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Economic Impact of Invasive Species Essay

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The Untold Cost of Invasive Species
Jessicarose Thurber
Environmental Economics
EVSP201
Professor Ray Bartholomew
March 30, 2013

Imagine going on a day hike through your favorite forest. You take great pains to pack your gear, ensure you have adequate food and water for the day. You bring your camera and other gear to ensure you get photographs of the local forest. You visit this same place every few weeks, it is close to where you live and the scenery is amazing. There are ample opportunities to stop to enjoy just being outside. As you hike you enjoy the sound of nature, the rustling of the leaves as the wind blows, the sound of small lizards as they scurry across your path, agitating dry leaves in their wake. You listen for the …show more content…

The purpose was to create a program and coordinate assets of the federal government and state agencies to “control and minimize the economic, ecological, and human health impacts caused by invasive species (Bergman).” In addition to organizing and establishing federal policy in regards to invaders it defines what an invasive species is. Executive Order 13112 defines an invasive species as an “alien species whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. Invasive species typically harm native species through predation, habitat degradation and competition for shared resources (Cost of Invasive Species, US Fish & Wildlife).” By defining invasive species the order took strides to narrow the scope of non-indigenous species to those who are actively and aggressively pushing our native species out through monopolization of resources and other tactics. This definition takes pains to, therefore, exclude non-indigenous species to the United States who are not evicting indigenous species out of their native environment rather they are an almost welcome addition to our ecosystems. North American populations of the ring-neck pheasant, Phasianus colchicus, is a very good examples of this. They were introduced to the North American continent from Asia through settlers however, these species failed to become aggressive competitors to native species. Their populations remained controlled through natural predation

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