Thinking Locally
Acting Neighborly:
Managing Invasive Species Across
Boundaries in Florida
Kristina Serbesoff-King
Invasive Species Program Manager
Florida Chapter, The Nature Conservancy
-on behalf of Florida Invasive Species Partnership (FISP)
FISP’s Mission - Public/Private
Partnership Is the Only Way
60% of
Florida is
privately
owned
Publicly managed
areas
Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of preventing and
controlling invasive non-native species through partnering to
increase communication, coordination and use of shared
resources in order to protect wildlife habitat, working agricultural
and forest lands, natural communities and biodiversity in Florida.
Challenges
• Public land managers
– Limited funds
– Limited staff or authority to “cross
the fenceline”
– Limited ability to assist their neighbors
with invasive species control
• Private land incentives administrators
– Provide information about the programs
they administer
– Unaware of other options that might be
advantageous to the landowner
• Private landowners
– Not receiving all the available information
– Lose interest
FISP Objectives
• Develop and maintain a matrix of existing incentive
programs that can be used for invasive species management
on public and private lands.
• Establish and maintain an interactive website at
www.floridainvasives.org that will host the incentive matrix;
provide links to specific information to address and resolve
problems in regards to invasive species and serve as a
central clearinghouse for invasive species partnership efforts.
• Promote and participate in partnerships and collaborative
efforts to address invasive species on statewide, regional and
local levels (i.e., Cooperative Invasive Species
Management Areas (CISMAs).
• Provide targeted outreach and training to foster innovative
approaches to invasive species management in Florida.
The website
The “Matrix”
Creating Websites for
CISMAs in Florida
Timeline:
• Worked /CISMAs to have website
content info submitted by Mar09
• 10 CISMA websites as of May 09
• “How to Create a CISMA
Website” guide completed end of
2009 w/downloadable template
CISMAs
Crossing Boundaries, Meeting Challenges
Cooperative Invasive Spp. Management Areas
a partnership of federal,
state, and local
government agencies,
tribes, individuals and
various interested groups
that manage invasive
species in a defined area
Everglades CISMA – Joint Work Day
CISMA 5 Basic Characteristics
1. Definition of the geographical area distinguished by
a common geography, invasive species problem,
community, climate, political boundary, or land use;
2. Involvement or representation of the majority of
landowners and natural resource managers in the
defined area;
3. Establishment of a steering committee;
4. Commitment to cooperation;
5. Development of a comprehensive plan that
addresses the management or prevention or one or
more invasive species.
How can CISMA’s improve our
effectiveness?
• Cross boundaries; invasive species management across
the landscape, rather than just political or property
boundaries
• Share a common
vision and mission
• Be highly visible,
building community
awareness
Osceola CWMA – Cogongrass Demonstration
How can CISMA’s improve
management of invasive species?
• Adopt and utilize Best Management Practices to
reduce the risk and improve the results of control
efforts
• Provide an early detection and rapid response network
• 1+1=3
Combined efforts
improve results
Keys ISTF - Gambian rat eradication
How can CISMA’s improve
availability of resources?
• Secure and coordinate funding
• Allow partners (public and
private) to share and leverage
limited resources
• Reduce individual costs by
pooling resources
CISMA Summary
• A Partnership approach to managing
invasive plants in a geographic area
• 5 Basic Characteristics
• It’s flexible and unique to
each area
• 14 recommended steps
toward forming
CWMA/CISMA*
• Working documents: (1)
Agreement (2) Strategic
Plan (3) Annual Operating
Plan
First Coast ISWG – Tamarisk Work Day Nov. 08
PTI Grant –
tallow, TSA,
cogongrass
Private land $$
and projects,
coordinating
w/FNAI
Alternatives
brochure,
aquatic plant
workshop
Training/EDRR
workday/increased
BIPM funds
Cogongrass
mapping,
awareness
and control
Climbing fern focus,
outreach to
Extension, control for
private lands
Annual workshop,
Annual Summit,
work plan,
aerial surveys,
submitted CCS
animal and plant
proposal Python EDRR, Air EDRR
potato EDRR,
prioritized
plant/animal lists
Successful Plant
ID workshops,
herbicide guide
Strategic
plan, joint
grant to
control
coastal
invader
Newly formed
from
established
partnership
Using CISMAs to Effectively Reduce
Re-infestation on four Military Bases
& Surrounding Lands in Florida
This project is expanding on successful
partnerships between The Nature
Conservancy and the Department of
Defense Bases in Florida:
 Northwest Florida-Eglin Air Force Base
 Northeast Florida-Camp Blanding Joint
Training Center, Army National Guard
 Central Florida-Avon Park Air Force
Range
 South Florida-Key West Naval Air
Station
Through these relationships we are:
1)creating two new CISMAs;
2)strengthening two existing CISMAs;
3)working collaboratively with DoD and
other regional partners to create five
year comprehensive plans; and
4)completing 2 invasive species control
projects
Phase I Progress:
• 2 New CISMAs supporting Eglin &
Avon Park
• Comprehensive plan template
developed and distributed to CISMAs
• Control project buffering Eglin began
• Phase II Legacy proposal submitted
Invasive Species know NO
boundaries – Do we?
Necessary ingredients for long-term success:
•
Multiple agencies and
organizations in partnership
•
Involve private landowners
and interests
•
Recognize differences and
commonalities in missions
•
Conservation leverage
Key ISTF – Python patrol training
COOPERATION is the key to successful, long-term management
of invasive species!
Florida Cooperative Invasive Species
Management Area (CISMA) Monthly Call
– Hosted by the Florida Invasive Species Partnership (FISP)
participation is voluntary, we promise it will only last 1 hour, and
we can guarantee that you will enjoy the conversations
4th Wednesday of every month at 1:30pm
NOT in November or December, 2009!
email kserbesoffking@tnc.org for more information or go to floridainvasives.org to
join up for list serve announcements
Participate online
and/or
go to: nethope.webex.com
Enter meeting number: 829 485 191
Enter meeting password: invasive
Participate by phone
US Toll-free: 1-866-642-1665
Participant Passcode: 698452
Florida Invasive Species Partnership (www.FloridaInvasives.org)
News
Next Call: Preventing the Release of Unwanted Exotic Pets
Maia McGuire, Sea Grant Extension Agent in Flagler/St Johns
Counties, and Jenny Tinnell, FWC biologist, will present on the
“Don’t Release Your Pet” campaign in Florida as well as
FWC’s Pet Amnesty Days.
Notes of Interest:
Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council’s 2009 List of Invasive Plant
Species is online http://www.fleppc.org/list/list.htm. If you
would like hardcopies of the printed brochure, email Karen
Brown at kpbrown@ufl.edu with quantity & shipping address.
Please prioritize use for training & for community awareness.
National Invasive Species Awareness Week is January 10-14,
2010. What can your CISMA can do to ‘celebrate’?
http://www.nisaw.org/