New Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team

New Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team
Name	New Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team
Formation	2008
Type	Environmental task force
Headquarters	Trenton, New Jersey
Region served	New Jersey
Parent organization	New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

New Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team The New Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team is a state-level response and management unit focused on detecting, controlling, and educating about non-native invasive species in New Jersey. It operates within a framework of state agencies, federal programs, university research, and nonprofit conservation partners to address ecological, agricultural, and recreational impacts across ecosystems such as the Jersey Shore, Delaware River, and the Pine Barrens. The Strike Team conducts field surveys, rapid responses, public outreach, and collaborates on policy implementation relating to state and federal statutes.

Overview

The Strike Team functions as an operational arm of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection coordinating with federal entities like the United States Department of Agriculture and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, academic institutions such as Rutgers University and Princeton University, and nonprofit organizations including the New Jersey Audubon Society and The Nature Conservancy. It responds to detections of species listed under the Federal Noxious Weed Act framework and supports enforcement of the New Jersey Endangered and Nongame Species Conservation Act where invasive taxa threaten listed species. Operations include surveillance modeled after protocols from the National Invasive Species Council and collaborations with regional initiatives like the Northeast Aquatic Nuisance Species Panel.

History and Formation

The Strike Team was established amid growing regional concern driven by documented invasions such as Phragmites australis expansion along the Hudson River and the spread of Japanese knotweed and Emerald ash borer across Essex County and Burlington County. Its formation drew on precedents from interstate efforts such as the Great Lakes Commission invasive species programs and guidance from the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee. Early coordination involved the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station at Rutgers University–New Brunswick and municipal partners in Camden, New Jersey and Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Mission and Objectives

The Strike Team's mission centers on early detection, rapid response, control, and public education to reduce ecological and economic harm from invasive taxa. Objectives align with national strategies like the National Invasive Species Management Plan and state priorities under the New Jersey Forest Stewardship Program: prioritize high-risk invaders such as Asian long-horned beetle, Heath hen-era habitat threats (historic reference), and aquatic invaders like Hydrilla verticillata. It also supports implementation of regulatory measures inspired by the Lacey Act and coordinates reporting systems compatible with the Invasive Species Compendium and databases maintained by the Smithsonian Institution.

Programs and Activities

Core activities include targeted surveys, mechanical and chemical control operations, and restoration planning in partnership with land managers of Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and county parks like Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park environs. Education programs reach stakeholders including anglers from Barnegat Bay, nursery operators in Monmouth County, and municipal planners in Mercer County, often delivered in collaboration with New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium and extension services at Rutgers Cooperative Extension. Response protocols mirror those used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for marine pests and adopt best practices from California Department of Fish and Wildlife initiatives for terrestrial invaders.

Partnerships and Funding

Funding sources combine state appropriations from the New Jersey Legislature, federal grants from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Environmental Protection Agency, and philanthropic support from organizations like Pew Charitable Trusts and Ford Foundation-supported programs. Operational partnerships include municipal governments across Camden County, county park commissions such as Bergen County Parks, and federal land managers including the National Park Service. Research collaborations extend to laboratories at Princeton University and cooperative agreements with the United States Geological Survey for monitoring and risk assessment.

Notable Projects and Impact

Notable efforts include coordinated responses to infestations of Phragmites australis in the Hackensack Meadowlands, eradication trials for Hydrilla verticillata in inland lakes near Sussex County, and control campaigns targeting Emerald ash borer in urban canopy zones of Newark, New Jersey. The Strike Team supported restoration partnerships in the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge and invasive plant removal at Island Beach State Park, yielding measurable increases in native plant recruitment and habitat quality for species such as the American oystercatcher and Eastern box turtle. Collaborative surveillance helped inform state policy revisions and contributed data to national inventories used by the National Invasive Species Information Center.

Challenges and Future Directions

Challenges include accelerating introductions via trade corridors like the Port of New York and New Jersey, limited long-term funding streams, and climate-related range shifts affecting invasibility of habitats from the Pine Barrens to coastal marshes. Future directions emphasize integrating genomic tools from institutions like the Broad Institute for eDNA detection, enhancing cross-jurisdictional rapid response coordination with entities such as the Northeast Regional Invasive Species and Climate Change Management Network, and expanding community science programs in partnership with groups like iNaturalist and local watershed coalitions. Continued alignment with state policy instruments and federal strategies remains central to scaling prevention and management outcomes.

Category:Environment of New Jersey Category:Invasive species in the United States