A site prioritization tool for invasive species management: Integrating diverse spatial data to improve decision making

Resource managers are tasked with protecting natural areas from invasive species with limited resources. The site prioritization tool for invasive species management addresses this challenge by combining spatial data on invasion risk to efficiently target monitoring and suppression efforts. We developed a human transport risk layer, estimating invasion risk based on proximity to human population centers and transportation corridors, and created maps of non-native species richness across the conterminous United States. The tool also includes spatial layers showing projected changes in key climate variables through the end of the century to identify areas where invasion risk may shift. Users can explore these layers to prioritize sites based on the invasive taxa of interest, likely invasion pathways, and disturbances that may elevate invasion risk. This interactive tool will allow managers to make the spatial comparisons needed to focus efforts on areas that are highly susceptible to invasion.