GEORGIA INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES REMOVAL

Invasive species in Georgia are a very serious problem. Each year, their grasp on the environment grows, and the challenge of controlling them grows with it. The Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council (GA-EPPC) has identified around 144 different invasive plant species in the state. 

According to the Georgia Invasive Species Task Force, invasive species have the potential to cause billions of dollars in economic loss, threaten the state’s biodiversity, and limit land use if left uncontrolled.

What is an invasive species?

Any species (including its seeds, eggs, spores, or other biological material capable of propagation) that is not native to a given ecosystem and whose presence causes economic or environmental harm, or harm to human health, is considered to be an invasive species. 

These species tend to develop an extremely high population due to the lack of natural predators, parasites, or space and resource competitors that can be found in their natural habitat.

Invasives can harm the surrounding environment in the following ways:

• reducing forest productivity by reducing tree growth
• restricting seedlings from taking hold
• increasing fire hazards and site preparation costs
• outcompeting and displacing the native species of the area
• reducing the food supply and habitat for native wildlife

For these reasons, reducing the environmental and economic damage caused by invasive species has become an official public goal of the state of Georgia. The easiest and most cost-effective way to accomplish this is by having a professional identify and remove the invasives to ensure the protection of the land for generations to come.