Request for Proposals for Data Creation (Oct 06)

A growing number of plants, animals, and pathogens are becoming invasive in natural areas, inland waters, oceans, croplands, and rangelands. These invasive species pose increasing risks to human health, native species, ecosystems, and national economies and are second only to habitat destruction as a cause of loss of biodiversity. Documenting current invasions, predicting new invasion sites, and preventing invasions are vital to the protection of biological diversity in all countries.

Information on invasive species present in the Americas is incomplete, and that which is available is scattered in a variety of published and unpublished accounts and databases. Anticipating invasions by non-native species is difficult, because access to information on their previous invasive ability—the best predictor of whether a new species will become invasive—is mostly unavailable.

Prediction of and rapid response to invasive species requires ready access to invasive species knowledge bases from many countries. Internet-accessible knowledge bases can provide crucial information for the early detection, eradication, and containment of invasives—which are most possible for species that have just arrived. 

The Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity stated that it “… welcomes the "I3N" (Inter-American Biodiversity Information Network (IABIN) Invasives Information Network) initiative on invasive alien species, and calls on the Global Environment Facility, Parties, Governments and relevant organizations to support and participate in these initiatives”. Dec VI/23

IABIN is addressing the need for a regional network of invasive species knowledge bases. With direct access to national knowledge bases throughout the region, those addressing the invasive species challenge could easily obtain data on which species are invasive or potentially invasive in particular habitats, and use this information in their planning efforts. Agencies responsible for pest control could quickly determine if a species of interest has been invasive elsewhere. Importers of new non-native species (e.g., nurseries, botanical gardens, the pet industry) could access accounts of experiences abroad to make responsible business choices. Land managers could learn about control methods that have been useful in other areas, reducing the need to commit resources for experimentation and increasing the speed at which control efforts can begin.

IABIN sponsored a pilot project to begin exchanging  information on invasive species in the Americas. The IABIN Invasives Information Network (I3N) pilot project participants were Argentina, Brazil, Bahamas, Chile, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, Paraguay, and the USA. Countries that have joined since are Bolivia, Colombia, Haiti, Peru, and Venezuela. I3N has proposed to become one of five IABIN Thematic Networks funded by GEF.

(See document produced by earlier workshop: Davis Declaration.)