According to the definition in U.S. Executive Order 13112 - Invasive Species:

"Native species" means, with respect to a particular ecosystem, a species that, other than as a result of an introduction, historically occurred or currently occurs in that ecosystem.

Note: Native species have co-evolved over millennia with other native species in a particular location and habitat without human intervention to create a diverse ecosystem.

According to the definition in U.S. Executive Order 13112 - Invasive Species, as amended by Executive Order 13751 - Safeguarding the Nation from the Impacts of Invasive Species:

'Non-native species' or 'alien species' means, with respect to a particular ecosystem, an organism, including its seeds, eggs, spores, or other biological material capable of propagating that species, that occurs outside of its natural range.

According to the definition in U.S. Executive Order 13112 - Invasive Species, as amended by Executive Order 13751 - Safeguarding the Nation from the Impacts of Invasive Species:

'Invasive species' means, with regard to a particular ecosystem, a non-native organism whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm, or harm to human, animal, or plant health.

It is the policy of the United States to prevent the introduction, establishment, and spread of invasive species, as well as to eradicate and control populations of invasive species that are established. Invasive species pose threats to prosperity, security, and quality of life. They have negative impacts on the environment and natural resources, agriculture and food production systems, water resources, human, animal, and plant health, infrastructure, the economy, energy, cultural resources, and military readiness. Every year, invasive species cost the United States billions of dollars in economic losses and other damages.

Note: An invasive species is an organism that has been introduced by humans or through human activities - either accidentally or intentionally - to a new environment (i.e. outside the species' native range), and reproduces on its own, exhibits strong growth, and is spreading. Many non-native species (e.g., agricultural crops) are beneficial and have shown no tendency to escape cultivation or to become invasive. By definition, a native species within its native range is not invasive, regardless of how vigorously it is growing (e.g., native grapes and goldenrods).

To identify a plant, insect or other animal species:

• Consult an online app, such as iNaturalist.org, which is available at no cost to users. Users can take and upload a photo for identification.
• Get a more sophisticated app, such as the Flora of Virginia so that you can look up the species by its characteristics.
• Look up the characteristics of the organism in a field guide (e.g., a Peterson or National Audubon Society field guide). If possible, choose a local field guide.
• Take photos of the organism and consult an expert at a university extension office, within another university department, or within the local, state or federal government.
• Consult one of the beginners' or experts' references in the MAIT Sources.

To identify a pathogen, consult an expert at a university extension office, within another university department, or within the local, state or federal government. It is difficult to identify a majority of pathogens; so, an accurate ID can require an expert to examine specimens under a microscope.

You can report known or potentially invasive species with your mobile phone, tablet, or computer, or you can contact an expert. You do not need to identify the organism to report it; photos and location are sufficient. However, if you would like to ID an unfamiliar species, you can use phone apps such as iNaturalist.org or other resources in "Sources".

Finding a new, previously unknown invasive species or an occurrence of a known invasive species in a new location is called early detection. It is essential to report these occurrences quickly so that the identity of the species can be determined or confirmed, and appropriate actions can be taken to prevent the species' establishment and spread. Early Detection and Rapid Response (EDRR) is the most important step in addressing invasive species because it allows resources to be used most effectively. It is particularly important to find potential invasives quickly and eradicate them immediately before they become established. Without EDRR, damaging organisms can take over quickly and become impossible or very difficult to control.

Report and Map Invasives Yourself

Many Mid-Atlantic jurisdictions encourage people to report and map invasives via mobile phone app, tablet or computer website, instead of contacting experts or state offices directly. For all Mid-Atlantic states except Pennsylvania, you can report and indicate the location of existing or potential invasive species by using the Early Detection & Distribution Mapping System (EDDMapS) website and its associated mobile phone app Mid-Atlantic Early Detection Network (MAEDN):

• The MAEDN phone app is a streamlined reporting tool intended for easy input in the field, whether or not you know the species name. If you are familiar with the species, you can avoid typing by clicking on a selection on the existing list. As you enter a sighting, MAEDN uses GPS to automatically pick up your location so you do not need to specify it yourself.
• The EDDMapS website has additional functionality. You can either enter a species on EDDMapS, or edit an entry made on MAEDN. If you would like further instruction, EDDMapS offers a training video http://www.eddmaps.org/tools/.

For reporting invasives, Pennsylvania uses iMapInvasives, either the Web-based application (https://www.imapinvasives.org/) or the associated mobile phone app (https://www.imapinvasives.org/mobile-tools).

Contact an Expert or State Office to Report an Invasive Species

To report an existing or potential invasive species to an expert or state office, check in the section on Reporting of Invasive Species in Sources to obtain contact information by locality

The first step is to educate yourself about invasive species: what they are, why they are a problem, and what can be done to combat them. Once you understand the seriousness of this issue - the environmental, economic, and human health impacts of invasive species - you will probably want to become involved and take action to prevent or minimize the damage they can cause.

