© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016 409
M.J. Germino et al. (eds.), Exotic Brome-Grasses in Arid and Semiarid
Ecosystems of the Western US, Springer Series on Environmental Management,
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-24930-8_14
Chapter 14
Human Dimensions of Invasive Grasses
Mark W. Brunson and Halley Kartchner
Abstract Invasive species are problems because of people. Whether these species
are introduced accidentally or purposefully, human activities inevitably infl uence
their spread. Disturbance processes and control options are affected by economic,
political, and social factors as well as by biological ones. To understand the dynamics
of invasion and potential for resilience and resistance, one must also understand the
role of human processes. In this chapter, we focus fi rst on individual perceptions and
behaviors, exploring how perceptions of exotic invasive species can vary such that
one group of stakeholders may actively seek to eliminate an invader while others fi nd
it useful. We also describe how people perceive practices used to control exotic annual
grasses or reduce their spread. We then shift from individual-level to institutional
concerns, reviewing how exotic annual grasses have been treated in US laws and
regulations and how environmental policies and politics may complicate restoration
efforts. We also explore how voluntary control efforts operate alongside regulatory
efforts. We discuss how education activities have affected perceptions, review
strengths and weaknesses of different outreach approaches, and describe an educa-
tional approach that may prove useful for shifting attention toward annual invasive
grasses from curiosity to concern to action. Finally, we discuss the critical role of trust
and trust-building efforts in addressing invasive species issues across landscapes.
Keywords Attitudes • Collaborative management • Education • Regulatory policy
- Trust
14.1 Introduction
Invasive species management is ultimately a social problem. It is humans who
classify impacts of exotic annual grasses as “negative,” and humans who have
concluded that exotic species should be controlled because they are not native to
a region. Society invests in invasive species management and control only when
M. W. Brunson (*) • H. Kartchner
Department of Environment and Society , Utah State University ,
Logan , UT 84322-5215 , USA
e-mail: [email protected]