Management Plan does mention climate change and its potential to affect species’ invasiveness. 
This demonstrates that state agencies may be unaware of the problem. In updating Virginia’s 
Management Plan, the state could further incorporate climate change in a variety of sections, 
including the following. 
B.24.4.1. Leadership and Coordination 
Goal 1 calls for coordination of invasive species activities. Climate change should be a 
consideration in communication on encroaching species and potential vectors and on adapting 
management practices to accommodate changing conditions. 
B.24.4.2. Prevention 
Strategy 2.1 identifies pathway analysis and prioritization according to risk. Climate 
change may affect vectors and these considerations should be incorporated into analyses to 
improve the effectiveness of prevention activities. Strategic Action 5.1.2 calls for developing 
restoration plans to establish conditions more suitable for native species. Restoration plans 
should consider how climate change may affect native habitats and species to ensure that 
restoration activities are effective. Restoring native habitats may lessen vulnerability to AIS and 
restoration using species suited to a changing climate may improve resilience over time. 
B.24.4.3. Early Detection/Rapid Response, Control, and Management 
Strategic Action 3.1.1 calls for surveying and evaluating current monitoring programs 
and recommending ways to improve detection of invasive species. Identifying how changes in 
water temperature, water chemistry, and stream flow may influence invasion success will be 
critical to developing effective monitoring and early detection and rapid response programs. 
B.24.4.4. Research 
Actions 6.1.1 and 6.1.2 recommend identifying priority research needs for invasive 
species. Research priorities should include how climate change and invasive species will 
interact, how this will affect native ecosystems, and how management strategies could be 
modified to account for the effects of climate change. Working with other states also will help 
Virginia to identify species that could be moving north. This information should use used to 
establish a process for assessing potential invasiveness of species that will likely be introduced, 
as recommended in Action 6.2.4. 
B-82 
