The challenge of managing for invasive species creates an opportunity for the GNLCC to provide leadership on landscape scale stressors where there is a need for coordination of planning and on the ground activities. Currently, to the best of our knowledge, the north-western part of the North American continent remains free of quagga and zebra mussels. Infestation of aquatic systems in the GNLCC by quagga and zebra mussels would be economically, socially and environmentally devastating. An infestation in one of the jurisdictions within the mussel-free northwest would likely lead to domino effect. It is therefore critical that managers recognize the interconnectedness of the ecosystems comprising the GNLCC and take action to coordinate preventative measures across them by utilizing the information, experience, and data that is available today.
