About
The Canadian Council on Invasive Species (CCIS) hosted our first National Invasive Species Awareness Week (NISAW), in May 2020, which featured a series of webinars and social media resources promoting Canadians to stop the spread of invasive species. Since then, this event has developed into two weeks each year promoting awareness and action on invasive species in winter and spring (respectively). Both events work collaboratively with organizations across Canada, by sharing important information to support invasive species management efforts in Canada, as well as to encourage people in Canada to take action to prevent the spread of invasive species.
- National Invasive Species Awareness Week (February/March) focuses on raising awareness on invasive species. CCIS hosts a webinar series to mark this event, find past webinar topics and recordings
- National Invasive Species Action Week (third week in May) is a social media-based event focusing on promoting action on invasive species issues to protect landscapes, waterways and communities in Canada. Find resources for this event below.
How to Participate: May 14-20, 2023
National Invasive Species Action Week takes place over social media from May 14-20, 2023. Spring NISAW focuses on promoting Canadians to “Take Action” through specific steps that stop the spread of invasive species. The CCIS will be providing a toolkit with themes, pre-made social posts, and other resources, to help groups across Canada promote this week in their province or territory, to raise awareness and promote action against invasive species together!
Overview
GOAL: Encourage people in Canada to take action against invasive species
OBJECTIVE: Work with partners across Canada to share invasive species information to their target audiences through social media and other online tools to encourage people in Canada to take action to prevent the spread of invasive species.
PARTICIPANTS: Any individual or organization with an ability to participate on social media, who have an interest or mandate related to invasive species management, prevention and awareness in Canada and beyond.
TARGET AUDIENCE: Individuals and groups including but not limited to gardeners, anglers, hunters, recreational boaters, trail users, campers, property owners, and farmers.
How to Participate
Social media is an important tool to raise awareness on invasive species and promote positive actions to prevent their spread. CCIS has developed a schedule of themes, suggested content ideas, resources and ready-to-use posts to guide participating individuals and organizations when posting on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and any other social platforms.
To align with other partners we will be using the hashtag #NISAW #invasivespecies #ISAW. You can participate in the following ways:
- INTERACT WITH CONTENT: Like, share/retweet content created by CCIS and other groups using #invasivespecies
- CREATE YOUR OWN CONTENT: Post using the themes and social graphics below or as a guide to create your own invasive species posts using #invasivespecies
Free Social Graphics
Social graphics are free for any organization to use and add their logo to if they wish. Graphics are designed to follow the Invasive Species Action Week themes and are available in Facebook and Instagram post formats, with some bonus stories and carousel formats.
Download the graphics for each theme using the links below:
- Invasive Species 101
- Aquatic Invasive Species/Clean Drain Dry
- Terrestrial Invasive Species/PlayCleanGo
- Invasive Forest Pests/Buy Local Burn Local
- Prevent the Release of Invasive Species/Don’t Let it Loose
- Horticulture and Invasive-free Gardening
If you have issues accessing the files, please email programs@canadainvasives.ca
Remember to use the hashtag #invasivespecies in your posts!
Themes
See suggested themes, content, and ready-to-use posts you can use on your social media platforms the National Invasive Species Action Week 2023.
Invasive Species 101
SUGGESTED CONTENT: Define invasive species, their impacts and provide examples of the threats they pose.
Resources:
https://canadainvasives.ca/invasive-species/
Ready-to-use Posts:
What is an #invasivespecies? A non-native living organism (plant, animal, or disease) causing a
negative impact to ecosystems, the economy, or even human health.
The Impact of #invasivespecies is estimated to cost $30 billion annually in Canada. To learn how you
can help prevent the spread of invasive species visit www.canadainvasives.ca
Reporting Invasive Species
SUGGESTED CONTENT: Promote Canadians to report invasive species sightings and take other citizen science actions.
Resources:
iNaturalist.ca – I Spy and Identify Invasives
Ready-to-use Posts:
Take action and report #invasivespecies. The more eyes on the ground, the earlier we can detect and
manage invasive species before an infestation gets out of hand! To report sightings visit
www.reportcanadainvasives.ca
Terrestrial Invasive Species
SUGGESTED CONTENT: Promote the prevention of terrestrial invasive species by targeting outdoor recreation. Highlight existing programs and resources that help prevent the spread such as “Play Clean Go”.
