Invasive Species Centre

Webinar: Transforming the Problem: Using Invasive Species for Art, Craft and Woodworking
2026-02-24 01:00 - 13:00 (America/Toronto) | Zoom
From buckthorn to dog-strangling vine and phragmites, we’ll explore a few different ways to turn invasive species into art supplies. Artist and maker Kate Hayday will share a few projects she’s made using the invasive species found in her forest as raw materials. Needlefelting, natural inks and dyes, automata, and sturdy basket handles, this talk is all about finding beauty in unexpected places.

Insects and Climate Change Education Day
2026-02-24 09:30 - 13:30 | Online
Climate change is a concern across the Commonwealth. While many communities prepare by discussing improvements to infrastructure and disaster preparedness, managed and natural landscapes will demand attention too. We will highlight some of the manifestations of climate change, plant responses to those changes (trees and shrubs) and the interplay with insects (including pests).
Learn how:

Insect populations fluctuate in response to climate change.
Climate change affects the functioning & composition of our forests.
Urban heat islands and climate change increase urban tree stress & increase pest insect fitness (scale insects).
To be better prepared to predict and manage insect pest outbreaks caused by warming temperatures.

International Conference on Water Management Modeling
2026-02-25 - 2026-02-27 | The Westin Toronto Airport Hotel
The ICWMM brings together professionals from around the world to exchange ideas on current practices and emerging technologies in water management. Emphasis is on state-of-the-art computer modeling for resolving water quantity and quality problems in stormwater, wastewater, watershed, and water distribution systems.
Abstract submission deadline is February 1st, 2026.

Alberta Invasive Species Council 2026 Conference
2026-03-11 - 2026-03-12 | Olds College of Agriculture and Technology
A variety of sessions focused on invasive species as well as certified pesticide applicator credits and CEU credits will be offered. We will be hosting a poster session, a 50/50 raffle and opportunities for networking and sponsorship – please contact us at communications@abinvasives.ca to inquire.

2026 NE RISCC Symposium
2026-03-24 - 2026-03-25 | Online
Join us for two half-days of invasive species and climate change talks, panels, and workshops! The symposium is free and will take place on March 24 and 25, 2026 from 10AM – 3PM Eastern each day.

Biological control of introduced Phragmites australis in Ontario
2026-04-07 12:30 - 13:30 | Online
Presented by Dr. Ian Jones, Research Associate in the Smith Forest Health Laboratory at the University of Toronto
Introduced Phragmites australis (hereafter Phragmites) is one of the most invasive plants in North America. Classical biological control represents an affordable, and host-specific option to supplement existing management approaches. Dr. Jones will outline the process by which candidate biological control agents are selected, screened for host specificity, and released in their introduced range and provide an update of the Phragmites biological control program in Ontario, and the plans for its expansion.

2026 AIS Short Course
2026-04-29 - 2026-04-30 | Exploration Center in Missoula, Montana
Missoula County Department of Ecology and Extension is excited to be hosting the 2026 Aquatic Invasive Species Short Course!
The course will be held at the Exploration Center in Missoula, Montana on April 29th and 30th.
Join us in beautiful Missoula for two full days of hands-on workshops, panels, speaker sessions, and demonstrations!

2026 IAGLR-SCAS-SCSA Joint Conference
2026-05-25 - 2026-05-29 | Winnipeg, Manitoba
You’re invited to the joint conference of the International Association for Great Lakes Research and the Society of Canadian Aquatic Sciences—where global research on the world’s large lakes meets Canada’s rich tapestry of aquatic systems, from rivers and lakes to oceans and groundwater. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect, collaborate, and advance our knowlege across scales and borders.
The conference theme—Connected Waters: Bridging Communities & Ideas—reflects our commitment to fostering dialogue across scientific, Indigenous, and local knowledge systems. It recognizes that healthy waters are sustained through relationships among diverse communities, disciplines, ecosystems, and ways of knowing, and it underscores the importance of collaboration in addressing aquatic challenges across Canada, the Great Lakes, and beyond.
Hosted by the IISD Experimental Lakes Area, the conference will be hybrid, so if you can’t make it to Winnipeg in person, you’re welcome to join us online. We hope to see you May 25–29, 2026.

