Invasive Species Awareness Week

February 20 – February 26, 2023

We Need Your Help

Events

The week’s activities are mostly virtual, with professionals across the state ready to teach you through live Webinars or shared via social media. Please make sure to register in advance for the Webinars because spots are limited. In addition to Webinars, an all day, in-person workshop is being offered on February 23rd in Stevenson, WA.

• February 21 – Washington Invasive Aquatic Plants to Look Out For Webinar (Webinar recording)

• February 21 – European Green Crab Update Webinar (Webinar recording)

• February 22 – Safeguard Our Shellfish Webinar (Webinar recording)

• February 22 – Hunting for Hornets’ Season Three: A Recap of Activities During the 2022 Season Webinar (Webinar recording)

• February 24 – Aquatic Invasive Species, Decontamination, and Meet Fin! Webinar (Webinar recording)

• February 24 – African Clawed Frog in Washington Webinar (Webinar recording)

• February 25 – On the Horizon: Spotted Lanternfly Biology, Hosts, Impacts, and Action Plan Webinar (Webinar recording)
  
  

Simple Actions

Being alert and reporting suspected problems is just one action that anyone can take. Other simple actions to prevent and stop invasive species include the following: 

Clean your hiking boots, bikes, waders, boats, trailers, off-road vehicles and other gear before you venture outdoors to stop invasive species from hitching a ride to a new location. Learn about pathways that spread invasive species.

On your next walk, look out for noxious weeds. Visit the Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board’s Web site to learn about noxious weeds and if you spot some in your yard or while walking in your neighborhood, notify your county noxious weed control board. 

Dispose of unwanted pets, aquarium plants and water, science kits and live bait the proper way and NOT by dumping them into waterways. Released pets often suffer slow deaths in winter or may become invasive and damage wildlife and crops. Visit the council’s Don’t Let It Loose Web page to learn the proper ways to dispose of unwanted pets and plants. 

Download the WA Invasives mobile app so you are ready to report sightings of invasive species. Learn about the council’s top priorities.

Buy firewood where you’ll burn it or gather it on site when permitted. Remember not to move firewood from the local area where harvested. Learn more about the potential dangers of moving firewood. 

Protect salmon and steelhead by not moving any fish from one waterbody into another. This will prevent the spread of fish diseases and protect salmon and steelhead from non-native, predatory fish. Visit the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Web site to learn more about moving fish. 

Use weed-free, certified forage, hay or mulch. Visit the Washington Department of Agriculture Web site to see details of its certification program. 

Plant only non-invasive plants in your garden and remove any known invasive plants.

Volunteer to survey public lands and trails as a Citizen Science Invasive Plant Monitor with the Pacific Northwest Invasive Plant Council. Learn more by visiting the council’s volunteer Web page. 

Become a Washington State University Master Gardener and help your community identify, report and properly manage exotic and invasive pests. 

Volunteer to help remove invasive species from public lands and natural areas. Contact your state, county or city parks and recreation department, land trust, conservation district, or Washington State University’s Extension Office to learn more.  

Don’t pack a pest. When traveling internationally, review travel guidelines on items that should not be brought back to the United States. Learn more about Don’t Pack a Pest.
 

Shellfish are at risk from infectious diseases and invasive species. Never move shells or shellfish without a permit from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

See more solutions for preventing the spread of invasive species.