National Invasive Species Awareness Week
February 26 - March 3, 2012
Washington, DC
More info on NISAW 2012
NISAW 2012 - Grassroots Invasive Species Forum & Webcast Recording
THANKS TO ALL WHO MADE NISAW A SUCCESS!
National Invasive Species Awareness Week or NISAW was from Feb. 26 to March 2, 2012. Over 800 people participated in Kids Invasive Species Day at the U.S. Botanic Garden. State, local, tribal and federal officials as well as representatives of business, environmental groups, private citizens participated at events held at Main Interior, the Department of Agriculture and the Hamilton Crowne Plaza Hotel. Over 100 people from across the U.S. participated. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and International Affairs, Lori Faeth, Catherine Woteki, USDA Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics, John Goss, White House Council on Environmental Quality's Asian Carp Director, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Lawrence J. Gumbiner provided opening presentations. The first ever National Invasive Species Awards were presented on behalf of NISC, ANSTF and FICMNEW. The Chief of the USDA Forest Service also gave out invasive species awards. US Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe addressed more than 300 people attending the NISAW/ AFWA Reception celebrating wildlife on Capitol Hill about the importance of preventing the introduction of invasive animals. The Defenders of Wildlife hosted a discussion of invasive species topic for the National Environmental Coalition on Invasive Species at their headquarters. More than 140 people attended the Grassroots Invasive Species Forum and Webinar via the internet; and prevention and international cooperation topics were extensively reviewed. In addition, the National Park Service hosted the first ever Urban Invasive Species Forum. Many states and localities hosted their own invasive species events. The outcomes of these discussions are being pulled together for a report which will be posted on www.invasivespecies.gov and www.nisaw.org. Thanks to the MANY people, agencies and organizations who made NISAW happen!!
2012 National Invasive Species Awards on behalf of FICMNEW, ANSTF, ANS Regional Panels, NISC and ISAC presented on March 1, 2012 during NISAW 2012
Peg Brady of the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration presented the first ever National Invasive Species Awards on behalf of the National Invasive Species Council, the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task force, the ANS Regional Panels, the Invasive Species Advisory Committee and the Federal Interagency Committee on the Management of Noxious and Exotic Weeds. Five awards were presented to the following worthy recipients! Congratulations to all the winners and nominees. A longer announcement will be issued shortly, which will include a list of all those nominated.
Award winners are as follows:
- Elizabeth Brown, Colorado State Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Coordinator is this year's recipient of the Outstanding Invasive Species Leadership Award of 2012 for aquatic species. She is from Denver, Colorado. She has been tireless in her efforts to stop the spread of Dreissenid mussels in the waters of Colorado.
- Dr. Susan Meyer, Research Ecologist for the Shrub Sciences Laboratory is this year's recipient of the Outstanding Invasive Species Leadership Award of 2012 for terrestrial species. She is from Provo, Utah. Dr. Meyer pioneered the effort to develop a biocontrol that is capable of removing banks of ungerminated seeds.
- Noel Bassett, American Steamship Company (ASC) is this year's recipient of the Outstanding Invasive Species Volunteer Award of 2012. He is from Williamsville, New York. Noel Bassett has demonstrated innovation, creativity, and courage in creating a successful coalition with numerous nontraditional partners through a complex network of scientists and organizations.
- Doug Jensen, Aquatic Invasive Species Program Coordinator for the Minnesota Sea Grant is this year's recipient of the Outstanding Achievement in Invasive Species Outreach and Education Award of 2012 for aquatic species. He is from Duluth, Minnesota. Doug has developed hundreds of watch cards that are used to educate the public about aquatic invasive species; as a result of these cards, many cases of aquatic invasive species have been reported and additional control programs have been created to combat AIS.
- The Forest Pest Outreach and Survey Project, from Wallingford, Connecticut, is this year's recipient for the Outstanding Achievement in Invasive Species Outreach and Education Award of 2012 for terrestrial species. The project involves federal and state agencies dealing with forestry and agriculture working with nongovernmental partners to produce a comprehensive, coordinated region-wide forest pest outreach and detection program.