Invasive Plants of Santa Barbara County

Invasive plants are a subtle yet profound threat to our region. They displace native plants and wildlife, increase wildfire and flood danger, consume valuable water, degrade recreational opportunities, and destroy productive range and timber lands. The displacement of natives produces ecosystems that are weaker and more brittle to external impacts, including droughts, floods, and insect damage.

Unlike many other threats that are largely out of our direct control, like sea-level rise, we have greater control over the threat of invasive species. It is possible to prioritize and implement strategic actions for greatly reducing the spread of some of the most pernicious plants. This especially applies to the invasives that have hurt other regions, and are just now starting to show up in ours.

To help identify where invasive species are within the region you can use either of the applications below to identify and flag them for conservation organizations that implement restoration and management actions (please use these applications only on public lands):

• Cal Flora - Observer Pro
• I Naturalist

Strategic actions can also apply to more common invasives. For example (from the Blueprint Report): "Mexican feather grass is an emerging invasive species that can overtake pasture grasslands, and forms indigestible balls in cattle's stomachs with adverse health impacts on the cattle. The plant is a popular ornamental and landscaping plant, and its spread can be controlled in the County through working with gardens and nurseries. To find out more about how you can help control this invasive species visit: Invasive Plant Spotlight."

The maps contained in this guide show at a coarse level where 18 key invasives are mapped in the region, and at a more detailed level where they are mapped on the public lands in our region. It is important to clarify that the current mapping of the invasives is a vast under-representation of the actual locations of the invasives, and is only a short-list of invasives. It is a starting point for knowledge sharing.

Fortunately, it is easier than ever for you to help build out these maps. When you are on public land and you see an invasive, you can open up one of the apps linked below on your phone, take a picture of the species and document where on the land these invasive species are informing management and restoration actions.

• Cal Flora - Observer Pro: Observer Pro has the ability to map polygons of invasives and other plant species vs. I Naturalist which only supports point locations currently.
• I Naturalist:I Naturalist has a community of users that allow for identification by other users than the person who saw a particular species with photo uploads. Additionally this application can be used for locations of plants, animals, and other species.

If you have any questions or feedback on these applications for their use in mapping invasive species please email us at info@sbcblueprint.net.