EVENTS

Webinar Details:

Title:

How to Reduce the Risks of Introducing and Spreading Invasive Species in a Major Disaster

Webinar Description:

Disaster impacts are exacerbated by invasive species, which are harmful, non-native organisms that can also be introduced and spread by disasters, including disaster response and recovery operations. Mechanisms are available to reduce risks from invasive species in a disaster, but those mechanisms are rarely used because invasive species experts and emergency managers – the two groups that can address the issue by working together – are siloed. This presentation will introduce a recently published white paper by the National Invasive Species Council, which was written by invasive species experts and emergency managers in a deliberate attempt to raise awareness within and improve communication between these two expert groups. The focus is on Stafford Act major disasters, and the goal is to lessen the burden from invasive species in a disaster, improving outcomes for local communities and ecosystems.

Speaker details:

Dr. Bryan Falk is a Program Analyst for the National Invasive Species Council (NISC) in Washington, DC. He leads and supports efforts to achieve NISC priorities and core functions. Much of his current work is at the intersection of climate change and invasive species.