NPS Photo.
Who are the EPMTs?
One of the many ways the National Park Service (NPS) is combating invasive plants is through the Exotic Plant Management Team (EPMT) program, whose work provides support to approximately 290 national park units. For the past 18 years, teams have provided professional assistance directly to the parks, filling a much-needed gap in park expertise and assisting parks in preventing introductions of new species, reducing existing infestations, and restoring native plant communities and ecosystem functions.
The Biological Resources Division supports 15 EPMTs from coast to coast. Two more teams are funded through park base funding. EPMT liasons (team coordinators), EPMT data managers, EPMT field crew leaders, and EPMT field staff provide specialized scientific and technical assistance to and across all organizational levels of the NPS.
What do the EPMTs do?
Using multiple strategies, each team creates a work plan tailored to the needs of their partner parks, which may include:
- Cooperation and collaboration,
- Inventory and monitoring,
- Prevention,
- Early Detection and rapid response (EDRR)
- Treatment and control, and
- Restoration.
EPMTs work in a wide variety of ecosystems to target over 700 invasive plant species nationwide. The EPMT’s work in both urban and natural environments, ranging from park units within Washington DC to the Alaskan backcountry.
The EPMTs by Region
The 17 teams are work in national parks in all regions of the country. At times, their work may overlap or spread to extremely different geographical regions. Explore more below.
North Coast-Casacades Network Exotic Plant Managment Team
Contact:
Cheryl Decker, liaison
360-854-7336
e-mail us
Northern Rocky Mountain Exotic Plant Management Team
Contact:
Steven Bekedam, liaison
307-344-2185
e-mail us
California Exotic Plant Management Team
Contact:
Bobbi Simpson, liaison
415-464-5190
e-mail us
Contact:
Cheryl Decker, liaison
360-854-7336
e-mail us
Northern Rocky Mountain Exotic Plant Management Team
Contact:
Steven Bekedam, liaison
307-344-2185
e-mail us
California Exotic Plant Management Team
Contact:
Bobbi Simpson, liaison
415-464-5190
e-mail us
Great Lakes Exotic Plant Management Team
Contact:
Isaiah Messerly, liaison
715-483-229
e-mail us
Northern Great Plains Exotic Plant Management Team
Contact:
Brennan Hauk, liaison
605-341-2801
e-mail us
Heartland Network Exotic Plant Management Team
Contact:
Craig Young, terrestrial program manager
417-732-6438 x281
e-mail us
Jordan Bell, project manager
417-732-6438 x400
e-mail us
Contact:
Isaiah Messerly, liaison
715-483-229
e-mail us
Northern Great Plains Exotic Plant Management Team
Contact:
Brennan Hauk, liaison
605-341-2801
e-mail us
Heartland Network Exotic Plant Management Team
Contact:
Craig Young, terrestrial program manager
417-732-6438 x281
e-mail us
Jordan Bell, project manager
417-732-6438 x400
e-mail us
Southwest Exotic Plant Management Team
Contact:
Jeff Conn, liaison
520-400-1011
e-mail us
Lake Mead Exotic Plant Management Team
Contact:
Curt Deuser, liaison
702-293-8979
e-mail us
California Exotic Plant Management Team
Contact:
Bobbi Simpson, liaison
415-464-5190
e-mail us
Northern Rocky Mountain Exotic Plant Management Team
Contact:
Steven Bekedam, liaison
307-344-2185
e-mail us
Contact:
Jeff Conn, liaison
520-400-1011
e-mail us
Lake Mead Exotic Plant Management Team
Contact:
Curt Deuser, liaison
702-293-8979
e-mail us
California Exotic Plant Management Team
Contact:
Bobbi Simpson, liaison
415-464-5190
e-mail us
Northern Rocky Mountain Exotic Plant Management Team
Contact:
Steven Bekedam, liaison
307-344-2185
e-mail us
Northeast Exotic Plant Management Team
Contact:
Brian McDonnel, liaison
570-588-0534
e-mail us
Mid-Atlantic Exotic Plant Management Team
Contact:
Casey Reese, liaison
267-800-8503
e-mail us
National Capitol Region Exotic Plant Management Team
Contact:
Mark Frey, liaison
202-339-8317
e-mail us
Contact:
Brian McDonnel, liaison
570-588-0534
e-mail us
Mid-Atlantic Exotic Plant Management Team
Contact:
Casey Reese, liaison
267-800-8503
e-mail us
National Capitol Region Exotic Plant Management Team
Contact:
Mark Frey, liaison
202-339-8317
e-mail us
Southeast Exotic Plant Management Team
Contact:
Nancy D Dagley, liaison
828-407-5651
e-mail us
Florida and the Caribbean Exotic Plant Management Team
Contact:
Brian Lockwood, liaison
786-249-0073
e-mail us
Southeast Coast Exotic Plant Management Team
Contact:
Amorita Brackett, liasion
e-mail us
Gulf Coast Exotic Plant Management Team
Contact:
R. Dale McPherson, liaison
404-507-5795
e-mail us
Contact:
Nancy D Dagley, liaison
828-407-5651
e-mail us
Florida and the Caribbean Exotic Plant Management Team
Contact:
Brian Lockwood, liaison
786-249-0073
e-mail us
Southeast Coast Exotic Plant Management Team
Contact:
Amorita Brackett, liasion
e-mail us
Gulf Coast Exotic Plant Management Team
Contact:
R. Dale McPherson, liaison
404-507-5795
e-mail us
Pacific Island Exotic Plant Management Team
Jeremy Gooding
808-281-1542
Pacific Islands EPMT Liaison
e-mail us
Jeremy Gooding
808-281-1542
Pacific Islands EPMT Liaison
e-mail us
Exotic Plant Management Teams in Action
Last updated: March 7, 2019