GREENWAYS & NATURAL LANDS

Exotic Plant Management

Invasive Exotic Plants
According to the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council (FLEPPC), the spread of invasive exotic plants is second only to direct habitat destruction in creating adverse effects on Florida 's natural habitats! Nuisance exotic plant species out-compete native flora thus reducing the amount of forage and cover for our native wildlife. In order to protect our wild and natural areas, the State of Florida spends millions of dollars every year to control the spread of exotics. In addition to threatening our natural areas, recreation and even commerce are compromised. In the early 1900’s shipping was almost halted on the St. Johns River due to water hyacinths choking the river! Even today, boating on some lakes would be impossible if it were not for expensive chemical treatments of hydrilla.

How to Get In-Depth Information
Thanks to the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council (FLEPPC) and the Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP’s) Bureau of Invasive Plant Management, there is always good information on the invasive exotic plants in Florida and cutting edge information on how to control them. The FLEPPC has created two categories of major invasive exotics that correlate with the degree to which they out-compete native species. Category I species are known to invade and disrupt native plant communities in Florida. This definition does not rely on the economic severity or geographic range of the problem, but on the documented ecological damage caused. Category II species have shown a potential to disrupt native plant communities. These species may become ranked as Category I, but have not yet demonstrated disruption of natural Florida communities. 

The latest list of invasive plants can be found at the FLEPPC web site.

Management of Exotic Plants
There are no easy ways to detect and control nuisance exotic plant infestations. It takes vigilant observation by all of the Natural Lands staff. In addition, many of our volunteers have learned to spot these exotics and pass the information on to us. Once detected, there are a variety of control techniques ranging from hand pulling to chemical treatments. Once an area is treated, follow-up monitoring is necessary in order to prevent re-infestation.

What Can You Do To Help?
Look at your yard to see if you have Category I or II species in your landscape. Just because you may not live next to a conservation area, doesn’t mean that seeds and spores can’t spread! Consider how many nuisance exotic camphor tree seeds are eaten by birds and then “deposited” miles away! Wind blown spores of the voracious Japanese climbing fern can spread for great distances as well. If you have nuisance exotic plant species, consider replacing them with native plants. The Florida Native Plant Society (fnps.org) is an excellent resource to get information on the benefits and availability of native plants.

What's Hot
The DEP’s Bureau of Invasive Plant Management has a program in place to provide assistance to local and state governments and agencies for the control of upland Category I or II species on federal conservation lands. This is one of the most aggressive campaigns in the state to not only educate, but also provide financial assistance to land managers. The way the program works is via a series of working groups, which collectively represent the entire state. Seminole County is a member of the East Central Florida Upland Invasive Plant Working Group. Through the working group, information is shared regarding control of exotic upland plants on strategies and methods, and the nuisance exotic plant grant program is implemented.

For more information on how to join the working group, click here. 

If you have any questions regarding exotic species in Seminole County,  please contact our office at (407) 349-0551.