The Allegheny Plateau Invasive Plant Management Area (APIPMA) was formed in 2018 and quickly brought together over 50 partners across five counties ranging from private industry and landowners to state and federal agencies. These stakeholders collaborate and work towards landscape level management; emphasizing the need to prevent and control non-native invasive plants across the Allegheny Plateau
in northern Pennsylvania. Invasive plants know no boundaries, so organizers and early partners were enthusiastic to bring ideas together, share success stories, and plan future efforts. These efforts are tied to the broader Allegheny Forest Health Collaborative, comprised of 50 organizations, agencies, educators, researchers and others dedicated to collaboratively addressing forest health issues across the High Allegheny Unglaciated Plateau and beyond. Non-native invasive plants were identified as one of the top 8 threats to health of forest ecosystems in the forest health collaborative. APIPMA is central to outreach, education and cross ownership non-native invasive plant species surveys, mapping and treatment. APIPMA provides leadership for the non-native invasive plant species working group in the forest health collaborative.
