Controlling upland invasive exotic plants on public conservation land: a strategic plan

The Upland Invasive Exotic Plant Management Program is responsible for the control of terrestrial invasive plant species infesting public conservation land in Florida. To assist in achieving this long-term goal, the program drafted a Strategic Plan based upon the structural principles of: (1) leadership from the state level; (2) partnership amongst all levels of government agencies and other affected parties; (3) dedicated funding and implementation procedures for a statewide program; (4) a system of inventory and monitoring of invasive species; and (5) adoption of adaptive management strategies on public conservation land. Although the plan is written specifically for Florida, the core principles and implementation strategies are applicable to any state seeking to initiate a statewide invasive species control program.