Guest Post By Justin Bush, Executive Coordinator to the Washington Invasive Species Council, Washington Recreation and Conservation Office

Hello all,

I wanted to let you know about an exciting event that the Washington Invasive Species Council is hosting throughout October. During the month of October, the Council in partnership with the Washington State Department of Agriculture, Washington Noxious Weed Control Board, and others, are asking people to report any sightings of tree-of-heaven to the Washington Invasives app (Download via Google Play or download via the App Store). The goal of this campaign is to collect data on the range and density of this noxious weed in addition to raising awareness about the risk of spotted lanternfly, which is an invasive species not known to be in Washington. We have created a communications schedule, shown below, that highlights a different aspect of the issues each week.

• Week 1 (October 4th-8th): Tree-of-Heaven
• Week 2 (October 11th - 15th): Spotted Lanternfly
• Week 3: (October 18th - 22nd): Pathways for Movement and Spread
• Week 4: (October 25th - 29th): A Call to Action

So where do you come in?

We’re asking you to like, share, comment, and repost our social media throughout the month. Additionally, we would love to collaborate with you if you want to highlight work your agency is doing to inventory or manage tree-of-heaven or the risk you face from the establishment of the spotted lanternfly. I’ve attached a document with the hashtag campaign we will be using, as well as the key messages we will be focusing on through the month.

Informational Webinar

November 1, 2021 | Hosted Via Zooom

Toward the end of October, we will also be advertising a webinar covering the following:

• Spotted Lanternfly Overview and Risk to Washington
• Spotted Lanternfly Impacts to Vineyards in Pennsylvania
• Spotted Lanternfly Impacts to Forests and Parks in Pennsylvania
• Overview of Spotted Lanternfly Interceptions in California
• Tree-of-Heaven Identification, Management, and Non-invasive Alternatives
• Results of October 2021 Tree-of-Heaven Census and Spotted Lanternfly Visual Survey
• Next Steps and Action Plan Overview

Learn More

Register Now

Additionally, we have shared several links that may be helpful to you should you get any questions about this event. 

• News Release
• November 1st Webinar
• Spotted Lanternfly Information
• Tree-of-Heaven Information
• Tree-of-Heaven and Spotted Lanternfly Brochure
• Brochure request form: Publications Request Form Survey (surveymonkey.com)

Lastly, don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions. We’re here to help!

Justin Bush
Executive Coordinator | Washington Invasive Species Council
Washington Recreation and Conservation Office | 360-704-0973 | [email protected]