Executive Order — Safeguarding the Nation from the Impacts of Invasive Species
Porcelain-berry is a vigorous invader of open and wooded habitats. It grows and spreads quickly in areas with high to moderate light. As it spreads, it climbs over shrubs and other vegetation, shading out native plants and consuming habitat. Photo: Olivier Vanpé • CC BY-SA 3.0
On December 5th, President Obama issued an executive order to address growing concern for the impact of invasive species throughout the United States. This executive order directs the National Invasive Species Council (NISC), a group of agencies joined in an EO made by President Clinton in 1999. Obama’s executive order identifies invasive species as a threat to “prosperity, security, and quality of life” in the United States. The platform states that invasive species “have negative impacts on the environment and natural resources, agriculture and food production systems, water resources, human, animal, and plant health, infrastructure, the economy, energy, cultural resources, and military readiness.” By issuing an executive order, President Obama is directing member agencies of the National Invasive Species Council in their continuing efforts to eradicate invasive species from our ecosystems.
President Obama’s EO expands the priorities addressed by the NISC to incorporate growing knowledge and understanding of health, climate change, and technology when managing invasive species today. The EO directs member agencies to consider the potential of invasive species to harbor or cause disease in humans, animals, and plants. This potential is only magnified by the impacts of climate change on the distribution and growth of invasive species. This executive order states that by utilizing technological innovation and collaboration amongst NISC members, invasive species can be better controlled and eradicated.
We at Refugia encounter invasive species in most of our projects, and work to eliminate them in favor of robust, native ecosystems, built to thrive and create a haven for humans and wildlife alike. We hope to be a part of the country’s efforts against invasive species, and are inspired by President Obama’s leadership in innovative thinking and environmental consciousness.
Follow the link to read President Obama’s executive order: https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/12/05/executive-order-safeguarding-nation-impacts-invasive-species