At a minimum, you can become a role model by adopting best practices for preventing and controlling invasive species, and by sharing your knowledge with others. You might also want to advocate for increased governmental funding for prevention and management of invasive species. Below are some more specific recommendations based on the invasive taxa.

Invasive Animals:

• Do not purchase non-native animals unless you are certain you can contain them. If you keep non-native animals, ensure that they cannot escape your property.
• Do not release non-native animals into the wild, whether or not they are known to be invasive.
• Support and participate in programs that trap and rehome invasive animals.
• Support hunting of animals that cannot be rehomed.
• Use only locally sourced firewood, and don't transport it very far - preferably less than 10 miles and not more than 50 because invasive insects and other animals can hitchhike on the wood. For more information, see FAQs at DontMoveFirewood.org and the EPA blog entry on firewood.
• Buy plants grown locally. Avoid plants raised far away (e.g., in other parts of the U.S.) because invasive insects and other animals can hitchhike on the plants.

Invasive Plants:

• Do not buy, plant, recommend or share known invasive plant species.
• Express concern to sellers who are marketing invasives and request that these plants not be offered for sale.
• Remove invasive plant species from smaller areas of your property; control and manage invasive plants in very large areas. Consider participating in programs to manage invasive plants on public lands (e.g., Weed Warrior programs).
• Consider replacing your invasive plants with natives. Use plants that are native to your local geographic area, soil, light and moisture conditions. Locally native plants are genetically adapted to local ecological conditions and are more likely to survive. Many nurseries in the Mid-Atlantic region grow and sell native plants. Two partial lists of these nurseries are at the Maryland Native Plant Society and University of Maryland Extension, Howard County webpages.
• If you have visited an area that might have invasive plants, remove fruits, seeds and other viable plant parts from your shoes, clothing, pets and equipment (e.g., tires, tents).
• Buy plants grown locally, whether native or non-native species. Avoid plants raised far away (e.g., in other parts of the U.S.) because invasive plants, seeds or viable plant parts can hitchhike in the pots along with the plants you purchase.
• Advocate for effective management of our native white-tailed deer population. This herbivore plays a huge role in increasing the coverage and spread of invasive plant species at the expense of our native plants and communities. By preferentially consuming native plant species, the deer provide invasive plant species with a competitive advantage.

Invasive Plant Pathogens:

• Use only locally sourced firewood, and don't transport it very far - preferably less than 10 miles and not more than 50. For more information, see FAQs at DontMoveFirewood.org and the EPA blog entry on firewood.
• Buy plants grown locally, whether native or non-native species. Avoid plants raised far away (e.g., in other parts of the U.S.) because invasive pathogens can be transmitted in the plant material.

Invasive Animal Pathogens:

• Do not purchase non-native animals unless you are certain you can contain them. If you keep non-native animals, ensure that they cannot escape your property. Do not release non-native animals into the wild, whether or not they are known to be invasive. Non-native animals can be infected with invasive pathogens even if there are no visible signs of disease.
• Use only locally sourced firewood, and don't transport it very far - preferably less than 10 miles and not more than 50. For more information, see FAQs at DontMoveFirewood.org and the EPA blog entry on firewood.
• Buy plants grown locally. Avoid plants raised far away (e.g., in other parts of the U.S.) because insects or other animals infected with invasive diseases can be transmitted in the plant material.

Invasive Aquatic Species:

If you are thinking of getting rid of, or relocating, non-native aquatic animals or plants in the wild, you should reconsider:

• Do not release or dump animals or plants from aquariums into the wild.
• Do not release bait into streams, lakes, forests, or other wild areas. Make sure bait is dead, and dispose of it at home in the garbage.
• Do not transfer fish or other animals from one body of water to another.

If you have been in or on the water, be sure to clean up completely:

• Remove all debris from your boat, gear, clothing and shoes.
• Drain all water from your boat, buckets and other gear.
• Clean your boat and gear using a high-pressure washer or mild bleach solution (13 oz./gallon of water) and/or dry your boat and gear at home for two or more days between trips.
• Clean off mud and plant material from pets.

For more details and suggestions, refer to information at Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Boaters Beware!

Effective methods for managing many terrestrial and aquatic species of invasive animals, plants and pathogens are available (see "Methods for Controlling or Reducing Spread of Invasive Species") using integrated pest management (IPM). IPM is a long-established and respected approach for addressing pest issues and consists of:

1. Accurate identification of the pest species.
2. Understanding the pest's biology, life history, habits, habitat, food and other requirements.
3. Evaluating the threat the pest poses.
4. Assessing the options available for controlling or containing the pest.
5. Selecting and implementing options that are effective, but pose minimal or no harm to non-target species, people and the environment. For example, using a selective insecticide that kills not only the target pest, and not beneficial native insects.
6. Evaluating treatments and monitoring for reoccurrence of the pest.

