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Alaska Invasive Species Awareness Week (AKISAW) is more than a date on the calendar — it’s a statewide reminder that protecting Alaska’s wild lands and waters is a shared responsibility. The second week of June, agencies, tribes, nonprofits, researchers, and citizens in the state of Alaska all come together to spotlight the threats invasive species invasive species
An invasive species is any plant or animal that has spread or been introduced into a new area where they are, or could, cause harm to the environment, economy, or human, animal, or plant health. Their unwelcome presence can destroy ecosystems and cost millions of dollars.
Learn more about invasive species pose and the powerful impact prevention can have.
In a state defined by its intact ecosystems and iconic wildlife, this collaboration isn’t just helpful. It’s essential. Recognizing this, in his executive proclamation Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavydesignated June 14-20, 2026 as Alaska Invasive Species Awareness Week.
At its core, the week celebrates collaboration. Alaska’s geography alone makes invasive species management a unique challenge: vast distances, remote communities, and diverse ecosystems that can be transformed quickly by a single new pest or plant. No single organization can tackle that alone. That’s why partnerships like the Alaska Invasive Species Partnership (AKISP) and Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas (Anchorage, Kenai Peninsula , and Northern Alaska) are vital. During AKISAW, their efforts become more visible through highlights like volunteer weed pulls and community early detection events.
Prevention is the star of AKISAW, and for good reason. Once an invasive species becomes established, eradication becomes expensive, difficult, and sometimes impossible. Prevention, on the other hand, is cost effective and surprisingly simple.
- Clean your gear
- Clean drain and dry your boat
- Don’t transport firewood
- Report unusual plants or animals
o Call 1-877-INVASIV (1-877-468-2748)
o Use Alaska Department of Fish and Game Online Invasive Species Reporter
These small actions, multiplied across thousands of residents and visitors, protect fisheries, subsistence resources, recreation areas, and the biodiversity that makes Alaska unlike anywhere else.
Like the nation-wide National Invasive Species Awareness Week that occurs in February, this Alaska-specific celebration commemorates and amplifies the teamwork and partnerships across the state that occur year-round. It’s a reminder that Alaska’s plants, fish, wildlife, and habitats rely on every Alaskan to do their part to prevent invasive species.
