Stinkwort is one such species that has spread rapidly along roadsides in California, but early detection and rapid response efforts by multiple agencies have kept it at bay.
NPS / Sarah Inman
Plants that are able to spread quickly and outcompete native plant species are called invasive plants. Plants that are introduced to an area by humans are more likely to become invasive than native plants, as the ecosystem has not co-evolved checks and balances for these introduced plants.
Invasive plants threaten ecosystems when they push out native plants, as loss of native plants can reduce food and shelter for native wildlife. Invasive plant species can also take over waterways, trails, and landscapes, and can be a nuisance for people enjoying the outdoors. Some invasive plants can also increase fire fuel loads, increasing the fire danger to nearby communities.
Understanding these serious threats, the park is working to remove invasive plants and restore areas with native plant species. Once established, native plants help restore the natural balance and proper function of ecosystems. If you would like to help with invasive plant removal or native plant restoration, visit our volunteer page.
Invasive Plant Monitoring
The San Francisco Bay Area Inventory & Monitoring Network conducts surveys for invasive plants at John Muir National Historic Site with the goal of detecting invasive species before they spread widely. Explore the links below for more information.
Locations:Golden Gate National Recreation Area, John Muir National Historic Site, Muir Woods National Monument, Pinnacles National Park, Point Reyes National Seashore, Presidio of San Francisco
Offices:San Francisco Bay Area Inventory & Monitoring Network
Meet GIS Intern Shea Nolan, get a peek at post-field season indoor botany, and test your invasive species ID skills in this fall-winter issue. Also catch invasive species profiles of two grassland troublemakers, Bromus tectorum and Rytidosperma penicillatum, and a native species profile on the charming redwood forest floor groundcover Oxalis oregana.
Locations:Golden Gate National Recreation Area, John Muir National Historic Site, Pinnacles National Park, Point Reyes National Seashore
Offices:San Francisco Bay Area Inventory & Monitoring Network
Meet Lisa Schomaker, botanist for the San Francisco Bay Area Inventory & Monitoring Network. Discover how Lisa cultivated an early love of the outdoors into a career studying plant communities in national parks. Plus, get Lisa's perspective on what it's like to monitor the diverse ecosystems of the San Francisco Bay Area!
Locations:Golden Gate National Recreation Area, John Muir National Historic Site, Point Reyes National Seashore, Presidio of San Francisco
Offices:San Francisco Bay Area Inventory & Monitoring Network
This July, the Invasive Species Early Detection team mapped invasive plants at John Muir National Historic Site and at Rancho Corral de Tierra and the Presidio of San Francisco in Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Yellow star thistle, Algerian sea lavendar, and Oppositeleaf Russian thistle emerged as noteworthy early detections. Meanwhile, the Plant Community Monitoring team surveyed freshwater marsh plots and shine a spotlight on the ecological benefits of poison oak.
Locations:Golden Gate National Recreation Area, John Muir National Historic Site, Muir Woods National Monument, Pinnacles National Park, Point Reyes National Seashore
Offices:San Francisco Bay Area Inventory & Monitoring Network
The 2019 issue of Early Detection News is now available. Brought to you by the Invasive Species Early Detection (ISED) Program, this newsletter has the latest on invasive plants in the Bay Area. In 2019, surveys took place between March and October at Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Point Reyes National Seashore, John Muir National Historic Site, and Pinnacles National Park.
Locations:Golden Gate National Recreation Area, John Muir National Historic Site, Pinnacles National Park, Point Reyes National Seashore
Offices:San Francisco Bay Area Inventory & Monitoring Network
The Invasive Species Early Detection Team (ISED) conducted surveys in 2019 at Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GOGA), Point Reyes National Seashore(PORE), John Muir National Historic Site (JOMU), and Pinnacles National Park (PINN). Noteworthy detections this year included yellow star thistle and purple star thistle at GOGA, poroporo and Jimson weed at PORE, cheat grass and smilo grass at PINN, and stinkwort at JOMU.
Locations:John Muir National Historic Site, Point Reyes National Seashore
The July 2018 issue of Early Detection News is now available. Brought to you by the Invasive Species Early Detection (ISED) Program, this newsletter has the latest on invasive plants in the Bay Area. Get the highlights here.
Locations:John Muir National Historic Site, Point Reyes National Seashore
Offices:Inventory and Monitoring Division
The Invasive Species Early Detection Team (ISED) conducted July surveys at Point Reyes National Seashore and John Muir National Historic Site. Noteworthy detections this month included yellow star thistle, small leaf spiderwort, mourningbride, and poroporo.
Locations:Golden Gate National Recreation Area, John Muir National Historic Site, Pinnacles National Park, Point Reyes National Seashore
Invasive Species Early Detection (ISED) team surveys began in April. They will be concentrated at Point Reyes National Seashore this year, with some additional work at Pinnacles National Park and John Muir National Historic Site.
Locations:Golden Gate National Recreation Area, John Muir National Historic Site, Pinnacles National Park, Point Reyes National Seashore
Offices:Inventory and Monitoring Division
The Invasive Plant Species Early Detection Monitoring team completed surveys for the 2017 field season in the San Francisco Bay Area. Several noteworthy species were detected this month including the spiny plumeless thistle, poroporo, black locust, common cocklebur, and stinkwort.