Invasive species workshop set for Oct. 27-29
October 20, 2020
The Alaska Invasive Species Workshop will take place virtually Oct. 27-29.
The annual workshop will run half days on Zoom, from 9 a.m. to noon. The workshop provides a forum to discuss invasive species management, research, policy and emerging issues.
Two presentations address controlling invasive chokecherry, which has been widely planted as an ornamental. Workshop coordinator Gino Graziano said the trees crowd out other desirable vegetation, and chokecherry pits and branch tips contain cyanide, which can be toxic to moose. Katherine Schake of the Homer Soil and Water Conservation District will talk about a program to help residents remove chokecherry trees, and Graziano will talk about effective chemical treatments.
Other topics include control of orange hawkweed; efforts to control the spread of northern pike, which have affected salmon populations; evaluation of the impacts of elodea; and invasive species initiatives on lands managed by the Department of the Interior.
The University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service is coordinating the workshop with the Alaska Invasive Species Partnership. Registration is free this year. Registration, an agenda and more workshop information are available at www.uaf.edu/ces/invasives/conference. The Department of Environmental Conservation offers continuing education credits for workshop participation. For more information, contact Graziano at 907-786-6315 or gagraziano@alaska.edu.
ON THE WEB: www.uaf.edu/ces/invasives/conference