Terrestrial Invasive Plant Rule Now In Force
Our new Indiana Terrestrial Invasive Plant Rule (TPR) became enforceable April 18, 2020. This fact sheet contains information on how the rule impacts each of us and how to report infestations of invasive plants or violations of the rule.
The rule is a significant milestone and tool in our toolbox to help foster healthy lands and waters that support insects, birds, other wildlife and of course us.
In order to protect and manage our wonderful green spaces (our parks, preserves, forests, etc.) we need to manage invasive terrestrial plants. Part of management is to avoid planting an invasive plant, hence the terrestrial plant rule.
In order to manage our green spaces effectively we need to also be able to identify invasive plants, report them to assess damage and work collaboratively to control them, and use native plants appropriately to help our lands and waters heal.
We have the following tools to help us effectively manage invasive plants:
The Indiana Invasive Initiative (III) project – please see this CISMA-RS Map to contact your Regional Specialist (RS).
The new terrestrial invasive plant field guide to help identify species in the TPR (the guide will be available online soon at the three web sites listed below)
The GLEDN app to report invasive species (you can download this app to your phone and report onsite)
Best Management Practices to help us decrease transportation of invasive species
- Invasive plant brochures and fact sheets
- Native plant brochures
- Native Plant website with lists of nurseries that sell native plants
- A list of contractors to help with invasive plant management
- Presentations
- And more….
Please check out the following links to find all of the resources listed above (Pls be patient with us – it’s a large document and will take us a day or two to get it loaded on the three websites)
www.indianainvasivespecies.org
There are tool kits and resources at each of these websites. Please take a moment to peruse the sites. They have a wealth of information to include links to our DNR and Purdue Ext resources. You will find your regional specialist and local Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA) information listed at the SICIM website. Your local CISMAs and Regional Specialists are a wealth of information when it comes to invasive species issues in Indiana. If you live in a county that does not have a Regional Specialist assigned to it, contact any of one of them and they will help you. We offer free landowner surveys so reach out and contact your RS for a free survey.
I want to let you know that DNR Division of Entomology and Plant Pathology (DEPP) is celebrating Invasive Species Awareness Week starting Sunday. Together we will be blogging daily on the Indianainvasivespecies.org website and sharing that information through the Regional Specialists, Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas, and with other partners like INDOT. Content will include invasive plants to avoid or manage, native alternatives and provide other facts about invasive species. I hope you will look for the posts.
Lastly, I hope you will consider purchasing a t-shirt to support our conservation work.
Order your Indiana Invasives Initiative T-shirt and help us spread the word about how invasive plants diminish the natural beauty and productivity of Indiana! All proceeds and donations go to SICIM in support of the Indiana Invasives Initiative.
On the front of the shirt, the welcoming phrase “Ask Me About Invasive Plants” is a great way to start a conversation and raise awareness. The illustrations on the back depict 3 common invasive plant threats to Indiana (garlic mustard, Asian bush honeysuckle, and Callery pear) with the names of 10 “Most Unwanted Invasive Plants” listed below.
The Indiana Invasives Initiative is a partnership between Southern Indiana Cooperative Invasives Management (SICIM) & the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) to manage invasive plants and raise public awareness. The Indiana Invasives Initiative collaborates with local partners in every county to develop sustainable Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas (CISMAs) to build capacity for the health of our lands and waters across the state.
Order online at: https://www.bonfire.com/indianinvasivesinitiative/
Please spread the news and have a great weekend.
Sincerely,
Your Invasive Species Team
| Dawn R. Slack Director of StewardshipChair, Invasive Plant Advisory CommitteeProject Coordinator, Indiana Invasives Initiative, SICIMdawn.slack@tnc.org(317) 829-3807 (office) |
The Nature Conservancy In Indiana
Efroymson Conservation Center |