Invasive Species Awareness Fair
2026-05-30 | Erindale Park, Mississauga, Ontario
Join us at the Invasive Species Awareness Fair where you’ll meet environmental experts and some very special four-legged guests: a team of goats helping to clear invasive plants naturally! Residents will learn how to detect, report and protect Mississauga’s green and natural spaces while enjoying free activities on-site

PlayCleanGo Awareness Week 2026
2026-06-06 - 2026-06-13 | Online
PlayCleanGo® Awareness Week, taking place June 6-13, 2026, across North America. This annual campaign brings together outdoor enthusiasts, land managers, and partners across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico—including Invasives Canada and CONABIO—to help prevent the spread of invasive species.
This year’s theme, “We protect the places we love,” highlights the simple actions we can all take to care for the lands and waters we enjoy. Wherever we go, we all play a role in protecting these places for future generations.

Webinar: Kowabdanawa odë kė: Preventing and Preparing for Invasive Species on Pokagon Lands
2026-06-17 09:00 - 10:30 | Online
The emerald ash borer decimated the ash population across the state. For the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians in Southwest Michigan, this meant the loss of mature black ash trees, culturally important for traditional basket making. Since then, many new invasive species have emerged that could cause harm to culturally significant trees in the tribe’s service area in southwest Michigan and northern Indiana. Join Vic Bogosian, Natural Resources Manager for the Pokagon Band’s Kowabdanawa odë kė (‘They watch over this land’) to learn how they are taking a proactive approach, including education, tree surveys and response planning, to prepare for Asian longhorned beetle, spotted lanternfly, and beech leaf and beech bark diseases.

Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Management Training for Practitioners
2026-06-26 09:00 - 12:00 | Arboretum (16 Old Guelph Rd. Hamilton ON)
9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Arboretum (16 Old Guelph Rd. Hamilton ON)

Paid parking applies

For working conservation professionals who are either dealing with or preparing for Hemlock Woolly Adelgid on their property
Please come dressed for the weather. This program includes both an indoor and field portion. The outdoor portion will occur rain or shine, unless severe weather (thunderstorm) suspends the field portion

What you will learn:

The ecological importance of Eastern Hemlock and the imminent threat of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA)
HWA’s lifecycle and mechanisms of spread
HWA identification both in-person and in the field
How to develop an HWA survey program and examine different sampling techniques
Treatment options available in Ontario

By attending this event, you’re helping support the protection of Eastern Hemlock at RBG

Information booths for boaters on AIS and Clean Drain Dry in June/July
2026-06-30 - 2026-07-10 | Trent Severn Waterway
Information booths for boaters on AIS and Clean Drain Dry will be held by Parks Canada on Trent Severn Waterway throughout June and July on the following dates and locations:
Lock 21/PTBO Lift Lock – June 30: 10am-2pm
Lock 28/Burleigh Falls – July 2: 10am-2pm
Lock 31/Buckhorn – July 3: 10am-2pm
Lock 27/ Young’s Point – July 8: 10am-2pm
Lock 32/Bobcaygeon – July 9: 4:30pm-8:30pm
Lock 20/Ashburnham – July 10: 10am-2pm
For more information, please email: info@invadingspecies.com

Presque Isle State Park Education and outreach event with boat wash/decontamination activities
2026-07-02 10:00 - 12:00 | Presque Isle State Park, Erie, Pennsylvania
An education and outreach event with boat wash and decontamination activities at the Niagara Boat Ramp in Presque Isle State Park, Erie, Pennsylvania.
For more information, please contact: info@invadingspecies.com

The Nicolas Barber Riverbank Fishing Derby
2026-07-09 18:00 - 20:00 | Peace Park, Thessalon, Ontario
The Nicolas Barber Riverbank Fishing Derby will take place at Peace Park. This kids’ fishing derby has four age categories and prizes to be won! A great fishing event for kids who love to fish!
For more information, please contact: info@invadingspecies.com

