WELCOME

This quarterly update highlights key science, policy developments, tools, and events from early 2026 to support fish and wildlife managers addressing invasive species challenges.

We hope you enjoy this latest issue of our Invasive Species Quarterly Newsletter. As always, please email me if you have any questions, concerns, or would like to chat.

Cheers,

Melanie Steinkamp

P.S. It's a long newsletter! To see the entire newsletter in your browser, you will need to click the View entire message link at the end.

🏛️ Federal Policy & Budget Watch

Army Corps Cancels $1.15 Billion Great Lakes Invasive Carp Barrier Project

April 10, 2026 | E&E Greenwire

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers moved to cancel a $1.15 billion engineering project designed to prevent invasive carp from entering the Great Lakes through the Chicago waterway system.

Source: E&E Greenwire (subscription required)

Great Lakes Advocates Urge Reauthorization of EPA Restoration Program

April 16, 2026 | E&E Daily

A Congressional hearing this week spotlighted threats facing the Great Lakes, with invasive carp prominently featured in testimony. The hearing comes as the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a federal program that funds invasive species control, coastal restoration, and contamination cleanup, is set to expire. Advocates urged lawmakers to reauthorize the program, warning that lapsed funding would undermine years of progress on aquatic invasive species management and ecosystem rehabilitation.

Source: E&E Daily (subscription required)

Senate Committee Examines Great Lakes Restoration Priorities

April 13, 2026 | E&E Daily

The Senate examined Great Lakes restoration priorities this week, with invasive species identified as a key driver of rehabilitation needs alongside coastline restoration and contamination remediation. The hearing signals continued Congressional interest in the basin's health.

Source: E&E Daily (subscription required)

FY2027 Budget: $1 Billion Proposed for Great Salt Lake — Includes Invasive Species Removal

April 2026 | White House OMB / E&E News

The administration's FY2027 budget proposal includes $1 billion directed at the Great Salt Lake, proposing a comprehensive federal program to target water flows, restore ecosystems, remove invasive species, and address toxins in the exposed lakebed. The lake has faced significant decline due to persistent drought and overuse.

Source: Great Salt Lake Collaborative

Lee Introduces Bill to Study Hydropower and Invasive Species Risks at Glen Canyon Dam

January 29, 2026 | Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

Legislation addressing hydropower performance at Glen Canyon Dam also includes provisions targeting invasive species in the region downstream of Lake Powell. The bill was taken up in Senate committee hearings in both January and February.

Source: Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources →

Grazing Lands in "Health Spiral" — Invasive Plants a Key Factor

March 27, 2026 | E&E Greenwire

A new assessment highlighted that federal grazing lands are increasingly infested with invasive plants rather than intact native plant communities, contributing to a broader decline in rangeland health across public lands.

Source: E&E Greenwire (subscription required)

Snails and Invasive Insects Threaten Southern Rice and Crawfish Farms

February 9, 2026 | E&E Climatewire / AP

Apple snails and other invasive arthropods are causing significant agricultural losses in Louisiana and other Southern states, threatening rice and crawfish farming operations and underscoring the economic stakes of agricultural biosecurity failures at a regional scale.

Source: E&E Climatewire / AP (subscription required)

🏛️ Key News Items

NISAW 2026: Record-Breaking Awareness Campaign Concludes

March 9, 2026 | NAISMA / PRWeb

NAISMA successfully concluded National Invasive Species Awareness Week 2026, themed "Defending Our Health by Stopping the Spread." The campaign produced over 702 media mentions reaching more than 3.5 million people, the most widely amplified in the event's history. Social media alone generated 32,439 interactions. A Congressional briefing on Capitol Hill convened legislative staff and federal partners to discuss science-based strategies and policy solutions. The estimated annual cost of invasive species to the U.S. is approximately $219 billion per year, affecting agriculture, fisheries, forests, and human health.

Source: PRWeb →

Interior Dept. Report Reveals Sci-Fi Tactics to Fight Invasive Species

March 9, 2026 | The Wildlife Society

A new U.S. Department of the Interior report reveals that federal wildlife managers are using advanced tools, including robotic bunny decoys, ultraviolet light, and lab-bred mosquitoes, to combat invasive species. The report introduced new SMART metrics to track management progress and also highlights use of drones, environmental DNA (eDNA), and platforms like iNaturalist and iMapInvasives.

