Invasive plants - the problem:

• Are not native (exotic) to an area
  
• Greatly increase management costs for agriculture, forestry and land managers
  
• Are the second greatest threat, after habitat destruction, to native species
  
• Sometimes can't be controlled with traditional methods
  
• Are often introduced without the natural enemies (insects, diseases) that help keep the plant under control in its native range

Pale swallow-wort overgrowing a former 
pasture, Jefferson Co., New York (Fran Lawlor, The Nature Conservancy)

  Biological control - a solution:

• Biological control of weeds involves searching for and reuniting specialized natural enemies that may be effective in reducing the abundance of the specific weed.
  
  
• Biological control is a long term approach to create a sustainable, effective, environmentally-sound and economical management tool in reducing the abundance and damaging effects of invasive weeds.

      Current Research:-2014 update.pdf

• Current research is focused on two species of exotic swallow-worts, primarily found in the Northeastern U.S. and Southeastern Canada. There is much to be learned about their biology and what insects may be suitable and safe to import for the control of swallow-wort.
  
• Let me know what other invasive weeds of the Northeastern U.S. are a concern to you.