Since their discovery in the Great Lakes in the 1980s, Interior’s bureaus and partners have worked to prevent, contain and control invasive mussels. Some of the efforts to limit their spread include:  

• Watercraft inspection and decontamination 

• Monitoring 

• Rapid response 

• Public education 

• Research on detection and control measures 

Federal and non-federal partners are undertaking actions in the 2020-2024 Rapid Ōhiʻa Death Strategic Response Plan which describes the needs for emergency response as well as for the long-term health of Hawai‘i’s forests.  Our understanding of the disease and the microscopic fungi that cause it has improved through significant investments in research, remote sensing and field studies. Management measures such as selective cutting of infected trees, sealing wounds on infected trees, fencing to exclude ungulates and biosanitation protocols to minimize the spread of fungal spores all help to address the spread and severity of this devastating disease. 

Interior experts provide key leadership, research and tactical assistance across the Great Lakes, Upper Mississippi River and Ohio River basins. By developing the “Management and Control Plan for Bighead, Black, Grass, and Silver Carps in the United States,” we can use it as a national blueprint on the management of invasive carp. We’ve been developing critical new technologies to combat the threat posed by all invasive carp life stages (eggs, larvae, juveniles and adults) and working with natural resource managers to improve early detection and rapid response activities.

Interior works with a variety of partners on invasive rodent prevention and eradication. The main goal is to prevent rodents from reaching new islands. Where already found, invasive rodents are eliminated to limit their impact on native species and infrastructure. Helicopter dispersed rodenticide is used to completely eradicate rodents from islands. Successful rat eradications can lead to amazing native restoration stories. For example, a rat eradication at Desecho National Wildlife Refuge in the Caribbean enabled seabirds, the island’s endemic lizards, three endemic arachnids, and the federally threatened higo chumbo cactus to thrive once again.