Sign: Brush Your Boots

Sign: Brush Your Boots

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Protect your park from invasive, nonnative species by cleaning your boots, clothing, and gear.

Use the nearby brushes to remove soil, seeds, and other material from your boots. Clean your clothing and gear before boarding to prevent the introduction of invasive, nonnative species and protect island species.

Nonnative species are plants and animals that originate elsewhere and are brought into a new area where they can harm native plants and animals, damage food crops, and spread disease at an estimated cost of $138 billion in economic damage each year in the United States.

Nearly half of the endangered plants and animals in the United States have been impacted by nonnative species. Plants and animals living on islands are especially vulnerable to extinction due to their small populations, limited range, and lack of genetic variability. Unique island species like the island fox and Santa Rosa Island paintbrush have been pushed to the brink of extinction by nonnative species.

Everyone who visits this national park plays an important role in preventing the introduction and spread of nonnative species. Each year botanists find new weeds on the islands that have been accidentally introduced. By brushing your boots and cleaning your clothing and gear, you can become part of the solution.

Please help protect your park.