global Invasive Species Team works within our organization and with our many partners to ensure that current and future invasive species threats are sufficiently abated across every major habitat type where we work, to effectively protect and preserve native species and natural communities. Our work is focused primarily on two goals:
Valerie Vartanian, Horticulture and Landscape Professions Liaison 
Increased global trade and travel are accelerating the spread of invasive species around the world. Invasive species
(plants, animals, or pathogens) damage lands and waters, hurt economies and threaten our lives. West Nile virus, kudzu vines,
and European starlings are all examples of species that have become established in the U.S. and are causing harm. Government
agencies, land managers, businesses, and individual citizens are affected by the presence of invasive species. The cost has
been estimated at $138 billion a year in lost productivity in the U.S.The Nature Conservancy's Global Invasive Species Team works to prevent new invasions while containing established invaders. One of the major pathways for invasion by plants has been through gardens and landscapes. My role with the Global Invasive Species Team is to promote better business practices with the horticulture industry. I work directly with businesses and the private sector to change existing practices through voluntary actions and market incentives through a program called the Voluntary Codes of Conduct.... More from Valerie Vartanian.... Closely related site resources State & country programs
Profiles of noteworthy invasive species work being done by state and country programs in The Nature Conservancy. Success stories
Invasive species management is not impossible. Read these success stories and be inspired. Assessments and regional plans
Assessments of invasive species issues for various operating units in The Nature Conservancy. Contact us Address information to help you contact GIST staff. Other site resources Weed Information Management System (WIMS)
A fully-integrated hardware and software application for mapping invasives and tracking management actions. Remote sensing
A review of remote sensing technology, as applied to invasive species detection and mapping. Templates and examples
Adaptive management planning tools such as model plans for sites, weed control templates, etc. Very useful! Invasive species learning networks
Learn about Invasive Species Networks that help promote best practices for invasive species abatement among staff in The Nature Conservancy, partner agencies, and other organizations. Listserves
Join our listserve to voice your frustrations and trumpet your successes. 1998-99 survey
Learn about our 1999 survey--a snapshot of invasive species issues across all of The Nature Conservancy. |
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Updated February 2008 ©The Nature Conservancy, 2005 |
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