Workshop Purpose and Goals

Because plants and animals move across the globe as part of a natural dispersal process, determining when a species is "invasive" to a particular ecological system is a challenge for both scientists and managers. Often the designation of a species as exotic is linked to the emergence of problems associated with a particular non-indigenous invasive species. In the Chesapeake Bay region, a number of invasive species are thought to cause serious problems and their control may benefit from the development of regional management strategies.

The Chesapeake 2000 Agreement calls for the identification of problem invasive species in the Bay and the development of control plans for these invasive species. The Chesapeake 2000 Agreement also calls for the development and implementation of management plans for those species deemed problematic to the restoration and integrity of the Bay's ecosystem. In September 2001 the Invasive Species Workgroup of the Chesapeake Bay Program, in coordination with the jurisdictions and others with interests in of the Chesapeake Bay region, identified six species of concern to all of the Bay's jurisdictions that are causing, or have the potential to cause, significant degradation to the Chesapeake Bay's aquatic ecosystem. The six species are:

• Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
• Nutria (Myocastor coypus)
• Phragmites (Phragmites australis)
• Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
• Water Chestnut (Trapa natans)
• Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha)

This invasive species workshop was designed to further the goals of the Chesapeake 2000 Agreement by developing control plans for each species.

Workshop Goals

The workshop explored what constitutes effective regional, state and local management plans for controlling invasive species, taking into consideration economic and legislative drivers within the Bay community, the value of the native Bay ecosystem, and the complexity of bio-invasions and invasive control strategies. Management strategies could include components such as research, monitoring, legislation, control and eradication. The workshop goal was to develop consensus frameworks for advancing and implementing regional management plans for the Chesapeake Bay Program's six priority species. Breakout sessions on each of the six species of concern provided participants with the opportunity to identify key issues and potential solutions to help the Chesapeake Bay Program and individual jurisdictions structure and implement management strategies for these six species in the Bay watershed.

Workshop Structure

The structure of the workshop included a series of plenary and species specific presentations followed by facilitated sessions designed to engage participants and build consensus on target issues. The plenary, species presentations, and draft outline provided a starting point for developing draft frameworks for management strategies on the second day. The first day was devoted to enhancing our understanding of the complexities of developing effective, regionally based, control management strategies for targeted non-indigenous species in the Bay; it will conclude with the initial meeting of consensus-building breakout sessions. The second day focused on producing a framework and timeline for developing control management strategies for the six species of concern. It included six facilitated sessions in which the participants were charged with identifying key issues, gaps, and solutions to be included in a framework for regional management plans. In addition, participants were encouraged, where possible, to recommend the necessary actions to be taken by jurisdictions and a corresponding timeline for completion. The meeting concluded with a final plenary session to summarize results, present management outlines and develop recommendations.

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Chesapeake Bay Invasive Species Workshop

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Last modified October 10, 2012
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