IPM options include biological, chemical, cultural, manual, mechanical, and physical methods:

• Biological control is the use of organisms (e.g., pathogens, herbivores, parasites, predators) to control pest species.
• Chemical control is the use of pesticides (e.g., fungicides, herbicides, insecticides).
• Cultural methods involve changing conditions (e.g., soil type, soil pH, light, or using resistant plant cultivars/species) to make plants less hospitable to invasive species.
• Manual techniques involve the use of hands or non-power equipment (e.g., removal of invasive insects and plants by hand; elimination of invasive plants with hand-held tools, such as pruners, saws and weed levers; control of invasive wildlife with hunting).
• Mechanical methods involve the use of powered equipment and machinery (e.g., mowers, chainsaws, machinery such as bulldozers).
• Physical approaches involve the use of various landscape practices (e.g., insect traps, prescribed burning, flooding, planting aggressive natives to crowd and shade out invasives; covering invasives with fabric to kill them with shade, heat or lack of water).

Some of these methods are governed by regulations and have requirements such as training and permits (e.g., application of pesticides, release of biological controls, or hunting of animals).

MAIT is designed as a guidance tool (along with other sources) for:

• On-the-ground routine management of existing invasive species
• Identification and prioritization of emerging or established invasive species that require urgent action to control
• Design, installation, and maintenance of landscaping
• Regulatory prevention, quarantine, and enforcement activities by local, state, and federal agencies
• Support of funding requests to the legislature, government agencies, and private organizations
• Education of legislators, regulators, commercial plant and animal industries, non-profit and government environmental organizations, and the public

No, MAIT has no regulatory or legal status. Although MAIT reports on regulations from various governmental agencies, MAIT itself has no regulatory authority.

MAIT has compiled a database of species that are, or have potential to be, invasive in the Mid-Atlantic region. This database includes harmful, non-native species of concern because they:

• Are currently regulated by a state or local jurisdiction
• Are currently regulated by federal law and present in the Mid-Atlantic (i.e. in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia or Washington, DC)
• Are widely recognized by biologists and resource managers to degrade natural ecosystems, or negatively affect native species
• Are known to have significant economic impacts on agriculture, public infrastructure or natural resources, including impact on recreational activities
• Have, or can have, deleterious effects on human health.

No, the MAIT database cannot be all-inclusive because of the evolving nature of the invasive species problem, and because expert opinions can differ about less harmful or newly introduced species. In fact, the MAIT database is expected to change over time as new invasives are discovered. Additionally, the MAIT database does not come from original research, but is a curated compilation of species listed by other sources. Do not depend on MAIT as the sole source for information on invasive species. References to other lists can be found here.

Plant specialists have selected or developed cultivars and hybrids of many invasive species. The resulting horticultural varieties (e.g., cultivars of daylily, Hemerocallis hybrids) may or may not be labeled as invasive. In addition, some cultivars originally specified as sterile or non-invasive (e.g., 'Bradford Pear' Pyrus calleryana) have become significant invasives. Generally, it is advisable to treat cultivars and hybrids of invasive plants as invasive unless proven otherwise.

Some plant species listed as invasive are of commercial importance to the nursery industry and are routinely sold and planted in our region. Moreover, the various invasive lists are continually adding new plant species. MAIT encourages nurseries, landscape architects, designers and installers, and the gardening public to consider alternatives to invasive species, particularly when plantings are done near parks and other natural areas.

The organism might be on the MISC lists, but there could be an issue with the name you are using:

• Check that you are using the correct spelling.
• There may be multiple names for a single species (i.e. synonyms). MAIT attemps to cross reference synonyms, but might not have included all possibilities. So, use the search box to look up an organism by its other names. If you are using the common name, try searching on the scientific name instead.

The organism might be added to MAIT in the future, or might never be a candidate for inclusion:

• The organism you are looking for might be a native, such as poison ivy. Natives - even if growing vigorously - are not included on invasive lists because by definition only non-natives can be invasive species (see definition of invasive species above).
• The organism is starting to spread and is showing signs of potential invasiveness in our region, but is not yet included on a Mid-Atlantic invasives list. This situation may occur if a species is under evaluation, or is in the process of getting listed.
• You might be among the first people to see a particular species as a potential issue. In this case, it would be a good idea for you to report the possible problem (see below for reporting instructions).
• The MAIT database might not yet have been updated to include a new invasive species that was just added to one of its source lists. You can look on other invasive species lists, a majority of which are catalogued on the Information Sources webpage.
• The species may be listed as invasive in another region, but has not been reported as invasive in the Mid Atlantic. This is common in the early phases of invasion, and for species that simply are not adapted to our climate.