Invasive species include animals, plants, and microbes. According to Executive Order 13112, which was signed by President Clinton in 1999 and which established the National Invasive Species Council, an "invasive species" is defined as a species that is “non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.” According to a 2001 estimate by the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), over $138 billion a year is being spent in the Invasive plants, also known as exotics, aliens, or weeds, can have a detrimental effect on native ecosystems, damaging plants and wildlife that that depend on a diverse, balanced community of flora and fauna. Invasive plants often thrive in disturbed areas, like old agricultural fields, fencerows, roadsides, and former landfill sites. Invasive plants pose a challenge for the continued management and maintenance of New Beginnings. Invasive plants, such as mile-a-minute, multiflora rose, Japanese stilt grass, garlic mustard, and tree-of-heaven, occupy areas of New Beginnings. Without ongoing control, these plants will easily overrun native plants, creating a sterile environmental that has little value to wildlife. If New Beginnings is to be completely restored, these unwanted plants must be tackeld aggressively. For this reason, WHC has produced an Invasive Plant Management Guideline for New Beginnings, which outlines a 10-year plan to tackle invasive plant species at the site. Multiflora rose, garlic mustard, tree-of-heaven, mile-a-minute, and Japanese stilt grass are identified as the highest priority invasive species at New Beginnings. The current distribution, management options, and a plan of action are outlined for each of these invasive plant species. Throughout the spring and summer of 2005, WHC staff and volunteers spent six workdays battling invasive plant species at New Beginnings.
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