What impacts do noxious weeds have?
Noxious weeds reduce crop yields, destroy native plant and animal habitat, damage recreational opportunities, lower land values, create erosion problems and fire hazards, and poison humans and livestock. According to the Oregon Invasive Species Council, next to habitat lost to land development and transformation, invasive species pose the greatest threat to the survival of native biota in the United States and many other areas of the world. With an estimated increase of 3 million acres of new infestations each year adding to the already infested 100 million acres in North America, it is no wonder that attempts to prevent, detect, control, and contain these plants are frequently portrayed as a ” biological wildfire”. However, unlike a wildfire, the negative impacts of noxious weeds are often permanent.
Related Questions
- What are the risks of the introduction and/or spread of noxious weeds within the Last Chance treatment areas and what plans does the Forest Service have to combat noxious weeds?
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- What impacts do noxious weeds have?
