Page 1 of 40

FINAL REPORT

GOVERNOR’S INVASIVE SPECIES

INITIATIVE

October 2020

WYOMING

Page 2 of 40

Funding to print this final report provided by the Wyoming Legislature via the Wyoming Wildlife

and Natural Resource Trust Fund.

Page 3 of 40

i

BACKGROUND

In August of 2019, Governor Mark Gordon began assembling a team to develop a report regarding

invasive plant species and their management in Wyoming. Team members were selected based on a

number of factors including, but not limited to: experience (either in policy or technical implementation

of invasive plant species management), location of the team member in Wyoming (to avoid recruiting all

members from a single part of the state), industry (to represent different interests across user groups),

and agency affiliation (to ensure federal, state, and local governments were well represented).

The larger team, composed of 32 individuals including chairmen, were then split into two distinct teams

– one for policy and one for technical expertise. The teams first met in Lander on October 30, 2019 as a

single group. Following this initial meeting, the teams worked individually to develop answers to the

question posed in the Governor’s October 3, 2019 letter. In his letter, the Governor asked seven broad

questions:

1) What species, or groups of species, are the highest priorities for Wyoming?

2) What are the gaps, in terms of both policy and technical expertise, in managing these

species? How could these gaps be addressed?

3) How do we assess the current extent of invasion and how do we use that information in the

future?

4) Is a statewide strategy appropriate? Can and should we develop goals at this level?

5) Is there a sustainable funding model for invasive [plant] species management, at any scale?

6) How do we organize and engage stakeholders in large-scale management and

implementation? And,

7) How do we define success and how do we monitor long-term success?

This report has been developed based on each teams’ work, combined work over the course of four

meetings of the full team, and countless hours of editing and emails by team members. The report

revolves around the seven questions the Governor asked in his original letter and includes

recommendations on ways to either further refine the Governor’s questions, answer portions of them,

or other actions that should be considered. Many of the questions overlap, or are extremely related, and

therefore require similar discussion or combination to better inform the reader. Additionally, the teams

felt it most appropriate to address the questions based on a progression of conversation, rather than in

the specific order detailed by the Governor in his letter. The Governor’s Invasive Species Initiative (GISI)

was specifically tasked with reviewing the Governor’s questions in the vein of terrestrial invasive plant

species and therefore does not address aquatic invasive plants or animals, insects, or terrestrial animals.

The report is organized into three main chapters: The Importance of Acting Now; Discussion of the

Governor’s Questions; and, Overall Conclusions and Recommendations. This document is intended to

be a report to the Governor, but it is anticipated that the information contained in the document can be

utilized by a broad audience.

Page 4 of 40

ii

The information is a culmination of all team members input and should not be construed as any agency,

federal or state, lobbying for a particular change. Many agencies represented on the teams are devoted

solely to an area of science or policy and overall recommendations should not be viewed as derivatives

of any agency’s perspective, rather as the recommendation of the whole.

The tables below present the members of each team and their respective chairs.

The Policy and Technical teams would like to thank the Governor for his attention to this issue and

willingness to put together a group to begin working towards larger goals and organization for

Wyoming. We would also like to thank the members of the public who attended the meetings and

provided input. We respectfully suggest the Governor make this report available, upon his approval of a

final document, to the public and to local, state, and federal agencies.

Page 5 of 40

1

Chapter 1

The Importance of Acting Now

Issues surrounding terrestrial invasive plant species are not new. The impacts of these species have

been documented for more than a century by both ecologists and practitioners. Despite the immense

body of research and practical knowledge, there are still questions and issues that remain difficult to

confront. The members of the Governor’s Invasive Species Initiative (GISI) have attempted to approach

the massive issue of terrestrial invasive plant species from a broad view with a “one bite at a time”

mentality. A major component of future management revolves around the sense of urgency. As noted in

the Governor's letter to the GISI, Wyoming faces unique challenges but is not in the same situation as

some of our neighboring states, particularly those located in the Great Basin. In many ways, Great Basin

states have done a better job of telling their story and bolstering public awareness which ultimately has

led to a sense of urgency and increased funding for control efforts. Although Wyoming is not facing the

same levels of infestation as some neighboring states, recommendations contained in this report

highlight the urgency and opportunities available to avoid these infestation levels. As noted by the

Governor in his letter, “while our neighbors are contemplating restoration, we still have the opportunity

in many areas to contemplate prevention, retention of habitats, and improvement.”

Discussions often center around potential costs of implementing programs targeted at terrestrial

invasive plant species, but do not often consider the cost of doing nothing. For Wyoming, the cost of

inaction must be something that remains in the forefront. A leafy spurge treatment may cost one million

dollars over ten years but ignoring the issue, or treating for a year and walking away, could ultimately

come with a much larger price tag, both financially and ecologically.

Landowners and land managers are required to think about systems as a whole and it is often not

possible or beneficial to focus on one aspect of a landscape or on a single species. Invasive plant species,

in many cases, harm ecosystems and negatively impact economic returns. This harm is difficult to

quantify. The impacts may vary, but could include reduced biodiversity, altered species composition,

decreased productivity and palatability, altered fire cycles, degraded wildlife habitat, reduced water

holding capacity, and altered soil biomes. Those who depend directly on the land for their livelihood are

not the only people impacted by these changes. The public also depends upon and expects the benefits

provided by functioning and healthy ecosystems – clean air, clean and abundant water, habitat for

wildlife, food, fiber and recreational values.

These costs and benefits are not always easy to quantify and are often referred to as “ecosystem

services.” Ecosystem services encompass four main categories as defined by the Millennium Ecosystem

Assessment (2005): supporting services (such as nutrient cycling, soil formation, and plant production);

provisioning services (such as food, fiber, or fresh water); regulating or regulatory services (such as

climate regulation, pest regulation, and pollination); and cultural services (such as aesthetic value,

recreation, and wildlife).1

Invasive plant species can impact one or all of these but often are not viewed

as a major driver by the public even though many depend upon and expect the benefits of ecosystem

services.

1

https://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr943.pdf