The Western Governors’ Biosecurity and Invasive Species Initiative, launched in 2018 as the central policy initiative of WGA Chair Hawaii Governor David Ige, focused on the impacts that nuisance species, pests and pathogens have on ecosystems, forests, rangelands, watersheds, and infrastructure in the West. The Initiative also examined the role that biosecurity plays in addressing the risks posed by invasive species.
Hawaiʻi Gov. David Ige described his state's significant work to battle invasive species as not only the "right thing," but work that makes "economic sense" at the final workshop of the Western Governors’ Biosecurity and Invasive Species Initiative, which focused on “Biosecurity and Agriculture." The workshop took place Dec. 9-10 at the Fairmont Orchid on the Island of Hawaii, and was moderated by California Secretary for Natural Resources John Laird.
This webinar began with remarks by Hawaii Gov. David Ige highlighting the importance of invasive species management in the West, and the Initiative's goals and deliverables. Gov. Ige also announced the location of regional workshops to be held in Nevada, Wyoming, Montana and Hawaii. Leaders in invasive species data management also discussed WGA's Invasive Species Data Management Recommendations, a new effort to improve the interagency exchange of invasive species occurrence data in the West. Watch the webinar, download the slides.
This national public awareness and education program has reached nearly 2 billion contacts, or roughly 5.6 impressions per person living in the U.S since its 2006 launch. The campaign encourages boaters, anglers and hunters to properly clean and care for their equipment to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species through consistent messaging and targeted marketing.
The National Invasive Species Center’s Resources page provides links to a broad variety of technical information for invasive species managers and features a list of organizations involved in biosecurity and invasive species management at both a state and multi-state level. Resources can be filtered by Subject, Resource Type, Location, or Source.
The Western Governors’ Biosecurity and Invasive Species Initiative was the central policy effort of Hawaii Gov. David Ige as Chair of the Western Governors’ Association. It focused on the impacts of nuisance species, pests and pathogens on ecosystems, forests, rangelands, watersheds and infrastructure, and the role biosecurity plays in addressing invasive species risks. A report on the Initiative was released at WGA’s 2019 Annual Meeting in Colorado. Learn about the report’s findings and recommendations by watching the video.
