Defining a regional approach for invasive plant research and management - Invasive Plants: Ecological and Agricultural Aspects - page 127

must be narrowed for invasive plant management to be most effective. There
is a need for biological, ecological and social knowledge to inform decisions
(Fig. 2). The use of science adds credibility to management decisions, provid-
ing conceptual approaches for complex problems and contributes to new tech-
niques for accomplishing management objectives. However, efforts to inform
managers about scientifically derived knowledge and conceptual approaches
are often applied ad hoc , with most scientific information provided in the form
of publications and presentations. Interaction among scientists and managers,
working together to ensure that research is pertinent and effectively applied, is
most likely to result in success (Fig. 3).
Adaptive management (Fig. 3), whereby management practices are contin-
uously reassessed and modified as new information becomes available, is an
appropriate approach to manage invasive plant species [43]. Research can be
advanced by partnerships between scientists and land managers, where man-
agers identify concerns and provide information about day-to-day manage-
ment activities. Direct scientific feedback from researchers also hastens the
progress of adaptive management [44-46]. In addition, designing and con-
ducting research in collaboration with local land managers can result in
increased applicability of the research [47].
Awareness of regional invasive plant species allows land managers to rec-
ognize invasions at early stages. Studies show that invasive species have a lag
time, often taking several decades to expand during which they grow in small,
isolated populations and do not spread [48, 49]. Non-native species that are not
Figure 3. Adaptive management approach for a regional research program that depends on land man-
ager feedback. Modified from [102] for invasive plant management.