Transcript Florida Invasive Species Partnership: Managing Invasive Species Across Boundaries in Florida Kristina Serbesoff-King Invasive Species Program Manager Florida Chapter, The Nature Conservancy -on behalf of Florida Invasive.

Florida Invasive Species
Partnership:
Managing Invasive Species Across
Boundaries in Florida
Kristina Serbesoff-King
Invasive Species Program Manager
Florida Chapter, The Nature Conservancy
-on behalf of Florida Invasive Species Partnership (FISP)
Becoming
F.I.S.P.
Invasive Species Working Group
• 2001 Invasive Species Working Group
– Represent state agencies and other cooperators
– Create one strategic plan for prevention and
management of all biological invasions in Florida
• 2005 Private Land Incentive Sub-working Group
– Create partnership between public land managers,
resource managers and private land managers
– Assume no “one size fits all” approach will work
• 2008 The Florida Invasive Species Partnership
– Maintain same partnership focus
FISP’s Mission - Public/Private
Partnership Is the Only Way
60% of
Florida is
privately
owned
Publicly managed
areas
Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of partnership
approaches to preventing and controlling invasives species
through increased communication, coordination and shared
resources in order to protect wildlife habitat, working lands,
natural communities and biodiversity in Florida.
Challenges
• Public land managers
– Limited funds
– Limited staff or authority to “cross
the fenceline”
– Limited ability to assist their neighbors
with invasive species control
• Private land incentives administrators
– Provide information about the programs
they administer
– Unaware of other options that might be
advantageous to the landowner
• Private landowners
– Not receiving all the available information
– Lose interest
FISP mutual agreement
Partners of FISP recognize that if landowners and
land managers in Florida wish to achieve longterm success with regards to reducing the threat of
invasive, non-native species, it is critical to:
– Reach out and collaborate with all stakeholders,
including private landowners.
– Focus on holistic management of invasive species,
which includes prevention, early detection/rapid
response, control and applied research.
FISP Goals
Think Locally - Act Neighborly
1. Increase effectiveness and
decrease costs by working
together.
2. Provide tools to develop a
unified approach and bridge the
gap between landowners’ and
land management agency
efforts.
3. Encourage development,
implementation and sharing of
new and innovative
approaches.
FISP Objectives
• Develop and maintain a matrix of existing incentive
programs that can be used for invasive species management
on public and private lands.
• Establish and maintain an interactive website at
www.floridainvasives.org that will host the incentive matrix;
provide links to specific information to address and resolve
problems in regards to invasive species and serve as a
central clearinghouse for invasive species partnership efforts.
• Promote and participate in partnerships and collaborative
efforts to address invasive species on statewide, regional and
local levels (i.e., Cooperative Invasive Species
Management Areas (CISMAs).
• Provide targeted outreach and training to foster innovative
approaches to invasive species management in Florida.
FISP Accomplishments
• FISP represented at over 25 meetings/conferences
within Florida and Nationally since 2008
– Receiving increased interest from other agencies such as
National Park Service, US Forest Service, Florida Natural Areas
Inventory and others, asking: What can we do?
• Hired FISP database and outreach coordinator
– Updates and manages Incentive Program Matrix
• FISP articles written for multiple publications
– Wildland Weeds, Conservation Forestry Handbook, Forest
Stewardship Newsletter
• Developed FloridaInvasives.org – hosts the Matrix
• Continuing to foster the development of CISMAs and
hosting monthly online meetings for CISMAs
The website
The “Matrix”
Fields available in Matrix
Includes federal programs – w/specific information on Florida
Includes non-profit programs
Goal to update
quarterly so you
contact the right
person the 1st time!
FISP Accomplishments
• FDOT Voluntary Codes of Conduct
– Increased statewide awareness and understanding of
invasive plants at all levels within DOT
• Training on invasive plant identification for employees,
consultants and contractors
• Phase out use of FLEPPC Category I and II plants
• Encourage plant nurseries to increase availability of noninvasive plants
– DOT Participates in FISP and CISMAs
• FWC Invasive Plant Management Section
(IPMS) provided plant ID decks to FDOT and
county DOT (as part of DACS Cogongrass
Initiative)
• FWC IPMS supporting FNAI mapping of DOT
borrow pits (July 2009)
FISP Developments
• CISMA websites
• Resolution between all FISP
partners
• Informational Posters
• “In Service” Trainings
• FWC-IPMS responding to
CISMA requests:
– Decontamination Protocol for
Pesticide Applicators in
Florida
– Procedures for spraying near
organic farms
– Homeowner disposal of
invasive plants
CISMAs
Crossing Boundaries, Meeting Challenges
Cooperative Invasive Spp. Management Areas
a partnership of federal,
state, and local
government agencies,
tribes, individuals and
various interested groups
that manage invasive
species in a defined area
Everglades CISMA – Joint Work Day
Cropping Up in Florida 2007-2009
Creating Websites for
CISMAs in Florida
Timeline:
• CISMAs to have website content
info submitted end of March 09
• CISMA websites up by June 09
• “How to Create a CISMA
Website” guide completed end of
2009 w/downloadable template
Invasive Species know NO
boundaries – Do we?
Necessary ingredients for long-term success:
•
Multiple agencies and
organizations in partnership
•
Involve private landowners
and interests
•
Recognize differences and
commonalities in missions
•
Conservation leverage
Key ISTF – Python patrol training
COOPERATION is the key to successful, long-term management
of invasive species!