[jonnycomputer]

I am averse to the rhetoric about invasive species, but do believe that invasives are, in fact, frequently a real problem, not a contrived one. But I think that all the hatred poured on the plants/bugs/etc. is misplaced. IMO, the two most important things we can do are:

1. Create fewer disturbed environments. These plants are typically those that thrive in disturbed environments. As such, they may even be regarded as providing some kind of ecological service. Unfortunately, one of the reasons they out-compete natives is lack of predation. The Amur Honeysuckle I've been systematically removing still have beautiful leaves even in early Autumn, untouched by mold or bug.

2. Prevent the introduction of new species via the commercial nursery vector; hard to achieve any kind of ecological equilibrium when we are constantly disrupting it.