Resources:
Invasive Species on our Landscapes: Youth Activity Book
Ready-to-use Posts:
Our beloved trails, parks and other recreational spots are being overrun by unwanted guests. Give
#invasivespecies the brush off and take the #PlayCleanGo pledge today! www.playcleango.ca
Remember to clean your outdoor gear! When we #PlayCleanGo, we prevent invasive seeds and other pests
from spreading into our favourite trails and recreational spots. For tips visit
www.playcleango.ca #invasivespecies
Take these easy steps to stop invasive species: Stay on trails, clean your gear, clothes, and pets & pledge
to always #PlayCleanGo! www.playcleango.ca #invasivespecies
Aquatic Invasive Species
SUGGESTED CONTENT: Focus on messaging that promotes the prevention of aquatic invasive species, such as by taking the “Clean Drain Dry” steps.
Resources:
Invasive Species in our Waters: Youth Activity Book
Zebra and Quagga Mussel Fact Sheet
Adopt and Aquatic Habitat Toolkit
Ready-to-use Posts:
3 easy steps to protect your favourite water body: CLEAN, DRAIN, DRY your boat, fishing gear and boating
equipment after each use. To learn more about aquatic #invasivespecies & take the pledge, visit:
www.cleandraindry.ca
Did You Know – #invasivespecies threaten the health of our waterways and can even impede our ability to
swim, fish and boat on them? Clean Drain Dry your watercraft and fishing gear to protect our waters from
aquatic invasive species! Learn more & pledge at www.CleanDrainDry.ca
The only way to protect our waters from damaging #invasivespecies is to prevent them from entering in
the first place. ALWAYS Clean Drain Dry your watercraft, fishing gear and other equipment after returning
to shore.
Invasive Forest Pests
SUGGESTED CONTENT: Focus on messaging that promotes the prevention of moving firewood (ex. Buy Local Burn Local) and other wood products that can carry pests that harm our forests and trees.
Resources:
Forest Pests: Youth Activity Book
Ready-to-use Posts:
Don’t give invasive pests a free ride! When you #buylocalburnlocal firewood you prevent hidden
#invasivespecies from harming our forests and trees! Learn more at www.buylocalburnlocal.ca
Is your firewood pest-free? Harmful #invasivespecies that threaten our forests can be transported in
firewood without you knowing it! Don’t risk it, #BuyLocalBurnLocal firewood instead of transporting it.
Our trees & forest will thank you! www.BuyLocalBurnLocal.ca
Prevent the Release of Species (Endangered Species Day – May 19)
SUGGESTED CONTENT: Encourage pet owners, anglers, and others to prevent the release of invasive species (ex. gold fish, turtles, pigs, angling bait, sport fish). And recognize Endangered Species Day by using #StopExtinction
Resources:
Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative
Ready-to-use Posts:
Did you know your pet can be an #InvasiveSpecies and can impact our native and at-risk species? Ensure your pets are kept safe and rehomed responsibly. www.DontLetItLoose.ca
Escaped or released animals like pigs can impact agriculture, damage property, and spread disease to
livestock. Stop the release of species, take the pledge at www.DontLetItLoose.ca #invasivespecies
Be a responsible pet owner, never release pets into the wild. Take the pledge at www.DontLetItLoose.ca #StopExtinction
Horticulture and Invasive-free Gardening (World Bee Day – May 20)
SUGGESTED CONTENT: Encourage invasive-free gardening and the sale and purchase of only non-invasive and native plant species. Additionally, in observance of World Bee Day #WorldBeeDay, promote pollinator friendly garden species.
Resources:
Voluntary Code of Conduct for the Ornamental Horticulture Industry
Canada’s Unwanted Invasive Plant List
Ready-to-use Posts:
No one likes a weedy garden! In Canada, 40% of non-native vascular plants are considered weedy
or #invasivespecies. #PlantWise and grow non-invasive garden species.
www.Plant-Wise.ca
Invasive plants can outcompete native plants for nutrients, water and space in your garden and
natural spaces. Support your pollinator friends this #WorldBeeDay by growing non-invasive and
native plants! #Invasivespecies
Is your garden invasive-free? For a Plant Wise garden make sure to: Buy locally grown plants, plant
only non-invasive and native plant species and know how each plant grows! For a list of Canada’s
unwanted #invasive plants visit www.Plant-Wise.ca
Thank you for helping spread the word to prevent the spread of invasive species in Canada! Questions? Reach out to programs@canadainvasives.ca
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