414.0 Purpose

This directive sets forth the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) policy and requirements regarding invasive species. This policy provides direction and guidance for agency actions related to preventing the introduction of invasive species, managing existing invasive species and minimizing economic, ecological, and human health impacts that invasive species may cause.

414.1 Background

A. On February 3, 1999, former President Clinton signed Executive Order 13112, “Invasive Species,” directing Federal agencies to “prevent the introduction of invasive species and provide for their control and to minimize the economic, ecological and human health impacts that invasive species cause.” The National Invasive Species Council (NISC) and Invasive Species Advisory Committee (ISAC) were formed to define how and to ensure that this Executive Order would be carried out. See http://www.invasivespecies.gov/laws/execorder.shtml for further information. As the initial response to this Executive Order, the NISC and ISAC developed a National Invasive Species Management Plan (NISMP), posted at http://www.invasivespecies.gov/council/nmp.shtml, to focus upon terrestrial and aquatic invasive plants, animals, and microbial organisms that cause or may cause significant negative impacts and do not provide an equivalent benefit to society. NRCS is using the NISMP and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) policy for noxious weed management (published January 18, 1990, and available at http://www.ocio.usda.gov/directives/dr/DR9500-010.htm) as the basis for developing the NRCS national invasive species policy.

B. Invasive species are reducing the economic productivity and ecological integrity of our nation’s lands and waters. The rate of introduction of such species has risen markedly in recent years with costs to society growing commensurately. Invasive species harm noninvasive native species and their habitats, renewable resources, and diminish productive capacity of agricultural lands including forestlands, rangelands, and pasturelands. They may negatively impact a wide variety of human activities and needs. The threat to ecosystem health in the United States is particularly acute because there are more relatively intact ecosystems in the continuous U.S. than in most temperate countries.

414.2 Authorities

Authorities include the following:

(1) Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act of 1935, as amended, 16 U.S.C. 590a–590f, 590q.

(2) Bankhead–Jones Farm Tenant Act of 1937, as amended, 7 U.S.C. 1000 and 1010–1011.

(3) National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 4321- 4347.

(4) Federal Noxious Weed Act of 1974, as amended, 7 U.S.C. 2814.

(5) Soil and Water Resources Conservation Act of 1977, as amended, 16 U.S.C. 2001 – 2009.

(6) The Food Security Act of 1985, as amended, 16 U.S.C. 3801–3862.

(7) Invasive Species Executive Order 13112, dated February 3, 1999.

(8) USDA Policy of Noxious Weed Management, Departmental Regulation 9500–010, January 18, 1990.

414.3 Definitions

A. Control – Appropriate management actions taken to minimize the spread and size of an invasive species’ population. These actions include eradicating, suppressing, reducing, or managing populations of invasive species, preventing spread of invasive species from areas where they are present, and taking steps such as restoration of native species and habitats to reduce the effects of invasive species and to prevent further invasions.

B. Ecosystem – The complex of a community of organisms and its environment.

C. Introduction – The intentional or unintentional escape, release, dissemination, or placement of a species into an ecosystem as a result of human activity. “Introduced” is not synonymous and should not be confused with the term “invasive.”

D. Invasive species – Those species whose introduction does, or is likely to, cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.

E. Native species – With respect to a particular ecosystem, a species that, other than as a result of an introduction, historically occurred or currently occurs in that ecosystem.

F. Non-native species – Within a particular ecosystem, any species – including its seeds, eggs, spores, or other biological material capable of propagating that species – that is not native to that ecosystem.

G. Noxious weeds – Those plant species designated as such by the Secretary of Agriculture, Secretary of the Interior, or by State law or regulation. Generally, noxious weeds will possess one or more of the characteristics of being aggressive and difficult to manage, parasitic, a carrier or host of deleterious insects or disease, and being non-native, new to, or not common to the United States or parts thereof.

H. Pest – A weed, insect, disease, animal, or other organism (including invasive and noninvasive species) that directly or indirectly causes damage or annoyance by destroying food and fiber products, causing structural damage, or creating a poor environment for other organisms.

I. Restoration – Activities taken following a natural or human-caused landscape disturbance (e.g., the removal of an invasive species population) to begin bringing the landscape back to its natural condition.

J. Species – A group of organisms which have a high degree of physical and genetic similarity, which generally breed only among themselves, which show persistent differences from members of allied groups of organisms, and which produce viable offspring.

414.10 Guidance and Policy Requirements

A. Guidance and requirements in this Subpart are applicable to all NRCS technical and financial assistance involving invasive species and will be followed by all NRCS employees when providing such assistance.

B. Technical Service Providers and other non-NRCS employees will use these invasive species policy requirements when assisting clients with conservation activities for which NRCS has technical and/or financial responsibility.

414.11 NRCS Roles

The roles of NRCS concerning invasive species include the following actions:

(1) Adhering to goals and purposes of the NISMP.

(2) Following and supporting all Tribal, State, and local laws regarding invasive species in the course of giving technical and financial assistance and implementing conservation practices.

(3) Considering environmental, social, cultural and economic conditions when recommending management options for invasive species.

(4) Encouraging the use of native species for a given location and conservation practice in correlation with restoration or containment goals, as for example, ecological site descriptions or other agency-established land-use type classifications.

(5) Evaluating, developing, and/or recommending noninvasive, non-native species in order to meet both the agronomic and conservation objectives of our clientele when native species will not support the conservation needs.

(6) Using NRCS programs, when appropriate, to help private landowners recognize, inventory, and control invasive species.

(7) Working with NRCS experts and partners in order to better understand invasiveness thresholds and potential social, economic and/or environmental threats.

