The Pacific Northwest holds some of the most beautiful landscapes in the U.S., from the deep, blue waters of Crater Lake National Park to snow-capped slopes of Mount Rainier. However, these ecosystems are constantly being threatened by invasive species that establish themselves in new areas where they can out compete the native species in the area, thus decreasing the biodiversity and the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

Crater Lake National Park, OR
http://www.craterlakeoregon.org/SIB/images/DiamondCraterLake012.jpg

An invasive species is one that is nonnative to the ecosystem in question and causes environmental, economical, or human harm. Invasive species have traits that allow them to out compete native species and disrupt important ecological processes. These traits that allow invasives to succeed include their tolerance to a variety of habitat conditions, their ability to grow and reproduce rapidly, their aggressive competitiveness for obtaining resources, and their lack of natural enemies in their new ecosystem (US Forest Service, 2013).

Mount Rainier, WA
http://landingaday.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/20110614_mtrainier2.jpg

In the Pacific Northwest, invasive species come in all shapes and sizes, including aquatic invasives, plant invasives, and terrestrial invasives. In order to preserve the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest, we must eradicate invasive species and anyone and everyone can have a hand in helping to eliminate this issue. Explore the other pages on this site in order to learn what invasive species are in the Pacific Northwest and what you can do to help.