Invasive Species Awareness Week is an annual educational campaign that strives to guide education and outreach programs. Invasive species are non-native plants, animals, or microorganisms that have been introduced intentionally or unintentionally to new habitats. They can be found everywhere- along roadsides, in bodies of water, and in your own backyard! By taking part in New York Invasive Species Awareness Week, we as a community can learn about what species are the most threatening and what we can do to manage or even prevent their spread.
You might be thinking, “Why should I care?” An invasive species is any plant, animal, bacteria, fungi – any organism, which when introduced to a new environment, negatively alters it. Invasive species cause damage economically, environmentally, and are harmful to human health. Over 40% of threatened and endangered organisms are at risk because of invasive species. Invasive species often decrease agricultural crop yields, clog waterways, impact recreational opportunities, and decrease waterfront property values. Contact with the species themselves can lead to injury or harm such as burns and rashes. More serious harm includes the West Nile virus.
Each day this week we will add another post about invasive species. Check back to learn more! For additional information about activities going on statewide or for more information on invasives, go to our webpage here, or check out these other websites https://stoptheinvasionny.wordpress.com/ and http://fingerlakesinvasives.org.