Source: The Wildlife Society →

Nile Monitors Spreading Across South Florida

March 9, 2026 | Local 10

Nile monitors - large lizards capable of reaching 7 feet and 20 pounds - are spreading across Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and Lee counties. Notoriously difficult to spot and capture, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is monitoring local breeding populations with thousands of reported sightings, though only a handful have been caught since 2020.

Source: Local 10 →

New York State Awards $5M+ for Invasive Species Prevention Projects

March 30, 2026 | WAMC

New York Stateʻs Department of Environmental Conservation is distributing more than $5 million to 51 projects statewide to mitigate the impact of terrestrial and aquatic invasive species. In the North Country, the Town of Tupper Lake will receive $75,000 for a spread-prevention initiative involving boat stewards at high-risk aquatic entry points.

Source: WAMC →

California Golden Mussel Crisis: Spread Reaches Riverside County

January–February 2026 | Maven's Notebook

Since its first North American detection in Stockton in October 2024, the golden mussel (Limnoperna fortunei) has spread as far south as Riverside County. Eradication is now considered infeasible; the goal is to protect uninfested water bodies. Preventing mussel spread into the California Aqueduct system remains a major challenge, as currently available technology to prevent mussel transfer is limited. The California State Lands Commission adopted emergency ballast water management regulations in 2025 in response.

Source: Maven's Notebook →

California to Treat Delta Waterways for Invasive Water Hyacinth

March 6, 2026 | The Record

California is moving forward with treatment of Delta waterways near Stockton to control invasive water hyacinth (Pontederia crassipes), a floating aquatic plant that degrades water quality, obstructs navigation, and disrupts native ecosystems.

Source: The Record →

Hawaii Agriculture Officials Respond to Invasive Species Concerns

March 6, 2026 | Hawaii Public Radio

State agriculture officials publicly responded to growing concerns about invasive species threatening Hawaii's agriculture and natural resources, highlighting the ongoing challenges of island biosecurity.

Source: Hawaii Public Radio →

Crapo-Welch Bill to Streamline Boating Registration Fees

March 2026 | U.S. Senate

Senators Crapo and Welch introduced legislation (S.3985) to streamline boating registration fees. The bill restores states' authority to collect invasive species prevention fees at the point of boat registration, a development relevant to preventing the spread of invasive species through watercraft management. programs.

Source: Sen. Crapo's Office →

Virginia Enacts Package of Invasive Plant Laws

April 2026 |Virginia Conservation Network

Virginia's Governor signed four bills into law in April 2026, making Virginia one of the more active states this session on invasive plant policy. The legislation addresses the problem on multiple fronts:

• HB109 closes a longstanding loophole that had prevented the state from adding a plant to its Noxious Weeds List if it was already being commercially grown or sold in Virginia.
• HB88 requires the Virginia Department of Transportation to develop a plan for controlling invasive plants along the state's 63,000 miles of roadways.
• HB388 / SB89 (companion bills) expand the powers of local public service districts to include invasive plant treatment and control, giving localities a new funding mechanism to address the problem in their communities.
• SB163 allows trained volunteers to apply herbicides on state lands under authorization, extending a tool previously available only at the local level.

The package was driven by grassroots advocacy from regional invasive species partnerships and conservation groups. Invasive plants are estimated to cost Virginia up to $1 billion per year in economic losses.

Sources: Environment America & Virginia Legislative Information Session →

Southeast U.S. as an Arthropod Invasion Gateway

January 22, 2026 | Entomology Today

A new two-volume special issue of Florida Entomologist documents 450 adventive arthropod species detected in Florida from 1990–2023, including 291 never previously recorded on the continent or hemisphere. The issue calls for stronger regional research to keep pace with accelerating biological threats and outlines a modern biosecurity framework integrating prevention, early detection, sustainability, and integrated pest management.

