Good article. The bad thing about Florida is that our most invasive plant species were brought in by well-meaning horticulturists as ornamentals or to solve a problem. Some were brought in through political means to appease industry. Brazilian pepper was brought in by Selby Gardens as and ornamental, Australian pines were brought in to use as windbreaks on beaches, Kudzu was brought in to feed cattle and Malaleuca was brought in to dry up the Everglades so they could plant sugarcane. Others are just bought illegally because Floridians want them in their landscape. Many that are now Class I invasives were once legally sold, such as Chinese Tallow, Indian Rosewood and Carrotwood trees.

Some species come in as hitchhikers on plants and even in food packages through global trade, like brown anoles, cuban tree frogs, fruit flies and giant snails. Others blow or float in during hurricanes, or are set loose during hurricanes, such as when reptile farms and bird sanctuaries are destroyed.

Unless we stop participating in global trade and can somehow stop humans from being humans, invasives will never cease to plague us.

I read somewhere that in areas where Brazilian pepper is invasive, honey bee populations and honey production has increased tremendously. Also the number of many bird species is now much higher because of invasives. Their numbers would plummet if the invasives where now all removed. Some may even go extinct as the native plant species they relied on are no longer common enough or they have gone extinct themselves . One of the articles above states that because of climate change many native plants will naturally die out too or invade other areas where they're now more adapted to.

Interesting! Thanks for posting the article and commentary

Whether an "invasive" species need be eradicated or not depends. Far too often I think we employ a knee-jerk reaction when a non-native species is found and do not employ reason as to whether it is dangerous or not.

Just remember that white men are an invasive species to Native Americans. :)