GREAT LAKES RESTORATION INITIATIVE FUNDING FOR AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES: PATHWAYS

This risk assessment report was conducted to define the priority pathways through which aquatic plant species may move throughout the Great Lakes region and identify gaps in knowledge, management, compliance and law enforcement, and education for these pathways. The results of this risk assessment are intended to guide future activities that may reduce the risk of introduction of aquatic plants into waterways across the Great Lakes region.

Management of established invasive species is imperative to restoring the health of Great Lakes ecosystems. In order to guide research towards the riskiest species, the Research Coordination Committee of the Great Lakes Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species analyzed Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding to identify trends and gaps in funding for species-specific projects.

The Research Coordination Committee of the Great Lakes Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species analyzed Great Lakes Restoration Initiative project information to identify trends and gaps in funding for aquatic invasive species projects.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its federal partners are developing Action Plan III, which will outline priorities and goals for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action (GLRI) for fiscal years 2020-2024.