News Release

Invasive Plant Management Plan Completed

Invasive, non-native plants cover approximately 1.4 million acres of National Park Service lands and waters, and are one of the most significant threats to native biodiversity.

National Park Service

News Release Date: September 6, 2018

Contact: Kate Kuykendall, 805-370-2343

Contact: Stassia Samuels (Redwood), 707-465-7784

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- The National Park Service has prepared a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) to complete its conservation planning process for the Redwood National Park and Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area Invasive Plant Management Plan Environmental Assessment (EA).

Invasive, non-native plants cover approximately 1.4 million acres of National Park Service lands and waters, and are one of the most significant threats to native biodiversity. Coastal California ecosystems, including those protected in Redwood National Park and Santa Monica National Recreation Area, are especially vulnerable to invasive species due to a mild climate that allows for a long growing season, a past history of extensive disturbance and development, and a road network that creates corridors for the movement of invasive species contribute to the establishment and spread of invasive plants.

The Invasive Plant Management Plan will allow managers at the parks to safeguard natural resources and cultural landscapes from the threats posed by non-native, invasive plants by providing an updated framework for activities such as:

● Prevention of new introductions of invasive plants
● Collaboration with stakeholders
● Prioritization of invasive plants targeted for control
● Invasive plant detection
● Invasive plant treatments
● Recordkeeping and monitoring
● Re-vegetation after treatment
● Adaptive management to address future threats 

The EA, FONSI, and other documents associated with the project are available on the NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment website at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/rs-inv-plants. 

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA) is the largest urban national park in the country, encompassing more than 150,000 acres of mountains and coastline in Ventura and Los Angeles counties. A unit of the National Park Service, it comprises a seamless network of local, state, and federal parks interwoven with private lands and communities. As one of only five Mediterranean ecosystems in the world, SMMNRA preserves the rich biological diversity of more than 450 animal species and 26 distinct plant communities.

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