Source: Entomology Today →

New Biocontrol Monitoring Techniques for Japanese Beetles

January 7, 2026 | Entomology Today

Researchers at Michigan State University refined qPCR techniques to improve the detection of Ovavesicula popilliae, a biocontrol parasite deployed against Japanese beetles at Midwest cargo airports since 2017 - as an effort to prevent westward spread into agricultural regions.

Source: Entomology Today →

Improved Assessment Framework for Invasive Species Ecosystem Impacts

March 11, 2026 | CNRS / myScience

An international team of scientists led by a CNRS researcher developed EEICAT (Extended EICAT), expanding the IUCN's existing Environmental Impact Classification of Alien Taxa standard by integrating 12 previously missing ecological impact types into the assessment framework, improving how managers can evaluate the full scope of invasive species impacts on ecosystems.

Source: myScience / CNRS →

🔭 Agency & Program News

USGS EcoNews — Winter 2026 (Vol. 7, Issue 1) Now Available

Winter 2026 | USGS Biological Threats & Invasive Species Research Program

The USGS Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program's Winter 2026 edition of EcoNews is available, covering invasive species management and biological threats research updates from across the program.

Source: USGS →

USGS eDNA Research in Colorado River for Invasive Fish Detection

February 20, 2026 | USGS

USGS and partners are conducting environmental DNA (eDNA) research in the Colorado River downstream from Glen Canyon Dam and in Lake Powell to detect invasive fish species before they become established. The effort demonstrates eDNA as a cutting-edge tool for early detection in vast or hard-to-survey environments.

Source: USGS →

USGS Sagebrush Science: Three Key Invasive Grass Studies

2026 | USGS

USGS released three highly relevant sagebrush biome studies: (1) A matter of timing — sagebrush restoration seeding outcomes altered by species responses to warmer spring temperatures and interannual weather variation; (2) A regional simulation modeling framework for evaluating invasive annual grass management across the sagebrush biome; and (3) Annual grass invasion is transforming the sagebrush biome's songbird communities. All three are available on the USGS website.

Source: USGS →

NAISMA Monthly News Archives — November 2025 through February 2026

NAISMA

NAISMA's monthly news archives are available online, including a November 2025 deep-dive on California's invasive species challenges centered on the golden mussel crisis.

naisma.org/category/invasive-species-news →

Cuyahoga Valley Wetlands Restoration — Nature Conservancy, Ohio

2026 | The Nature Conservancy

TNC Ohio is working on wetlands restoration in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, an effort with direct implications for invasive species management in restored habitats.

Source: The Nature Conservancy →

Working Group Reports

AFWA FERAL SWINE WORKING GROUP: REPORT TO INVASIVE SPECIES COUNCIL

The AFWA Feral Swine Working Group (AFWA FSWG) is now hosting virtual meetings to increase member participation and improve overall effectiveness of the working group. Virtual meetings will be held on the third Wednesdays in January, April, August, and November. 

This year, the April virtual meeting will not occur. Instead, the AFWA FSWG will hold a joint in-person meeting with SEAFWA Wild Hog Working Group (SEAFWA WHWG) and the Midwest Feral Swine Working Group (MAFWA FSWG) at the International Wild Pig Conference on April 20 from 5-6pm. Members are encouraged to attend and participate. 

The SEAFWA WHWG recently finished a draft position statement regarding wild hog control and eradication at the request of the SEAFWA Wildlife Resource Committee. This position statement, based on sound scientific evidence, strongly asserts that recreational hunting is an ineffective and counterproductive approach to reducing, controlling, and eradicating wild pigs.

The AFWA FSWG is seeking input on ways to strengthen collaboration and cooperation among national and regional working groups. Ideas include developing a comprehensive national/international contact list of wild pig and feral swine professionals and organizations to promote communication as well as holding joint meetings with regional working groups such as MAFWA FSWG and SEAFWA WHWG. Additional suggestions are welcome. 

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Peer-reviewed articles, reports, and preprints of note. Open Access (OA) and subscription-required items are indicated where known.

Basin-based science and management of freshwater invasive species

Sun, J., Haubrock, P.J., Tarkan, A.S. et al.

Nature Reviews Biodiversity, 2026. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44358-026-00136-2

A basin-level framework for the science and management of freshwater invasive species, directly relevant to watershed-scale planning by state fish and wildlife managers.

