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Economics of Harmful Invasive Species: A review

Gren, Ing-Marie

Marbuah, George

McKie, Brendan

The purpose of this study is to review theoretical and empirical findings in economics with respect to the challenging question of how to manage invasive species. The review revealed a relatively large body of literature on the assessment of damage costs of invasive species; single species and groups of species at different geographical scales. However, the estimated damage costs show large variation, from less than 1 million USD to costs corresponding to 12% of gross domestic product, depending on the methods employed, geographical scale, and scope with respect to inclusion of different species. Decisions regarding optimal management strategies, when to act in the invasion chain and which policy to choose, have received much less attention in earlier years, but have been subject to increasing research during the last decade. More difficult, but also more relevant policy issues have been raised, which concern the targeting in time and space of strategies under conditions of uncertainty. In particular, the weighting of costs and benefits from early detection and mitigation against the uncertain avoidance of damage with later control, when the precision in targeting species is typically greater is identified as a key challenge. The role of improved monitoring for detecting species and their spread and damage has been emphasized, but questions remain on how to achieve this in practice. This is in contrast to the relatively large body of literature on policies for mitigating dispersal by trade, which is regarded as one of the most important vectors for the spread of invasive species. On the other hand, the literature on how to mitigate established species, by control or adaptation, is much more scant. Studies evaluating causes for success or failure of policies against invasive in practice are in principal non-existing.

Invasive species baseline surveys and feasibility studies, Huvalu Forest, Niue

Island and Ocean Ecosystems, BRB

Available Online

Dr. Butler, David J.

This report was prepared as one of the outputs of the GEF PAS project Prevention, eradication and control of invasive alien species in the Pacific islands funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and executed by Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Niue (DAFF). It was designed to contribute to two activities in Niues programme within this project: 1. Develop and establish long term monitoring and GIS for areas with important native biodiversity that may be impacted by invasives. Huvalu Conservation Area, which is the subject of a project within the Regional Forestry and Protected Areas Management Project (FPAM), was identified as the key area for survey. 2. Conduct a pilot feasibility study for ten priority weed or vertebrate eradication targets.

Feasibility Assessment for the Removal of Pacific Rats (Rattus exulans) from Late Island

Available Online

Bonham. J

Griffiths. R.

Late is an isolated and uninhabited island located about 55 km WSW of the island of Vava'u, in the Kingdom of Tonga. Late supports a tropical broad-leaf forest ecosystem, one of the most threatened ecosystem types in the world and one of the best remaining tracts of diverse native forest in Tonga. Owing to its relatively unmodified forest communities, Late is also a global stronghold for two IUCN listed species of bird, one native mammal, and six species of reptile.

Malden Island, Kiribati - Feasibility of Cat Eradication for the Recovery of Seabirds

Available Online

Brown. D

Ioane. A

Kamatie, K.

Pierce. R

This study describes the biodiversity values of Malden Island, Kiribati, and assesses the potential benefits, feasibility and costs of removing key invasive species. Malden is relatively pest-free, but two significant invasive species are present - feral house cats and house mice. We believe that the most cost-effective and beneficial conservation action in the short term for Kiribati is to undertake a cat eradication programme. This would take pressure off nearly all of the 11 species of seabirds which currently breed at Malden, and allow for the natural and/or enhanced recovery of a further 5-6 species including the Phoenix Petrel (EN). This petrel and other sensitive species occur as foraging species in the seas around Malden and occasionally visit the island, where they are currently susceptible to cat predation. By removing the cats, this population "sink" effect on a number of species could be almost completely removed and the island would ultimately provide a secure breeding site for 15+ seabird species.

Spatial Economic Analysis of Early Detection and Rapid Response Strategies for an Invasive Species

Available Online

Burnett, Kimberly

Kaiser, Brooks

Economic impacts from invasive species, conveyed as expected damages to assets from invasion and expected costs of successful prevention and/or removal, may vary significantly across spatially differentiated landscapes. We develop a spatial-dynamic model for optimal early detection and rapid-response (EDRR) policies, commonly exploited in the management of potential invaders around the world, and apply it to the case of the Brown treesnake in Oahu, Hawaii. EDRR consists of search activities beyond the ports of entry, where search (and potentially removal) efforts are targeted toward areas where credible evidence suggests the presence of an invader. EDRR costs are a spatially dependent variable related to the ease or difficulty of searching an area, while damages are assumed to be a population dependent variable. A myopic strategy in which search only occurs when and where current expected net returns are positive is attractive to managers, and, we find, significantly lowers present value losses (by $270m over 30 years). We find further that in the tradeoff between search costs and damages avoided, early and aggressive measures that search some high priority areas beyond points of entry even when current costs of search exceed current damages can save the island more ($295m over 30 years). Extensive or non-targeted search is not advised however.

A Toolkit for the Economic Analysis of Invasive Species

Available Online

Emerton, Lucy

Howard, Geoffrey

Although it is now widely acknowledged that economic analysis and the use of economic instruments are key to dealing with the problems associated with biological invasions, there remains little guidance as to how economic approaches and tools should be applied in practice. Invasive species have many unique and unusual characteristics which set them apart from other environmental and land use issues, meaning that analysis does not lend itself easily to conventional economic models. A more innovative and thoughtful approach is thus required, which is tailored to the specific issues, problems and features of invasives. Economic analysis needs also to be targeted to providing practical and policy-relevant techniques and information which can be used to support and inform real-world policy, planning and management.

Feasibility Plan to Eradicate Common Mynas (Acridotheres tristis) from Mangaia Island, Cook Islands

Available Online

Parkes, John

Common mynas have been introduced (often as biocontrol for insects) or colonised many islands in the Pacific. They are one cause of decline in some native bird species such as endemic kingfishers, and are a pest when they damage fruit and compete for food to put out for domestic animals. The Taporoporoanga Ipukarea Society (TIS) of the Cook Islands proposes to eradicate mynas from Mangaia Island to protect kingfishers and commissioned this study to determine whether this is feasible and what would need to be done to reduce the risks of failure or overcome constraints during such an attempt. The Pacific Invasives Initiative supported this study partly because of the potential biodiversity and societal benefits to Mangaia, but partly to act as a demonstration for the management of mynas on other islands.

Feasibility study on the removal of rats from Nuutele island, Samoa / Faafetai Sagapolutele

Available Online

Sagapolutele, Faafetai

This report presents the findings of a research project conducted on the island of Nuutele. An offshore uninhabited island lying east of the main island of Upolu, Samoa. The island is home and haven to sea birds and most endangered endemic and native land birds of Samoa. However, the invasion of the island by rat of unknown species, population and distribution has raised the concern for serious wildlife management actions to protect the islands' bio-diversity. In an attempt to investigate the feasibility of performing such an ecological management approach, a serious of field investigations were carried out from July 2000 to June 2001 on the island. These studies was funded by AusAid under the Nuutele Island Rodent Eradication Project through the Invasive Species Management Program currently coordinated and administered by SPREP. The fieldwork activities involved were coordinated and led by the author with strong technical support and advice from staff of the Department of Conservation in New Zealand. Massey University, International Wildlife Consultants. Local Consultants and staff, and the Invasive Species Management Project Manager of SPREP.

Feasibility survey on the removal of rats: Nu'utele and Nu'ulua islands, Samoa, 21 July to 1 August, 2000 / Brian D. Bell

Bell, Brian D.

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