In response to citizen requests, the Hillsborough County, Florida (999,000), board of commissioners created an invasive species task force to combat the invasion of nonnative vegetation. The task force of approximately 50 members includes staff from the county, the city of Tampa, and the state, as well as private citizens. The task force sponsors six workdays each year that typically draw around 40 volunteers who work with city and county equipment operators to remove and dispose of nonnative plants in designated areas. The task force’s educa-tion committee is developing a two-hour, bimonthly seminar for homeowners that will address why invasive species are a problem, how to identify them, and how to use herbicides or mechanical means to remove them. The county contributes $5,000 a year to the task force in addition to the task force coordinator’s salary. The task force has also received grants to produce a field manual and hire a contractor to remove some large trees. René Brown Environmental Specialist and Invasive Species Task Force Coordinator Hillsborough County 3709 Gulf City Road Ruskin, FL 33570 813/671-7754 Fax: 813/671-7758 E-mail: brownre@hillsboroughcounty.org

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