Talk with aquatic invasive species experts about species to look out for in the Niagara area, and how you can prevent the spread
2026-07-11 13:00 - 16:00 | E.C. Brown Conservation Area, Welland, Ontario
Join a talk with aquatic invasive species experts about species to look out for in the Niagara area, and how you can prevent the spread at the E. C. Brown Conservation Area, Wetland and Boat Launch Boat Launch in Welland, Ontario
For more information, please contact: info@invadingspecies.com

Webinar: Practical Approaches to Managing Amur Honeysuckle
2026-07-15 11:00 - 12:00 | Online
Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) is an invasive shrub native to eastern Asia that was widely planted for ornamental use and wildlife habitat. It is now established across much of the eastern and midwestern United States, where it forms dense understory thickets that outcompete native plants, reduce plant diversity, and alter forest structure and ecosystem processes.
Join Kaleb Baker of the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission for a practitioner focused webinar that translates recent research into practical, on the ground management guidance for landowners and land managers. This session will cover how to identify Amur honeysuckle, summarize its ecological impacts, and explore management options and challenges faced in the field.
Drawing from recent studies evaluating seasonal basal bark herbicide treatments, prescribed fire, and soil responses to herbicide applications, this presentation will provide an overview of research objectives, methods, and results while highlighting how these findings can inform efficient, targeted control strategies that align with broader land management responsibilities.

Spotted Lanternfly Workshop - Morning
2026-07-22 09:00 - 11:00 | the Ojibway Nature Centre (5200 Matchett Road, Windsor)
Join us for a workshop on spotted lanternfly, a novel invasive insect that poses significant threats to horticulture, forestry, and the natural environment. Participants will learn about spotted lanternfly’s impacts, how it spreads, and how they can detect and prevent it. Open to grape and tender fruit growers, vineyard, nursery, and woodlot owners and managers, arborists, landscapers, government and conservation authority staff, students, gardeners, and members of the public.
Light refreshments will be served.
Sign up Here.

Spotted Lanternfly Workshop - Evening
2026-07-22 18:30 - 20:00 | the Ojibway Nature Centre (5200 Matchett Road, Windsor)

Ecology and Management of Biotic Disturbances in Forests
2026-07-27 - 2026-07-31 | Fredericton, NB Canada
Ecology and Management of Biotic Disturbances in Forests conference, will take place on July 27-31, 2026, in Fredericton (Canada). This event is jointly organized by WPs 7.03.06 – Integrated management of forest defoliating insects, 7.03.07 – Population dynamics of forest insects, 7.03.12 – Alien invasive species and international trade, and 7.03.13 – Biological control of forest insects and pathogens.
The conference will feature:

Keynote lectures from leading experts
Oral and poster sessions
Field trip
Workshops
Networking events to connect with peers and potential collaborators

Protecting What Sustains Us: Black Ash, Emerald Ash Borer, & Seed Conservation
2026-08-13 09:30 - 13:00
Join the Invasive Species Centre, Northumberland Land Trust and Kawartha Land Trust for a free half-day workshop at the Goodrich-Loomis Conservation Centre in Brighton. Learn about the Black Ash Community Action Network (BACAN), emerald ash borer impacts, Indigenous perspectives, and seed collection. A field component at the Wilkinson Nature Reserve will cover locating, identifying and collecting seed from black ash.
ISA CEUs have been applied for and are pending approval.
Light breakfast refreshments and lunch are provided.
Registration is required to attend. Agenda to follow.

