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Washington Invasive Species Council Seeks Input
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Photo: Janna Nichols |
By Clover Lockard,
Washington Invasive Species Council Coordinator
The Washington Invasive Species Council was created by the Legislature in 2006 to manage the threat of invasive species through a cooperative, collaborative and strategic effort.
The Council seeks a variety of perspectives and wants to learn more about existing efforts in Washington. This will help establish effective communication and broad collaboration in the development of a statewide strategic plan and inform the ongoing activities of the Council.
Washingtonians are fortunate to be living in a state with great natural beauty and biological diversity. However, every day native species and habitats are at risk of displacement and extinction from invasion by non-native plants and animals.
The costs to society caused by these “global hitchhikers” are enormous. In the United States the annual cost of all non-native species (plants, animals, and micro-organisms) is estimated to be over $138 billion per year.
In addition to direct dollars spent, other costs and impacts of invasive species can include: increased frequency and intensity of wildfires; altered hydrology of rivers, streams, lakes and wetlands; decreased soil stabilization; and increased disease epidemics in plants, animals, and humans.
The best way to manage this threat is with a cooperative, collaborative and strategic effort. The Washington Invasive Species Council was created by the Legislature in 2006 to do just that.
The Washington Invasive Species Council’s responsibilities include:
- Providing policy level direction for combating harmful invasive species throughout the state.
- Facilitating communication and coordination of public and private efforts to prevent, detect, and respond to invasive species.
- Selecting projects for coordinated action to include in the strategic plan.
- Tapping into the expertise of those who are working on invasive species issues.
- Developing a comprehensive statewide strategic plan due in July 2008.
- Serving as an avenue for raising public awareness.
- Participating as a regional and national partner in the effort to reduce the impacts of invasive species.
In order to hear from a variety of perspectives and learn more about existing efforts in Washington, the Council developed a questionnaire and is sending it to a representative group of federal, state, county, local, and tribal governments, the academic community, affected industry, and non-governmental organizations.
The information is being used to establish effective communication and broad collaboration in the development of a statewide strategic plan and ongoing activities of the Council.
What You Can Do
- If you (or your organization) have programs, projects, or other activities that help to reduce the impacts of invasive non-native species and you have not been contacted, please take a few minutes to complete this questionnaire.
- If you have an interest, expertise, or perspective you want to share with the Council, you can provide that information by writing to the Council and if called upon, by participating in one of the Council’s five work groups – program coordination, technical, funding, education, and legal/regulation.
- You can also attend the Council meetings and speak to agenda items during the public comment period.
- In the future there will be work sessions, conferences, and forums and we look forward to your participation in those.
For additional information about the Council, its members, its goals, meeting schedules and minutes, please visit our website.
You may also email Clover Lockard, Washington Invasive Species Council Coordinator, or call her at 360-902-3000.
Resources
Comprehensive websites
The Nature Conservancy Global Invasive Species Initiative
USDA National Invasive Species Information Center
USDA Forest Service Invasive Species Program
National Institute of Invasive Species Science
Meetings, Events, Conferences
USDA National Invasive Species Information Center/Conferences
The Center for Invasive Plant Management/Calendar of Events
Funding
USDA National Invasive Species Information Center/Grants and Funding
Center for Invasive Plant Management/Funding Sources