The National Invasive Species Council defines an invasive species as “a species that is non-native to the ecosystem under consideration and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.” By overtaking and replacing native plants, invasive species disrupt natural ecosystem processes such as the hydrologic cycle (movement of water), nutrient cycling, wildfire regime, natural succession and soil conservation. This leads to ecological instability and decreased biodiversity, which in turn impacts wildlife and other species that may be dependent upon the local flora for food or habitat. As a result of these ecological impacts and also the economic impact invasive species have on industries, such as fishing and agriculture, it became apparent at the federal, state and local levels that policies and initiatives aimed to control invasive species are necessary and crucial. These policies also help ensure that our natural areas remain rich in native biodiversity, that lands are walkable, that agriculture is viable and that our waters are kept open for fishing, boating and swimming.
In 2003, the Central Pine Barrens Joint Planning and Policy Commission’s Protected Lands Council (after a long and thorough examination of ecological stressors that may impact the forest health of the Central Pine Barrens) ranked invasive plants and animals as the single biggest threat to the ecological health of the Central Pine Barrens. In order to combat and control invasive species, the Commission collaborates with the New York State Office of Invasive Species Coordination, which was established in 2007 to coordinate invasive species management efforts across the state. New York State created New York Invasive Species Information to serve as an electronic gateway to science-based information, breaking news and events, and innovative tools for coping with biological invaders in New York, which is also home to the National Aquatic Nuisance Species Clearinghouse Invasive Species Database of published aquatic invasive species research.
The Central Pine Barrens Commission has been significantly involved in programs and initiatives to combat invasive species in the Central Pine Barrens through its involvement in the Long Island Invasives Species Management Area which is one of eight New York State Partnerships for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISMs) created based on recommendations from the 2005 Invasive Species Task Force report to the Governor. LIISMA is a cooperative effort of many partners, including government agencies, conservation and research organizations, individuals and others interested in the management of invasive species in New York State. Aside from being an active participant, the Commission hosts several LIISMA meetings each year. Through partnerships with other agencies, the Commission has conducted invasive plant inventories, assessments and programs. In addition, Central Pine Barrens invasive species data has been consolidated into a centralized system which includes an invasive species database and an online, GIS-based mapping tool called iMapInvasives that was developed by New York State to serve the needs of invasive species managers throughout the State. 
In 2005, recognizing a compelling need for an assessment of the invasive plant threat to the Central Pine Barrens, the Commission decided to support a program to collect data to help guide efforts to protect critical habitats and other vulnerable Pine Barrens resources from invasive species. Data collection took place in 2006 and 2007. The Commission, The Nature Conservancy, and the Suffolk County Water Authority worked closely in the hiring, training and outfitting of two student interns who conducted field-intensive inventory and assessment work during the 2006 and 2007 growing seasons. With the additional support of federal, state, county, and local conservation land managers, the field crew surveyed and mapped occurrences of invasive terrestrial and aquatic plant species in most of the preserved lands within the Core Preservation Area. More than 430 miles of trails were inspected, spanning 42,600 acres of the Core Preservation Area. A total of 46 species of non-native invasive plants were identified. The results and maps were published in the 2006 Invasive Plant Inventory and Assessment Report and 2007 Invasive Plant Inventory and Assessment Report Addendum, which are available in our document library by selecting the category "invasives" along with related press releases for this work.
In 2007, Suffolk and Nassau Counties became the first counties in New York State to take a key step in slowing the spread of invasive species by outlawing the sale, transport, distribution and propagation of 63 invasive plant species that are included on a "Suffolk County Do Not Sell List". As part of a long-term invasive species management plan, this law is a major development in the fight against the spread of these species into our lands and waters. The ban on 56 of these species became effective January 1, 2009, but of these, only nine are widely sold commercially; the ban includes each plant’s cultivars. Suffolk County continues to implement its invasive species management efforts through its Suffolk County Water and Land Invasives Advisory Board, established in 2009.
In 2008, the Commission contracted with the Student Conservation Association's (SCA) Native Plant Corps to selectively remove invasive exotic plants from ten sites within the Central Pine Barrens during the growing season. This program was initiated and funded by the Commission, which collaborated with land management agencies to oversee these important ecological restoration projects. Working with hand tools during the growing season, the SCA's Native Plant Corps team removed high priority invasive species such as kudzu, black swallowwort, and mile-a-minute vine. The report, entitled Central Pine Barrens Commission Invasive Plant Management Program; Partnership with the Student Conservation Association and the related poster that was presented at the 2008 Pine Barrens Research Forum held at Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, New York, are available in our document library under the category "research forum".
The Commission continues to support and work with other agencies to combat invasive species that impact the Central Pine Barrens.
To learn more visit about the Commission's work to manage invasive species, visit our online document library.