The annual National Invasive Species Awareness Week (NISAW) is an international event held February 26 through March 3, 2024.
It seeks to raise awareness about invasive species, the threat that they pose, and what can be done to prevent their spread.
Educational Invasive Species Webinars
- Wednesday, February 21, 2024 – Quagga Mussel Rapid Response in the Snake River, Idaho
- Monday, February 26, 2024 – Annual USGS Invasive Species Research Forum: Better Living Through Modern Invasion Science
- Tuesday, February 27-28, 2024 – The Invasive Species Language Workshop
- Wednesday, February 28, 2024 – The Federal Interagency Committee on the Management of Noxious and Exotic Weeds
- Thursday, February 29, 2024 – Opportunities and Challenges for Preventing the Next Plant Invasion
- Friday, March 1, 2024 – Protecting North American Biodiversity from Invasive Species
The term “invasive” is used for aggressive non-native species that spread and reproduce rapidly, displace native species, and cause major disturbance to the areas in which they are present.
Local environmental organizations are very concerned about invasives such as English Ivy, Japanese Stiltgrass, Japanese Honeysuckle, and Phragmites.
These are just a few of the 90 invasive species identified by the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Division of Natural Heritage.
All of the Northern Neck’s state parks (Belle Isle, Westmorland, and Caledon) and our natural area preserves (Hughlett Point, Dameron Marsh, Hickory Hollow, and Bush Mill Stream) are negatively affected by the spread of invasives.
During the week of Feb 26-Mar 3, 2024, Northern Neck land owners are encouraged to survey their property for invasive plant species. We suggest the use of plant identification apps such as Picture This or Seek by iNaturalist. Invasive Species Fact Sheets for identification and control are also available from the Department of Conservation and Recreation at https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/invsppdflist.
“Climate change, food security, and the loss of wild places are all made worse when invasive species alter the natural balance of our waters and lands,” said Elizabeth Brown, Government Relations Director for NAISMA.
The Northern Neck Chapter of the Virginia Native Plant Society’s mission is to promote native plants through conservation, education, and restoration. Our Invasive plant initiative coordinates with Virginia’s first and largest cooperative weed management program, the Blue Ridge Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (Blue Ridge PRISM) to promote the removal of invasive plants and provides information on native alternatives. This very active 501 (c) (3) charity can be found at https://blueridgeprism.org/.