Webinar: Planning for the Unknown: Tools for Urban Forest Pest Preparedness
2026-08-19 | Online
August 19, 2026 @ 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm CDT

Urban forests are on the front lines of invasive pest threats and climate uncertainty. This webinar features two practical tools that help communities assess risk, strengthen preparedness, and respond strategically to emerging forest pests. Representatives from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources will introduce the Urban Forest Pest Readiness Playbook, a resource that guides towns, cities, counties, and urban forestry programs through self assessments and recommended actions to close gaps between local managers and state and federal response partners. We will also explore Portland’s Tree Inventory Project and how comprehensive tree data supports proactive management. By measuring, mapping, and identifying public trees across the city, Portland has strengthened its ability to plan for climate impacts and invasive species, including using inventory data to inform its response planning for emerald ash borer. Join us to gain practical insights and learn about scalable tools that can help your community prepare for the next pest threat before it arrives.

Windsor/Essex area professionals: get trained on Spotted Lanternfly!
2026-08-19 | Windsor, Ontario and Kingsville Ontario
Calling all landscape & horticulture professionals in the Windsor/Essex area: We need your help!
Landscape Ontario and OMAFA are providing a FREE one-hour training workshop on Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) at two locations in the Windsor/Essex region on August 19th.

24th International Conference on Aquatic Invasive Species
2026-08-23 - 2026-08-27 | Queens University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland
The International Conference on Aquatic Invasive Species (ICAIS) is the most comprehensive international forum to address new and emerging issues related to aquatic invasive species (AIS) in freshwater, marine and estuarine environments.
ICAIS provides an international platform for the presentation of research to advance global action to limit the introduction and spread of AIS worldwide and serves as a catalyst for international collaboration on research and management projects.

5th International Congress on Biological Invasions
2026-09-01 | Perth, Western Australia
From Threats to Solutions: Advancing Biosecurity

Postponed to September/October 2026
Perth, Western Australia

Neobiota 2026, the 14th International Conference on Biological Invasions
2026-09-07 - 2026-09-11 | Brussels Belgium
The International Neobiota conference is an initiative from Neobiota, the European Group on Biological Invasions.
It is part of a well-established biennial series that brings together researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and stakeholders from around the world to share cutting-edge scientific research on biological invasions.
This year, the conference features a rich programme including Thematic and General Sessions, keynote speakers, poster and oral presentations, and a field trip.
Neobiota 2026 also welcomes the final event of the LIFE RIPARIAS project, which focuses on transitioning from data to management of biological invasions.

Fall Introductory Kanyen’keha (Mohawk) Language Course
2026-09-15 - 2026-11-03 | Online
Course Details:
📅 Tuesday evenings, 5:00pm – 6:30pm ET: September 15, 22, 29/October 6, 13, 20, 27/November 3
💻 Virtual sessions + recordings for 3 months
👩🏫 Instructor: Tahnee Bennet, Mohawk, Turtle Clan from Six Nations

Learn more by visiting their website

2026 Annual Meeting of the Western Regional Panel
2026-09-23 - 2026-09-25 | Sacramento, California
Join us for the 2026 Annual Meeting in Sacramento, CA. Our theme “Sustaining Successful Aquatic Invasive Species Management” will drive the meeting content. The meeting is hosted by California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Please check this page frequently as new information will be posted as it becomes available.
The current draft agenda is now available HERE. The agenda is still subject to change, and the most current agenda will be updated here.

2026 Upper Midwest Invasive Species Conference
2026-10-06 - 2026-10-08 | La Crosse Convention Center in La Crosse, Wisconsin
The Upper Midwest Invasive Species Conference (UMISC) is a biennial conference that addresses all taxa of invasive species. In 2026, UMISC will celebrate 18 years of connecting the invasive species management, research, and policy community. The goal of UMISC is to strengthen management of invasive species, especially prevention, control, and containment. There have been great strides in invasive species research, prevention, and management, but much work still must be done. The conference provides numerous opportunities to network with professionals, land managers, researchers, nonprofits, and others.

The 2026 NAISMA Annual Conference
2026-10-19 - 2026-10-22 | Alexandria, Virginia
NAISMA’s 2026 Annual Conference will take place at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center, just minutes from Washington, D.C. This event brings together invasive species management professionals, researchers, educators, and policymakers from across North America to share ideas, innovations, and strategies for protecting natural ecosystems.
