Event is open to the public

Columbia Gorge Invasive Species Workshop to be held in Stevenson

Registration is underway for the first annual Invasive Species & Exotic Pest Workshop set for March 29 at the Rock Creek Hegewald Center in Stevenson.

The conference will focus on invasive plant control as well as early detection and rapid response to other exotic pests such as aquatic animal species and insects which impact forest and watershed health.

Information will be presented on new and emerging technologies with a focus on best management practices. Subject matter experts from Oregon and Washington will be presenting to the local audience.

While the conference is intended for environmental managers, restoration professionals or pest managers, this workshop will be interesting to anyone and the general public is welcome to register to attend.

The event is sponsored by the Columbia Gorge Cooperative Weed Management Area and is being hosted by the Skamania County Noxious Weed Control Program and Washington State University Extension.

The Columbia Gorge Cooperative Weed Management Area is a collaborative group of invasive species managers from local, state and federal agencies, non-profit organizations, Confederated Tribes, educational institutions and individuals who are concerned with invasive species management in the greater Columbia Gorge area.

The CWMA spans six counties in both Washington and Oregon and includes Clark, Skamania, Klickitat, Wasco, Multnomah and Hood River counties. The mission of the group is to work together across jurisdictional boundaries on common invasive species issues that affect the economy and ecological health of public and private lands.

To register, call (509) 427-3941 or visit www.skamaniacounty.org/noxious-weeds/workshop2012/ for more information.