National Invasive Species Awareness Week is February 22-28 2015 and that is a topic which needs our attention. Non-native plants, animals and pathogens can harm humans and the environment and impact our nation’s economy. The damage done by invasive plants alone costs the U.S. an estimated $34.7 billion a year.
Invasive weeds can produce skin irritation, trigger allergies and poison pets and livestock. They can clog waterways, kill native trees, and shade out crops, ornamentals and prized native flora. They are found in every imaginable habitat, including oceans, lakes, streams, wetlands, croplands, rangelands, natural areas, parks, forests, urban environments, yards and gardens.
National Invasive Species Awareness Week put together a list of nine ways you can help fight invasive species:
1. Learn about invasive species, especially those found in your region. The National Invasive Species Information Center is a trusted resources
2. Clean hiking boots, waders, boats and trailers, off-road vehicles and other gear to stop invasive species from hitching a ride to a new location. Learn more at PlayCleanGo
3. Avoid dumping aquariums or live bait into waterways. Learn more at Habitattitude
4. Don’t move firewood. Buy it where you’ll burn it, or gather on site when permitted. Learn more at Don’t Move Firewood
5. Use forage, hay, mulch and soil that are certified as “weed free.”
6. Plant only non-invasive plants in your garden, and remove any known invaders
7. Report new or expanded invasive species outbreaks to authorities, state-by-state list of contacts
8. Volunteer to help remove invasive species from public lands and natural areas
9. Ask your political representatives at the state, local and national level to support invasive species control efforts
To learn about the damage one invasive species is doing, take a look at This invasive plant is swallowing the U.S. at the rate of 50,000 baseball fields per year from Treehugger.
