NATURAL RESOURCE SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT IN THE WEST
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From the editor
Tens of thousands of invasive species—from cheatgrass, blights, and tamarisk to hogs, fire ants, and boa constrictors—damage natural ecosystems, agricultural systems, human-built infrastructure, and even public health throughout the United States, costing billions of dollars each year. The National Invasive Species Council calls invasives “one of the most significant threats to ecosystems, human and animal health, infrastructure, the economy, and cultural resources,” and Hawaii Governor David Ige, leading a Western Governors’ Association initiative on invasive species, emphasized that they “pose a significant threat to the western experience.” In the American West, invasive species present some of the biggest and most complex environment and natural resources challenges we face today. Addressing them requires not only huge investments of money and human capacity but also creative thinking and innovative approaches.