Monarch Butterfly

One of the premier activities that the AIS coordinators have worked on with public and private entities is the 100th Meridian Initiative. The goal of the Initiative is to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species by boats personal watercraft and other pathways.

Louanne McMartin is the Pacific Southwest Assistant Regional AIS Coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Program.

RiversEdge West (formerly Tamarisk Coalition) was founded in 1999. RiversEdge West focuses on riparian forest and floodplain health in the American West to address impacts from invasive riparian (riverside) plants such as Russian olive and tamarisk, challenges associated with climate change and habitat fragmentation, and stressors that may result in diminished biodiversity and ecosystem services.

The mission of WAPMS is to serve as a chapter of the Aquatic Plant Management Society (APMS) organization, providing a forum for members in Western North America to share interdisciplinary information related to aquatic plant and algae identification, detection, management and control.

Aquatic invasive species (AIS) (sometimes called exotic, invasive, nonindigenous or non-native) are aquatic organisms that invade ecosystems beyond their natural, historic range.