Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council (SE-EPPC): a Regional Approach to Invasive Exotic Pest Plant Issues

Abstract

The Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council (SE-EPPC) is a 650 member non-profit organization located in the southeastern United States. It emerged as a regional organization through efforts initiated by the Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council in the late 1990s. Its eight state chapters are autonomous organizations under the umbrella of SE-EPPC. The organization's focus is on issues of regional importance, and it has developed a web-based regional data-mapping project to improve early detection and rapid response, to provide data for regional invasive plant assessments, and to provide data to improve state invasive plant lists. SE-EPPC has been active in fostering the growth of other Exotic Pest Plant Councils (EPPCs) throughout the eastern United States and has fostered the growth of the National Association of EPPC, which has formed a partnership with the Natural Areas Association to work together on all issues related to invasive exotic pest plants in natural areas.