Des Moines - Due to the high costs of control and threats to Iowa's natural landscape, Governor Tom Vilsack declared June as "Invasive Species Awareness Month" to bring attention to the prevention and management efforts needed on public and private lands to deal invasive species in our state.

"Millions of dollars are spent on public and private lands each year fighting invasive species, such as exotic insects, animals and weeds that threaten Iowa's agricultural, aquatic, grassland and forest landscapes, impacting our waters and wildlands," said Governor Vilsack in his proclamation.

"Invasive species enter Iowa's landscape either by accident or by our own hands as we bring non native species to use in our landscape," said John Walkowiak, chief of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources forestry bureau and co-chair of the Iowa Invasive Species Working Group. "The ever increasing worldwide and interstate trade increases the likeliness of bringing in foreign pests such as the Emerald Ash Borer that is devastating the native ash trees around the Detroit Michigan area. The problem can also happen when we use non native plants that are aggressive seeders, such as purple loosestrife or bush honeysuckle we risk replacement of native plants in our landscape."

As part of Invasive Species Awareness Month in Iowa, the DNR is sponsoring two field workshops in cooperation with the Johnson County and Warren County Conservation Boards. The workshops will examine management of invasive plants on June 17 at Lake Ahquabi State Park south of Indianola and June 24 at Kent County Park outside of Oxford. Pre-registration for each workshop is $10/person including lunch, and will be $20/person on the day of the event. For more information, contact Megan Enneking at 515-281-4915 or contact Megan at tfkids@dnr.state.ia.us.
 

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