| | The 2006 North American Weed Management Association (NAWMA) conference, hosted by the Alberta Invasive Plants Council (AIPC), is being held in Calgary on September 18 to 21, 2006. Speakers from across Canada and the U.S. will be presenting new tools, strategies and research at this year's conference themed Invasive Plants - Risk Assessment and Ecological Integrity.
"We're encouraging land managers from across North America, in particular parks personnel and managers from towns, cities and municipalities, policy makes, agriculture producers and organizations to attend this conference," says Tim Dietzler, conference co-chair and AIPC director. "Risk assessment is key, especially for us in Canada as we try to determine what we are trying to protect against."
The agenda includes presentations on national issues across U.S. and Canada. Both the U.S. and Canadian federal governments will be making presentations on their federal strategies and selected risk assessment tools. "In Alberta, we're testing another risk assessment tool, that will be explained and compared to the other models," explains Dietzler. "Because weeds know no border, the interaction between countries is really important. We will find out who has what problems, how they are dealing with them and establish a reference point for future information and contact."
Another component of the conference is a field school, with five infestation site stops planned. The history of each site, how the invasive plant arrived there, what control has been used and progress to date will be reviewed. Continuing Education Credits (CEU) will be available for Certified Crop Advisors, Certified Manager of Invasive Plants and Pesticide Applicators participants. The early registration deadline is July 31, 2006.
AIPC was recently incorporated, and is now a formal not-for profit organization.
The AIPC Business Plan focuses on awareness, communication and cooperation. The council's goal is to make sure Albertans are aware of the impacts invasive plants have on the environment, economy and society. Another AIPC priority is encouraging more research.
AIPC will be hosting the 2008 North American Weeds Across Border Conference in Alberta. The conference is held every two years, and in 2006 was hosted for the first time outside the U.S. in Mexico.
For more information about AIPC and about the NAWMA conference, visit the AIPC website at www.invasiveplants.ab.ca.
Contact:
Alberta Invasive Plants Council
Tim Dietzler, AIPC Conference Co-Chair
(403) 520-1271
E-mail: TDietzler@rockyview.ca |
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