Written by Amy Jewitt, PA iMapInvasives Program Coordinator with the Western PA Conservancy, using information sourced from the PA Governor's Invasive Species Council
Invasive species are pervasive statewide in Pennsylvania, causing millions of dollars in damage to our state’s agricultural and forestry industries and degrading the quality of our recreational assets, including parks and forests. Many types of invasive plants, insects, and aquatic animals require immediate attention; however, due to sparse and sometimes restrictive funding resources, efforts to conduct comprehensive invasive species surveys and follow-up management efforts are often limited within the Commonwealth.
Since 2019, the Pennsylvania Governor’s Invasive Species Council (PGISC) has been actively working to develop and educate the public on a new (yet-to-be implemented) program for the state that would reduce invasive species that threaten our economy, environment, and human and animal health. Known as Partnerships for Regional Invasive Species Management, or PRISM, this state budget-funded program would establish and fund local host organizations in six regions statewide (see graphic below). Each host would use this funding to form a large, diverse partnership of regional stakeholders to implement invasive species prevention, education, and management.
Specifically, each regional PRISM would:
Monitor, manage, and eradicate invasive species
Develop early detection and rapid response capacity
Provide education and outreach
Preserve ecosystem services, native species, critical habitats, and threatened and endangered species
Increase resilience of green spaces in urban and natural environments
Protect and improve soil, air, and water quality
Mitigate invasive species contributions to climate change
Once implemented, PRISM hosts and their stakeholders would rally together to determine the highest priority invasive species threats/issues impacting their specific region. This could include rapid response efforts to newly arrived invaders, control of invasives to protect a rare native species or critical habitat, creating an invasive plant buy-back program, installing signage to inform the public of local problematic species, or beginning a boat launch steward program to prevent the spread of aquatic invaders at a local lake.
Efforts in New York State to combat invasive species have included the use of a PRISM program for the last 15+ years. Annually, the NYS PRISM program is funded with approximately $5 million from the state’s Environmental Protection Fund, dollars which are provided to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and then allotted to each respective PRISM host. Since its inception, the state’s eight regional PRISMs have conducted a variety of projects aimed at curbing the spread and resulting harm that comes from invasive species. Some of the more recent efforts of the NYS PRISMs include:
Management of floating water primrose (Ludwigia peploides) at Artist Lake by the Long Island Invasive Species Management Area (LIISMA) which will protect local biodiversity and prevent future impacts to fishing and recreation.
Intercepting thousands of invasive species via the Finger Lakes PRISM’s Watercraft Steward Program during the 2023 season, which demonstrates the potential for stewards to reduce the number of aquatic hitchhikers traveling between waterbodies.
Overseeing the Knotweed Management Partnership (by the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program - APIPP) which managed 214 knotweed infestations from 2020-2023. After use of chemical treatment by a licensed pesticide applicator, 123 of these infestations were treated, and impressively, 40% of the sites no longer had knotweed present by 2023.
Current efforts by the PGISC Legislative Committee are attempting to enact legislation known as the Invasive Species Act which would, among other things, provide a mechanism for funding a future PRISM program in Pennsylvania.
If you’d like to help bolster the creation of a PRISM program in Pennsylvania, consider contacting your state legislator(s) to voice your support. You can find your local legislator(s) here.
For more information about Pennsylvania’s proposed PRISM program, watch a recently recorded webinar given by the PGISC Coordinator, Kris Abell, or contact Kris directly at krabell@pa.gov.
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