Report to the government of Samoa on invasive plant species of environmental concern
Space J and Flynn T. 2002. Report to the government of Samoa on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service. Honolulu, HI
The Government of Samoa requested assistance from the US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, to conduct a survey of invasive plant species of environmental concern, similar to surveys conducted in Micronesia, American Samoa, the Cook Islands, Niue and Tonga. The survey was carried out from 21 January through 1 February 2002. Only the main islands of Upolu and Savaii were surveyed. It is unlikely that additional species would be found on the Aleipata islands or the islands of Apolima and Manono. If fact, if past experience can be a guide, these somewhat isolated islands will have fewer invasive species than the main islands. Review of papers by Whistler (1983) and Ogle (2001) describing their findings on the Aleipata Islands would seem to bear out this hypothesis. The objectives of the survey were to: (1) identify plant species presently causing problems to natural and semi-natural ecosystems; (2) identify species that, even though they are not presently a major problem, could spread more widely or are known to be problem species elsewhere; (3) confirm the absence of species that are a problem elsewhere and, if introduced to Samoa, could be a threat there; and (4) make appropriate recommendations.