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Round goby (Neogobius melanostomus)

What is an invasive species? The Executive Summary of the National Invasive Species Management Plan defines an invasive species as “a species that is non-native to the ecosystem under consideration and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.” This definition was adopted in the 2005 Final Report of the NYS Invasive Species Task Force. The Task Force refined the definition stating that to be considered “invasive”, a non-native species‛ harm must significantly outweigh any benefits.

Why should New Yorkers care about invasive species? Invasive species affect the lives of all New Yorkers and we pay a significant price to deal with them. Invasive species damage our crops and infrastructure, cause power failures and food and water shortages, harm the environment, and cause human and livestock diseases. For example, controlling Asian longhorned beetles in New York City and Long Island has cost between $13 million and $40 million per year since 1996. Zebra mussels have caused hundreds of millions of dollars worth of damage in the Great Lakes since their introduction in 1988.

Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis)

What other invasive species are in New York? Some of the species already having a major impact on NY include: round gobies, Asian shore crabs, Phragmites (the common reed), Eurasian watermilfoil, Japanese knotweed, garlic mustard, mile a minute vine, purple loosestrife, water chestnut, viral hemorrhagic fever (a fish disease) and West Nile virus. Scores more are just on our doorstep. [See the species list in the left hand navigation bar of this website.]

Japanese Knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum)

Mute Swan (Cygnus Color)

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