Meeting the Challenge

The Biological Resource Management Division of the National Park Service (NPS) is responsible for the Servicewide Exotic Species Management and Ecosystem Restoration Program.

To help parks in their struggle with invasive species the Biological Resource Management Division has developed Exotic Plant Management Teams (EPMTs). These teams are a new weapon to combat the problem of invasive plants in and around NPS sites. The creation and continual development of the EPMTs is a direct result of the Natural Resource Challenge. EPMTs, modeled after the coordinated rapid response approach used in wildland fire fighting, travel to parks in their area and aid the park in controlling invasive species.

Control of invasive species can take many different forms, from the application of chemicals to the use of biological predators.

Select a diamond to the right for more information about current policy actions, characteristics of EPMTs, how management prioritizes actions, and various control technologies currently available.