Learn how to deal with invasive species

Carmel, Indiana – The Hamilton County Invasives Partnership (HIP) has announced the upcoming Hamilton County Invasive Species Awareness Week, taking place April 8 to 15. This annual event is designed to raise awareness about the dangers of invasive species and encourage residents to take action to protect the local environment.

Throughout the week, HIP will hold a variety of educational events and activities, including:

• Invasive Species & Native Alternatives for your Home Landscape workshop at Westfield Washington Public Library at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 11
• Weed Wrangle volunteer event at Inlow Park in Carmel on Friday, April 14
• Weed Wrangle volunteer events at Fall Creek Woods Nature Area in Fishers, Potter’s Bridge Park in Noblesville, and Midland Trace Trail in Westfield, all on Saturday, April 15
• HIP Strike Team at Coxhall Gardens Park in Carmel on Saturday, April 15

HIP will also use the hashtag #HCISAW on social media to offer content and materials. For the most recent news and events, follow the Hamilton County Invasives Partnership on Facebook and Instagram. Participants can also obtain five-gallon buckets from the Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) office during business hours or at volunteer activities for use in managing invasive species, particularly garlic mustard.

“Hamilton County Invasive Species Awareness Week is an opportunity for all of us to come together and learn about the destructive invasive species cause to our beloved parks and natural areas and our yards,” HIP Spokesperson Claire Lane said. “Invasive species are a growing threat to our native ecosystems, and it’s up to all of us to take action to prevent their spread.”

The Hamilton County SWCD, neighborhood parks departments, conservation groups, concerned residents, and property managers work together to create HIP. In Hamilton County, they collaborate to stop the spread of alien species and rebuild natural habitats.

Visit hcinvasives.org or send an email to [email protected] for more details about Hamilton County Invasive Species Awareness Week and to learn how you can participate.

Invasives Partnership of Hamilton County The county’s Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area, known as the Hamilton County Invasives Partnership (HIP), was founded in 2019. (CISMA). The purpose of the Partnership is to bring together local residents, organizations, landowners, and managers in the fight against invasive species and the damage they create in the county.