Invasive and exotic plants such as this stand of Brazilian Pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius) are aggressive colonizers of environments from roadside ditches to mangrove estuaries. The stand pictured here had crowded out native mangroves...plants that are vital to primary productivity in estuaries. 70% of all commercial and recreational food fish spend at least a portion of their lives in an estuary. Degraded habitat results in a decrease in primary production... lower populations of desirable native species is the result.





Proper removal, treatment, and monitoring of invasives such as Brazilian Pepper is crucial to the protection of native species and their habitats.