About Bay Area Early Detection Network

Why Early Detection and Rapid Response is So Important:

Globalization of commerce, global travel, and recreation is introducing non-native species to new areas at an unprecedented rate. This human transport of organisms is connecting distant lands and reversing 257 million years of continental drift.  Biological invasions are a significant and enduring global change which is homogenizing and depleting the Earth’s biodiversity. Despite diligent efforts to curtail the problem, more Bay Area lands are infested every day. Most open spaces have been impacted by invasive species, resulting in an expressed need to control existing infestations and restore affected ecosystems.

Invasive species have profound impacts worldwide on the environment, economies, and human health. Often the damage caused by invasive species to natural resources is irreparable and our understanding of the consequences incomplete.  Some impacts linked to invasive species include:

• The replacement of dominant native species (Tilman 1999),
• The loss of rare species (King 1985),
• Changes in ecosystem structure, alteration of nutrient cycles and soil chemistry (Ehrenfeld 2003),
• Shifts in community productivity (Vitousek 1990), reduced agricultural productivity, and changes in water availability (D’Antonio and Mahall 1991).

Fortunately, there are simple and effective solutions to the biological invasion crisis.  Early Detection/Rapid Response is a cost-effective approach for managing harmful invasions while preventing economic and environmental harm.  EDRR is a system for solving tomorrow’s problems today and is widely considered the best approach for coping with infestations of harmful species.  The EDRR movement is growing nationwide, with networks establishing New England, the Southeastern US, and elsewhere.  In California, BAEDN aims to build an effective network serving the nine counties of the San Francisco Bay Area, and to work with neighboring regions to build an integrated system of EDRR networks covering the state .

photo: Kick Off Meeting 2006

History:

The Bay Area Early Detection Network was formed in 2006 by a Memorandum of Understanding which brings together partners from the nine counties in contact with the San Francisco Estuary: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Solano, Santa Clara, Sonoma counties. BAEDN partners work cooperatively to develop and implement an ecological and integrated approach to the early detection of harmful and noxious weeds, and the rapid response to them.    

The BAEDN project was publicly launched in December 2006.  This first partners meeting at the San Francisco Presidio’s Fort Point attracted more than 50 attendees representing agencies and organizations from throughout the Bay Area.  During the full-day workshop, partners presented updates on their current Early Detection efforts and needs, shared information regarding Early Detection networks in other states, and discussed research and technical innovations available to support such efforts. Following presentation of the BAEDN vision, participants refined the vision through focused discussions, identified additional partners, defined the project scope, and agreed upon strategies for building a robust and efficient Early Detection Network. 

Following that meeting, grants were obtained from generous sponsors, and work began to organize the network. 

With this funding and through collaboration with Calflora, the online occurrence reporting database was launched on July 2009, coinciding with California Invasive Weed Awareness Week.  As the scope and goals of BAEDN grew along with the professional community interest and involvement, our first staff was hired in 2009. 

The first Annual Partners meeting is in March 2010.  More information about the history of the organization and accomplishments can be found in the annual reports, available in the Tools and Resources page.

The Scope of BAEDN Includes:

• BAEDN coordinates detection efforts across the nine counties of the San Francisco Bay Area, with a goal of facilitating rapid response.  The BAEDN supports detection and response on all lands whether public or private.  BAEDN participants include researchers and technical experts who ensure it is based on sound science; natural resource professionals and agencies involved in land management; and trained citizens who help build the network and walk the trails of the region seeking harmful invasive plant occurrences. 

The Goals of BAEDN Include:

• Effective detection and response within the nine Bay Area counties
• Sufficient response funds available to eradicate priority invaders while still cost-effective
• More effective and strategic regional invasive species management
• Involved and trained citizen detection partners
• A coordinated system of regional early detection networks across all California

Future Development of BAEDN:

• Prioritize invasive species using a sound, transparent system
• Data-mine existing occurrence records
• Prioritize reported occurrences
• Refine detection protocols
• Coordinate workshops in detection protocols
• Allocate eradication support funding

Steering Committee, Directors, and Staff (with affiliations for identification purposes):

Directors

• Daniel Gluesenkamp, Audubon Canyon Ranch
• Andrea Williams, Marin Municipal Water District

Steering Committee Members

• Giselle Block, US Fish and Wildlife Service
• Peggy Olofson, Invasive Spartina Project
• Cindy Roessler, Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District
• Cathy Roybal, Contra Costa County Department of Agriculture
• Christina Sloop, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation
• Lisa Wayne, San Francisco Natural Areas Program
• Eric Wylde, Santa Clara County Department of Agriculture

BAEDN Staff

• Aviva Rossi – Early Detection Coordinator
• Mike Perlmutter – Rapid Response Coordinator