Invasive Species

Environmental Stewardship Working Group Member, Sarah Grace Vasquez, has been following invasive species and their effects on the environment.  She shared these resources with us about how Washington State responds to invasive species.

1.The Department of Agriculture in Washington is concerned about Hornets and Beetles.
a. The Dept. Ag runs a successful Facebook group called Asian Giant Hornet Watch
https://www.facebook.com/groups/hornets/
b. They are running an education and eradication plan to fight the invasion of the
Japanese Beetle and other invasive species https://agr.wa.gov/departments/insects-pests-and-weeds/

2. Department of Natural Resources are concerned about the spread of aquatic
invasive species through water recreation.
a. On April 20th, DNR announced a grant to eradicate the tree of heaven in the
Wenatchee area. Here is a quote from the Facebook post announcing the plan:
“DNR is proud to offer grant support for removing invasive tree-of-heaven and
replanting native tree species to the Wenatchee Rescue Mission, which provides
vital support to vulnerable members of the community.”
(https://www.facebook.com/WashDNR)
b. The DNR is running a campaign to educate the public about the risks of invasive species and the importance of preserving native species.

3. Washington Invasive Species Council: https://invasivespecies.wa.gov/
This is a cool organization that offers an app to easily report invasive species.

Be on the lookout for the next legislative budget.  There is a reference to an expansion in funding for fighting invasive species in the budget.