(8) Preparing and maintaining management plans, technical notes and guides reflecting management of invasive species, and adding timely and pertinent information to the Plant Materials Program national Web site (http://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/), the PLANTS database (http://plants.usda.gov/), and other appropriate databases.

(9) Recognizing that many introduced species are not invasive, and that some of these are among the best plants for conservation, forage production, and agronomic purposes.

(10) Recognizing that NRCS staffs are likely to be among the first professionals to see or hear of existing or potential species invasions due to the NRCS interface with private landowners. While making certain to protect client confidentiality, this connection must be used wisely in working with landowners to manage their invasive species concerns to prevent these invasive species from spreading.

414.12 Partnerships

NRCS encourages partnerships with other Federal, Tribal, State, and local governments and nongovernmental organizations to:

(1) Share information and address invasive species issues impacting ecosystem health and quality of life.

(2) Provide public education on invasive species identification and management.

(3) Achieve local goals for controlling invasive species.

(4) Create Tribal, State, and regional lists of invasive terrestrial and aquatic plant and animal species, and prioritize these species in such a way as to reflect the degree of threat to human, environmental, and economic health.

414.20 USDA Officials

USDA officials are to follow USDA policy regarding noxious weed management (http://www.usda.gov/directives/files/dr/DR9500-010.pdf), the Executive Order 13112 (http://www.invasivespecies.gov/laws/execorder.shtml), and the Federal National Invasive Species Management Plan (http://www.invasivespecies.gov/council/nmp.shtml).

414.21 NRCS National Headquarters Officials

A. The Chief is responsible for ensuring that NRCS implements this policy.

B. The Deputy Chief for Science and Technology, under the general direction of the Chief, is responsible for:

(1) Representing the Chief on national committees and ad hoc groups concerned with invasive species.

(2) Coordinating with other Federal agencies in the establishment, application and use of an Invasive Species Management Program approach for the control and containment of invasive species.

(3) Establishing standards and programs for invasive species management training.

C. The Director of the Ecological Sciences Division is responsible for:

(1) Providing national leadership for invasive species management through the NRCS budget process.

(2) Developing appropriate national program directives.

(3) Providing input regarding invasive species to NRCS program managers and those charged with implementing farm and conservation legislation.

(4) Maintaining intimate involvement with the activities described in Subpart B, Policy, particularly through encouraging the use of native plants and the development of native plant species alternatives when necessary.

(5) Providing overall agency information exchange and coordination on invasive species issues.

D. The Director of the National Plant Data Center, under the direction of the Director, Ecological Sciences Division, is responsible for upgrading the NRCS plants database (PLANTS) with useful information about plants that are invasive and providing appropriate materials (e.g., plant fact sheets, identification guides) for invasive plants.

414.22 Reserved

414.23 NRCS State and Pacific Basin Area and Caribbean Area Officials

State Conservationists and Directors of the Pacific Basin and Caribbean Areas are responsible for:

(1) Ensuring the field personnel maintain compliance with this policy and monitor and report on compliance, as required, according to NRCS procedures.

(2) Providing training, guidance and assistance to field personnel regarding invasive species management.

(3) Ensuring that all conservation plans and contracts, where relevant, contain appropriate clauses concerning the prevention, spread, and management of invasive species.

(4) Updating the NRCS Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG) and electronic FOTG (eFOTG) (http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/efotg/).

(5) Participating in State (and equivalent) rapid-response teams and efforts.

(6) Joining with Federal, Tribal, State, and local officials and the State Technical Committee in a multidisciplinary approach to compiling State and regional invasive species lists.

(7) Staying abreast of State and local species of concern.

414.24 NRCS Plant Materials Centers Officials

A. Plant Materials Specialists, under the direction of State Conservationists, are to:

(1) Provide agency leadership through field plantings and conservation field trials in the States served, and through day-to-day provision of conservation technical assistance to field office personnel, which includes helping to solve or mitigate invasive species concerns and encouraging the use of native species, and;

(2) Work through State Plant Materials Committees to identify potential and existing invasive species problems and potential solutions to be tested, with particular focus upon the evaluation and use of native plant species.

B. Plant Materials Centers Managers, under the direction of the State Conservationists, are to:

(1) Maintain involvement with the activities described in Subpart B, Policy;

(2) Provide agency leadership on invasive species control and management through Plant Materials Centers studies, literature reviews, and cooperation with other research groups, and;

(3) Ensure shipments of plant materials are in compliance with Federal, State, and county laws relative to invasive plants.

414.25 NRCS Field Office (and equivalent) Officials

NRCS Field Office technical leaders (e.g., District Conservationists and Team Leaders), as participants in team or partnership efforts, are to:

A. Participate in local efforts with State (and equivalent) and county agency officials, user groups, and landowners/managers in preventing, controlling, containing, performing outreach and monitoring efforts related to the management of invasive species;

B. Take an active role in development of informational materials such as posters and brochures and awareness/prevention programs;

C. Work with our partners within the locally-led process, and with State technical committees to establish local priorities regarding invasive species;

D. Provide assistance to local weed management entities and other invasive species groups;

E. Assist with inventories, monitoring, detection, and evaluation efforts on private lands as an integral part of the conservation planning process, and

F. Inform landowners and managers of the presence of invasive species and provide appropriate conservation technical assistance to address issues.

414.26 All NRCS Employees

At all organizational levels, NRCS employees are to incorporate identification and control of invasive species into the agency planning process described in the National Planning Procedures Handbook available through the NRCS e-Directives Web site at http://policy.nrcs.usda.gov/, thus enhancing NRCS’ expertise concerning plants and animals.