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An invasive plant is defined as a plant species that is non-native (or alien) to an ecosystem and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. The annual cost of invasive plants to the U.S. economy is estimated at $120 billion per year. Despite its remote setting, Southeast Alaska is not immune to invasion by these plants nor the economic and ecological impacts that come with them. In fact, well over 50 invasive plant species in more than 1,000 infestations have been documented in Juneau alone.   Reed canarygrass takes over a stand of fireweed near lower Jordan Creek in Juneau. SAWC is taking on two of the most invasive of these plant species – Bohemian knotweed and reed canarygrass. Knotweed…

Taiya Inlet Watershed Council hosted the Skagway Community Weed pull on July 8th.  A total of 13 volunteers pulled 237 pounds of invasive white sweetclover!

In partnership with the Juneau Watershed Partnership (JWP), the Southeast Alaska Watershed Coalition seeks an Environmental Science Intern to carry out the collection of water quality monitoring data on the Duck Creek Watershed in Juneau: The JWP in partnership with the Southeast Alaska Watershed Coalition (SAWC) and the University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) will collect data to determine the effectiveness of the Nancy Street wetland in improving water quality conditions on Duck Creek. Since 1994, Duck Creek was listed on the state’s Impaired Waters List for non-attainment of dissolved oxygen (DO), residues/debris, metals (specifically iron), fecal coliform bacteria, and turbidity standards. The Nancy Street wetland is one of many restoration projects completed on Duck Creek to improve water quality, but there has been little to no water quality monitoring to…