How to Start an International Program to Deal with Invasive Species?

Martin Nuñez

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In my opinion, creating an organization to coordinate international response to the threat of invasive species, particularly in poor countries, as Perrings et al. (2002) suggest, is not a good start. In general, rich countries drive the global economy and the trade of goods, which exacerbates the spread of invasives. These nations should set an example for poorer countries: first, by starting national programs to control exotics using the “white list” approach. (As a prototype of this type of program has not yet been effectively established in any country, how can we be sure an international organization would be effective?) Then, if such a program is proven to work on a national level, it will be easier to convince poor countries of the advantages of implementing the program. Once that has proven successful, an international program stands more chance of succeeding. I suggest that international efforts should be directed at raising consciousness about the problems exotics pose around the world. Education should be the seed for the proposed international program. Without people's support, this program has only a limited possibility of success. Although some people are not optimistic about the possibility of effective control of exotics (Chapman 2002), I think that we should be optimists and take heart from the incredible successes that we have experienced in fighting human disease species (e. g., global eradication of the smallpox pathogen) that, in some cases, could be much more difficult to deal with than many ecosystem invasions. As Daniel Simberloff (2001) said, imagine how effective we might be if introduced species received the political and budgetary attention commensurate with the global threat that they pose.

Published: August 12, 2002

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Chapman, R. 2002. More globally coordinated approach needed to control aliens. Conservation Ecology 6(1): r9. [online] URL: http://www.consecol.org/Journal/vol6/iss1/resp9

Perrings, C., M. Williamson, E. B. Barbier, D. Delfino, S. Dalmazzone, J. Shogren, P. Simmons, and A. Watkinson. 2002. Biological invasion risks and the public good: an economic perspective. Conservation Ecology 6(1): 1. [online] URL: http://www.consecol.org/Journal/vol6/iss1/art1

Simberloff, D. 2001. Managing existing populations of introduced species. In R. Claudi, O. Hendrickson, and H. Ottens, editors. Alien invasive species: a threat to Canadian biodiversity. Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.