Conferences and Events

Public Awareness Events

• National Public Lands Day

  • National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF).

  • The 30th annual National Public Lands Day (NPLD) is on September 23, 2023! National Public Lands Day was established in 1994 and held annually on the fourth Saturday in September. This designated day is traditionally the nation's largest single-day volunteer effort and is focused on resilience and restoration. Volunteers can plant trees and native vegetation, build and refurbish trails, remove trash and invasive plants, repair bridges, restore historic structures, monitor endangered species, and restore habitats. Volunteer and find a NPLD event near you. See also:

    • National Public Lands Day: 30 years of Care and Community (USDA, Forest Service)
    • National Public Lands Day (DOI, National Park Service)
    • National Public Lands Day (DOI, Bureau of Land Management)

• Lionfish Challenge

  • Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

  • The Lionfish Challenge is a free summer-long (June 1-October 1, 2023) lionfish tournament open to recreational and commercial competitors of all ages around the state of Florida. Our goal remains the same -- remove as many lionfish as we can in just four months. Are you up for the Challenge?
    See also: FWC Announces 2023 Lionfish Challenge Presented by Zookeeper (May 18, 2023)

• The Great Chesapeake Invasives Count

  • Coastal Conservation Association Maryland.

  • Report your catch of invasive fish species (northern snakehead, blue catfish, flathead catfish) in the Chesapeake Watershed for a chance to win great prizes! The Great Chesapeake Invasives Count is an annual angling-based effort (April 1-October 31, 2023)  to provide important data to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, USFWS, and other management agencies on what you're seeing on the water. Information related to the number of fish you catch during a given time, as well as the length and weight of the fish you catch is important to fishery managers. It is also vital to investigate the feeding habits of invasive fish to help understand the short and long-term impacts that their existence may cause on native species. It is important that the public recognizes the impacts that these species can have on our natural ecosystems, and does not continue the spread of these fish.

    Monthly drawings for prizes are based on your catches reported. Every invasive you catch-photo-enter (via the iAngler app) earns you a chance of winning.