Mission and History

Activities | History

Mission

Cal-IPC's mission is to protect California wildlands from invasive plants through restoration, research and education.

Cal-IPC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization governed by a board of directors who work with staff on programs and strategic direction.

Cal-IPC formed in 1992 to address one of California's top environmental threats. We work closely with agencies, industry and other nonprofit organizations. Our active membership includes public and private land managers, ecological consultants and researchers, planners, volunteer stewards, and concerned citizens. Allied invasive plant councils exist in many other states, though Cal-IPC has the largest membership.

Our Activities

Assessing impacts of invasive plants

Cal-IPC maintains the California Invasive Plant Inventory, a comprehensive list of invasive plants based on ecological impacts. Each plant is assessed using a transparent criteria system with documentation of sources.

Supporting restoration workers

Managing invasive plants is perhaps the single most important aspect of ecological restoration projects. Cal-IPC offers training through Wildland Weed Field Courses as well as detailed reference materials. Our quarterly Cal-IPC News keeps restoration workers current on the latest techniques.

Supporting research

Cal-IPC enhances dialogue between researchers and land managers on invasive plant biology, ecology and management. Our annual Symposium features three days of presentations, posters and field trips. Our Research Roundtable works to further define research needs.

Promoting public education

To increase public awareness of invasive plants, Cal-IPC develops outreach materials and presentations. Events organized for California Invasive Weeds Awareness Week provide local examples of weed management projects.

Advocating for policy initiatives

Public policy provides significant opportunity for advancing our capacity to manage invasive plants. Cal-IPC pursues improvement of invasive plant policy through advocacy events and grassroots organizing, often working with other groups through the California Invasive Weeds Awareness Coalition (CALIWAC).

Reducing invasive plant introductions through horticulture

Cal-IPC works with nurseries and gardeners to address this major pathway for introduction of invasive plants. Our Don't Plant a Pest! Program suggests safe landscaping alternatives. We work with nursery and landscape trade organizationsas part of the California Horticultural Invasives Prevention Partnership (Cal-HIP) to develop voluntary industry measures.

Supporting development of biological control agents

Biological control has significant potential for managing widely distributed weeds. Cal-IPC provides support for biocontrol research on Cape ivy and broom at the USDA Agricultural Research Service lab in Albany, CA.

Coordinating statewide weed mapping

Spatial data is vital for planning and monitoring weed management work. Cal-IPC helps coordinate the California Weed Data Consortium.

History

• 1985   First Exotic Pest Plant Council (EPPC) formed in Florida.
• 1992   First California Exotic Pest Plant Council (CalEPPC) organizational meeting held in Morro Bay.
• 1993   First CalEPPC News, Volume 1, Number 1, Winter 1993.
  One-day meeting held in San Diego as an introduction to CalEPPC.
  First two-day Symposium held in Westlake Village.
• 1994   Filing completed for nonprofit status.
• 1996   Publication of The Cal-EPPC List: Exotic Pest Plants of Greatest Ecological Concern in California, commonly known as "the weed list".
• 1999   Weed list revision completed.
• 2000   Invasive Plants of California's Wildlands published.
• 2002   Executive Director hired.
  Website launched.
  Cal-IPC sends first delegates to National Invasive Weeds Awareness Week in Washington, D.C.
• 2003   Name changed to California Invasive Plant Council (Cal-IPC).
  Project Manager hired. First Don't Plant a Pest! brochure published.
• 2004   Weed Workers' Handbook published.
  First Invasive Weeds Awareness Day at the Capitol held in Sacramento.
  Cal-IPC helps form Cal-HIP nursery partnership to address invasive plant introductions from the horticultural trade.
• 2005   First Wildland Weed Field Course held in conjunction with Symposium in Chico.
  Biological Pollution brochure published.
  Don't Plant a Pest! brochures for Southern California, Central Coast, and Trees published.
• 2006   Invasive Plant Inventory published as update and expansion of the Weed List.
  Biological Pollution translated into Spanish.
  The Use of Fire as a Tool for Controlling Invasive Weeds published.