The rise of biological invasions by harmful exotic species of plants and animals is a growing and very real problem. Exotic species — organisms that evolved in one area of the world that now occur in other areas — are becoming increasingly worrisome. One reason behind the worry is that we, humans, are the major intentional and/or unwitting agent of transportation for these marauding plants and animals.

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is one of many public agencies and private organizations working to confront this problem. Its research staff has been identifying the scope and spread of invasives in our region. The Wildflower Center is also facilitating collaborations among local, state and national entities involved in invasive species monitoring and management.

Invaders National Program
A new national pilot program, Invaders, developed by a consortium of Botanic Gardens, Natural History Museums, Zoos, and Aquaria in partnership with Sea Studios Foundation, National Geographic and Vulcan Productions was launched on April 20 when National Geographic's Strange Days on Planet Earth TV series premiered its opening episode about invaders on PBS.

The first Invaders program, Invaders of the Sonoran Desert Region, was developed by the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (ASDM) with Sea Studios Foundation, National Geographic, and Vulcan Productions. Following field-testing this spring, the Resource Kit created at ASDM will be distributed throughout the nation through a consortium of zoos, aquaria, and botanical gardens who will train volunteers in their own local areas to become part of this national effort.

You can develop an Invaders EDR program at your institution. To find out more about the ASDM Resource Kit, email Tani Hubbard, Invaders Program Manager.

Early Detection and Reporting
The Invaders Program is an innovative campaign whereby volunteer "citizen scientists" are trained using a specially developed Invasive Species Early Detection and Reporting Kit. With this kit, volunteers can help detect invaders' arrival and dispersal in their own local areas. They can deliver that information into a national database and to those who can do something about it. The premise is simple. The more trained eyes watching for invasives, the better our chances of lessening or avoiding damage to our native landscape. Following field-testing this spring at the Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum, the kit will be distributed throughout the nation to a consortium of zoos, aquaria, and botanical gardens who will train volunteers in their own local areas to become part of the National Invaders Program.

The Early Detection and Reporting (EDR) Initiative supports the creation and perpetuation of a network of local citizen scientist teams who seek out and report outbreaks of selected environmentally and economically harmful invasive species. These teams, coordinated by Strange Days consortium partners, will contribute important data to local and national resource managers who will, in turn, coordinate appropriate responses to control the spread of unwanted invaders. The Invaders EDR Initiative is designed to move the target audience beyond awareness to action on invasive species.

Current Program Partners

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower
Missouri Botanical Garden
New England Aquarium
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
Woodland Park Zoo