About Us

Goals & Terminology

• THE GOALS OF THE ISWG ARE TO:
  1. Facilitate communication and the exchange of information among members of The Wildlife Society interested in invasive species management.
  2. Enhance knowledge and technical capabilities of wildlife professionals in the area of invasive species management.
  3. Increase public awareness and understanding of invasive species management issues and decision-making processes.
• TERMINOLOGY:

  Not everyone has a working definition for some of the term invasive species researchers use in their everyday work. Here are just a few to help get everyone up to speed.

  INVASIVE SPECIES:

  with regard to a particular ecosystem, a non-native organism whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm, or harm to human well-being.

  NOXIOUS: 

  species designated by a state or other political entity as being so detrimental to environmental or economic interests that landowners must take action to control them.

  NATIVE: 

  evolved naturally in a particular area. That area may be as small as a watershed or as large as a continent.

  EXOTIC: 

  a species that spread from its native range to an area where it did not naturally occur. Frequently human actions were responsible for the spread to new areas.

  FERAL:

  a domesticated species which escaped captivity and reverted back to its wild condition.