Resource Search

Learn how invasive species have become a problem and learn more about the impacts of invasive species and why should we care.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is asking the public to look for and report the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB). APHIS declares every August Tree Check Month and is asking you to look for this destructive, invasive beetle by checking trees on your property and in your community for damage. Left unchecked, the ALB can cause infested trees to die. August is an ideal time of year to look for the beetle and the damage it causes.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is declaring April 2023 Invasive Plant Pest and Disease Awareness Month (IPPDAM). This national outreach month is dedicated to highlighting the impact of invasive plant pests and diseases on plants nationwide and informing Americans how they can help reduce their spread. IPPDAM aims to raise public awareness about the threat and how U.S. residents can help protect U.S. resources from hungry pests.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is hosting its fourth African Swine Fever (ASF) Action Week this week (October 28-November 1, 2024). We are encouraging U.S. swine producers, small farms and owners of all types of pigs to join us to learn about ASF and what they can do to help protect the U.S. swine herd.
See related resource: Protect Our Pigs: Fight African Swine Fever

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has announced new efforts to help prevent the introduction and spread of African swine fever in the U.S. Through an outreach and awareness campaign called “Protect Our Pigs,” APHIS will support commercial pork producers, veterinarians, and pig owners with information and resources to help safeguard America’s swine population and the pork industry.

APHIS is deploying a variety of outreach efforts to support critical stakeholders. The new Protect Our Pigs website will house materials such as downloadable fact sheets and posters, instructional videos, shareable social media graphics, a new interactive biosecurity guide, and offer the latest disease updates. If African swine fever is detected in the U.S., APHIS will also be ready to respond immediately with actionable information and resources for pig owners and the public.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is recognizing National Pollinator Week (June 19-25, 2023) through the continued commitment and support for pollinator health and research. Pollinator species, such as bees, other insects, birds and bats play a critical role in producing more than 100 crops grown in the United States. Honey bee pollination alone adds more than $18 billion in value to agricultural crops annually.

In conjunction with National Invasive Species Awareness Week, Governor Jay Inslee proclaimed the same week (February 23-27, 2026) as Washington Invasive Species Awareness Week to raise awareness and find preventative solutions for invasive species.

Prevention and early detection of invasive species depends upon the help of the public, industry partners, and policymakers. The council has helped developed tools and regional messaging that have successfully raised public awareness about invasive species, their impacts on native ecosystems, and the steps people can take to prevent the spread of invasive species. Campaigns include:

• Buy it Where you Burn it
• Call Before You Haul
• Clean, Drain, Dry
• Don’t Let it Loose
• Don’t Pack a Pest
• Play, Clean, Go
• Safeguard Our Shellfish
• Squeal on Pigs!

WISE offers teacher trainings, a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Based curriculum, and on-going teacher engagement in a community for learning and teaching about emerging watershed issues. Since launched started in 2007, the program has trained more than 70 teachers, reaching more than 4,500 students who have completed more than 50 stewardship projects.

Massive vines that blanket the southern United States, climbing high as they uproot trees and swallow buildings. A ravenous snake that is capable of devouring an alligator. Rabbit populations that eat themselves into starvation. These aren’t horror movie concepts – they’re real stories. But how could such situations exist in nature?