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GloFouling Partnerships is part of the wider efforts by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), to protect marine ecosystems from the negative effects of invasive species. This work began in 2001 under the GloBallast Programme.

GloFouling webinars are an opportunity to discover specific aspects, challenges and solutions across all maritime sectors in relation to biofouling and its two main environmental issues: invasive aquatic species and greenhouse gas emissions.

In a letter [PDF, 396 KB] to the Chairs and Ranking Members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, the Governors of the eight Great Lakes States have called on the U.S. Congress to provide full federal funding in the 2022 Water Resources Reform and Development Act for the remaining design, construction, operation, and maintenance costs of the Brandon Road Lock and Dam project. The project is intended to prevent invasive carp from migrating up the Mississippi River and entering and colonizing in the Great Lakes.

The Great Lakes AIS "Landing Blitz" is a multi-agency partnership effort and events take place over a two-week period (June 26-July 6, 2024), emphasizing the need to Clean, Drain, Dry boats whenever they come out of the water, and Dispose of any unwanted bait in the trash. Local volunteers partner with state and provincial agencies to deliver consistent messaging about preventing the introduction and spread of AIS from the movement of watercraft and equipment between water bodies. Information on these events, including educational materials, locations and volunteer opportunities are posted on the Landing Blitz page as they become available.

The Great Lakes Calendar features events from around the region that may be of interest to Great Lakes stakeholders, with a focus on professional conferences and events relevant to research, science, policy, and education.

The Great Lakes Commission (GLC) released a report on the second phase of its work to stop internet sales of aquatic invasive species (AIS) in the Great Lakes region. The GLC initiative, known as the Great Lakes Detector of Invasive Aquatics in Trade (GLDIATR), demonstrated that “web crawling” applications can be used to track the online sale of priority AIS and support the work of AIS researchers, outreach coordinators, managers, and law enforcement officials across the Great Lakes basin.

The Great Lakes Detector of Invasive Aquatics in Trade (GLDIATR) is an innovative approach developed by the Great Lakes Commission that uses advanced technology to search the internet for sites where aquatic invasive species can be purchased and shipped to the Great Lakes region. This information can be used by invasive species managers to inform and help target a variety of activities including outreach and education, risk assessment, monitoring and surveillance, and enforcement.

The New Zealand mud snail (NZMS) has been rapidly expanding its range throughout the Great Lakes Region with most recent discoveries occurring in Michigan and Wisconsin. The impacts of this invasion on native ecosystems and their communities in the Great Lakes region are currently unknown, serving as cause for region-wide concern. The formation of the Great Lakes New Zealand Mud Snail Collaborative is a regional approach for New Zealand mud snail management, research, outreach, and education. The formation of the Great Lakes New Zealand Mud Snail Collaborative is a regional approach for New Zealand mud snail management, research, outreach, and education.

The Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative is a network of agencies, organizations and citizens who are engaged in Phragmites in some way, including management, research and communication. The Collaborative was established to facilitate communication among stakeholders across the region and serve as a resource center for information on Phragmites biology, management, and research.

See also: Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF) Strategic Plan (2020-2026). This strategic plan will guide successful implementation of PAMF by setting program-specific goals, objectives, and measures for the next five years. The PAMF core science team that developed the plan includes representatives from the Great Lakes Commission, U.S. Geological Survey, and University of Georgia.

Pets in K-12 school classrooms can be valuable teaching assets. Caring for companion animals helps students to relate to species in their natural habitats while fostering a sense of environmental ethics. Provides information for planning for classroom pets, caring the classroom pets after the school year, how to protect the environment, and additional resources.

Habits, Attitude, and Habitat—together they comprise Habitattitude. This educational campaign with the uncommon name addresses common concerns of private enterprise, state and federal natural resource agencies, and responsible pet owners: protecting our environment from the impacts of invasive species. Habitattitude seeks to inspire and empower people to explore the connection between responsible pet ownership and environmental stewardship.

Habitattitude Prevents Pet Release in Wild  (June 12, 2019) announces the re-launch of the Habitattitude educational campaign. Habitattitude’s website provides guidance for proper pet selection and care, along with sections on aquarium fish and water gardening. The new section on reptiles and amphibians addresses the variety of species and basic considerations and requirements for habitat, diet and health concerns. Another new component focuses on animals and plants in classroom education, and caring for them outside the home environment, in response to concerns about the potential for classroom pets to be released at the end of a school year.

See also: EDDMapS - Shovel-headed garden worm for more information

Blue Accounting is tracking regional consistency in restrictions against the list of Least Wanted AIS [PDF, 1.5 MB] developed by the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers, as well as against species regulated at a federal level in Canada (Fisheries and Oceans Canada) and the U.S. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; U.S. Department of Agriculture). This data is paired with information on the activities that each jurisdiction regulates for these species.

The Hawai'i-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment (HPWRA) is a free service that provides a background check on plants. Professional botanists use published information to answer 49 questions about a plant, to predict whether it is a low-risk or high-risk of becoming invasive in Hawai'i or similar Pacific islands.

The Hawaii Early Detection Network was created to increase public awareness of invasive species and engage communities in the monitoring of their own neighborhoods. Find out how you help protect the environment of Hawaii by participating in the Eyes and Ears Team and attending an educational workshop or downloading your own field guide. If you are reporting a snake call 911 or for an animal call 643-PEST immediately!