Invasive Plants

A plant that has been introduced, intentionally or passively, to a new geographical area is non-native, but not necessarily invasive. Invasive plant species display particular characteristics like fast growth, high seed production, and rapid maturation that—when combined with a lack of the natural predators and diseases that help control them in their native environment—allow them to rapidly grow and spread, overwhelming and displacing native vegetation. National parks in the San Francisco Bay Area are crucial natural refuges in a largely developed area. Invasive plants threaten these sanctuaries by permeating the landscape, altering ecosystem processes, and deteriorating habitat for many native plants and animals, including rare, threatened, and endangered species.

Long-term Monitoring

Being near developed areas also means that the parks are subject to a continuous barrage of non-native and invasive species growing nearby. Managing this constant stream of invaders is a daunting task. The San Francisco Bay Area Network Early Detection Program focuses on identifying, mapping, and eradicating the most invasive plant species before they become wide-spread. Since early detection began in 2008, NPS staff, interns and volunteers have mapped more than 5,000 priority invasive plant populations over more than 1,000 miles of roads and trails.