Characteristics, significance, and human dimension of global invasive weeds - Invasive Plants: Ecological and Agricultural Aspects - page 233

plant often forms dense stands that crowd out most other vegetation. These
infestations cause loss of plant diversity, loss of wildlife habitat, and reduction
in land values. In the United States, direct livestock production losses togeth-
er with indirect economic effects due to leafy spurge alone approached $110
million in 1990 [10].
Educational goals
Preventing the spread of invasive plants in the United States is a monumental
task that depends on public awareness, support, and participation. Volunteer
programs have been very successful in promoting public awareness and con-
cern about invasive plants. The First National Weed Awareness Week was ini-
tiated in the United States in 2000. It was held in Washington DC. Its goal is
to bring people and groups together from across the country to focus on
national attention on the severe problems created by invasive weed species.
This program has been very successful for the last five years in bringing
together individuals and organizations interested in this event. Other volunteer
programs such as “Scotch Thistle Day” in Millard County, Utah, The New
England Invasive Plant Group and others have been successful.
How invasive species are viewed is molded by human values, decisions, and
behaviors. This has been demonstrated by kudzu, purple loosestrife, giant hog-
weed ( Heracleum mantegazzianum Sommier & Levier) and other species. The
prevention and control of invasive species will require modifying behaviors,
values, and beliefs and changing the way decisions are made regarding our
actions to address invasive species. Education, outreach, and training programs
are suggested to address issues such as: i) coordinate the development and
implementation of a national public awareness campaign, emphasizing public
and private partnerships, ii) identify and evaluate existing public surveys of
attitudes and understanding concerning invasive species issues, iii) compila-
tion of a comprehensive assessment of current invasive species communica-
tions, education, and outreach programs, iv) coordinate development and
implementation of an international education campaign, and v) organize and
host a series of national and international workshops on invasive species in dif-
ferent regions for policy makers.
Sociological implication
Introduced species can have economic and socio-cultural benefits that, at
least until recently, have been considered to outweigh the negative effects of
alien species invasions. In several countries, alien species make a major con-
tribution to the economy. Alien tree species underpin commercial forestry in
many parts of the world with pines and eucalyptus being important genera
used in the tropics and sub-tropics. Many other plant species were introduced