Subscription Required

A Synthesis of Invasive Species Challenges and Policy Recommendations across US and US-Affiliated Islands

Brewington, L., Martin, C., Greenwood, L., Parsons, E., Hoffmann, B.D., Dulla, G.

BioScience, 2026. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biaf201

A synthesis of invasive species management challenges and policy recommendations across U.S. and U.S.-affiliated island territories. Useful for policy planning and interstate/interagency coordination.

Subscription Required

Harnessing iEcology data to uncover invasive species behaviour

Mikula, P., Pipek, P., Bulla, M., et al.

Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 2026. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210x.70266

Explores how digitally derived ecological data ("iEcology") from online sources can be harnessed to reveal invasive species behavior, offering novel monitoring and management insights.

Realizing and assessing social successes in invasive species management

Graham, S., Atchison, J., Ma, Z., Howard, T., Gill, N., Miller, L., & Bach, T.

Conservation Science and Practice, e70229, 2026. https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.70229

Addresses how to define and measure social dimensions of success in invasive species management, important context for practitioners working with landowners and communities.

The Biology, Ecology, Distribution and Future Management Challenges of Water Hyacinth (Pontederia crassipes): A Global Review

Roberts, J., Zulkeflee, Z., Nikkel, E., Clements, D.R., & Florentine, S.

Weed Research 66(1): e70058, 2026. https://doi.org/10.1111/wre.70058

A global review of water hyacinth biology, distribution, and management challenges.

Invasive alien species reduce terrestrial insect abundance and richness (Global Meta-Analysis)

[Author names pending full citation]

Nature Communications, January 2026.

A sweeping global meta-analysis found that invasive alien species reduce terrestrial insect abundance by 31% and species richness by 26%, with invasive animals causing stronger negative impacts than invasive plants, particularly on bees, wasps, ants, and true bugs.

Open Access

A regional simulation modeling framework for evaluation invasive annual grass management across the sagebrush biome

Elizabeth K. Orning, Bryan C. Tarbox, Catherine S. Jarnevich, Lindy Garner, James R. Meldrum, Cameron L. Aldridge

Biological Conservation, March 2026. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2026.111720

Invasive annual grasses (IAGs) threaten the sagebrush biome by degrading habitat, reducing forage, and increasing wildfire risk, yet the cumulative effects of management efforts across broad scales remain poorly understood. To address this, researchers co-developed a spatially explicit simulation model with natural resource managers to evaluate large-scale IAG management strategies, finding that targeting moderate-to-high IAG cover reduced full conversion but still left core sagebrush areas vulnerable to establishment, wildfire, and habitat loss.

The global geography of plant invasion risk under future climate and land-use changes

Omer, A., Dullinger, S., Wessely, J. et al.

March 2026, Nat Ecol Evol

A global analysis of nearly 10,000 invasive plant species finds that about a third of Earth's land surface is already vulnerable to significant invasion, with hotspots projected to expand modestly by 2100. However, these overall figures mask major geographic shifts — with invasions spreading into cooler regions while contracting in hotter, drier areas — and substantial changes in which species dominate regional invasion pools.

Open Access

Meta-analysis reveals negative but highly variable impacts of invasive alien species across terrestrial insect orders

Skinner, G.L.V., Cooke, R., Roy, H.E. et al. 

January 2026, Nat Commun 17, 296)

A global meta-analysis of 52 studies finds that invasive alien species reduce terrestrial insect abundance by 31% and species richness by 26%, with impacts varying considerably across insect groups. Invasive animals cause greater harm than invasive plants, and true bugs and bees/wasps/ants are more severely affected than beetles - findings that help quantify insect vulnerability to biological invasions.

Open Access

Changes in breeding diet of Olrog's Gull in San Jorge Gulf in relation to Green Crab invasion

Cortés, J., Suárez, N., Marinao, C., Haro, L., & Yorio, P.

SSRN Preprint, 2026. https://ssrn.com/abstract=6295743

Documents how the invasion of European green crab in Argentine Patagonia is altering the breeding diet of threatened Olrog's Gull, illustrative of broader trophic cascade effects from aquatic invasive species.