Non-Native Invaders

Environmental advocates who blame invasive species for disrupting native ecosystems can take heart in a new Delaware law. The legislation, which took effect July 1, 2022, bans the import, export, sale, transport, distribution, and propagation of 37 non-native invasive species, and puts other potential invasives on a watch list.

The law is in response to research showing Delaware is losing many native species of plants, insects, fish, reptiles, and birds. “An Ecological Extinction Task Force identified the causes of this decline as habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, climate change, and the presence of invasive species,” Sen. Stephanie Hansen told Delaware General Assembly colleagues when she presented the bill in 2021. “Research by the U.S. Forest Service and the University of Delaware has found that almost 60% of the plants in our small, forested areas are invasive species that have escaped from nearby yards and landscapes.”

The legislation passed unanimously. It defines a non-native invasive plant as