Scientists at Washington State University’s Puyallup Research and Extension Center have joined with regional and federal experts to offer a webinar series for Northwest Tribes to build community and plan for, detect, and stop invasive species.
The 2024 Invasive Species Webinars for Tribal Audiences are held each Tuesday beginning April 2 and run through April 23. Led by Joseph Hulbert, researcher at WSU Puyallup, these deep-dive webinars are co-hosted with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service, the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Washington Invasive Species Council, and the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission.
Presenters will cover invasives including the quagga mussel, which kills native fish and wildlife by consuming available food and smothering native species; the invasive shrub Scotch broom; elk hoof disease, a spreading infection that deforms hooved wildlife; and the European green crab, which threatens shellfish, eelgrass, and native fish habitat.
Webinars include detection and response for quagga mussels on April 2, and invasives’ impact on cultural resources on April 9. The April 16 webinar explores how to plan and prepare for invasive species, while the final webinar on April 23 looks at funding and resources. WSDA Pesticide Applicator credits are available for three webinars. Participation is free.
The programs were developed as follow-ups to an original workshop series held in March.
To learn more or register, visit the invasive species workshops homepage.
Contact Joseph Hulbert, researcher with the WSU and USDA APHIS Invasive Project, at hulbe@wsu.edu.
