EDDMapS West

EDDMapS West was originally developed and launched for the six Missouri River Watershed Coalition headwater states of Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming in September 2010.

Thanks to tremendous interest throughout the West, and support from the Montana Noxious Weed Trust Fund and the US Forest Service-State and Private Forestry Program, the system quickly expanded to include seven additional western states (Idaho, Kansas, Missouri, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington) in 2011.

EDDMapS West is:

• Fast and easy to use - no knowledge of GIS required
• Allows for reporting of select invasive plant species in the western states
• Automatically alerts state weed coordinators when reports are entered
• Automatically alerts EDDMapS West users of verified reports
• Generates distribution maps for reported species
• Links to Invasive.org information and images

Early detection of new invasive species infestations and rapid, coordinated responses are needed to eradicate or contain invasions before they become too widespread and control becomes technically and financially impossible. Prevention and early detection/rapid response efforts are most effective when information is shared at the regional level.

It is going to take all of us- land owners, land managers, universities, recreationists, agency personnel, and concerned citizens- working together and sharing information as quickly as possible, to keep ahead of new invaders. We encourage you to use EDDMapS West to report sightings of invasive species; and we also encourage additional western states to join the EDDMapS West effort.