Source: California Invasive Plant Council


URL of this page: http://www.cal-ipc.org/policy/state/ciwaw.php
Cal-IPC > Invasive Plant Policy > State Policies and Programs > California Invasive Weeds Awareness Week

California Invasive Weeds Awareness Week

California Invasive Weeds Awareness Week (CIWAW) is an annual event that brings attention to the problems caused by invasive plants in California, and to the work of local groups that work to protect our natural areas and rangelands. In 2004, the state legislature signed a proclamation declaring California Invasive Weeds Awareness Week to begin the third Monday of July each year. CIWAW is an excellent occasion for WMAs and other local groups to hold public awareness events and to visit the offices of elected representatives to let them know about local weed projects. The next Invasive Weeds Awareness Week is July 20-26, 2009.

CIWAW Poster 2009
2009 Weeds Week poster (pdf)
  • To help you organize activities for Weed Week, Cal-IPC has prepared a How-To Guide of Weed Week Strategies (Word) with event ideas, examples of press releases and county resolutions, tips for taking local legislators on a tour, and information on organizing community work days.
  • Cal-IPC outreach materials can be especially useful during CIWAW.

Scheduled events for 2009

Is your organization holding a work day, exhibit, or tour on invasive plants for Weed Week? Contact us to post your event and increase your publicity! Please include the date, time, location, activity, and contact information.

  • Alameda County ~~ Help Restore Cerrito Creek
    • Saturday, July 25, 10 am - 12:30 pm

    Help Friends of Five Creeks volunteers remove invasives – especially flood-promoting evergreen thornless blackberry (Rubus ulmifolius var. inermis) -- from Cerrito Creek at the foot of Albany Hill. Meet at Creekside Park, south end of Santa Clara Ave., El Cerrito. From Central Ave. between San Pablo and I-880, turn south on Santa Clara; the park is at street's end (Internet maps 3499 Santa Clara Ave.). All ages welcome -- snacks, tools, and gloves provided. Information at www.fivecreeks.org, f5creeks@aol.com, or 510-848-9358.



  • Lake County ~~ Invasive Weeds Tour
    • Thursday, July 23, 8:45 am - Noon, followed by a light lunch

    The Lake County Weed Management Area is hosting its 5th annual "Invasive Weeds Tour". The self-driving, caravan-style tour is a fun, FREE, and informative event. The tour will begin in Lakeport, proceed to Nice, Rodman Slough, Kelseyville and end at Lakeside Park with a light lunch. This year's tour will revisit sites from last year to observe the progress in controlling the invasive weeds and, in some cases, to see how rapidly the unattended invasive weeds have spread.

    We will see a demonstration area where goats have been used to control French Broom. We'll visit two aquatic weed locations, and one of the Weed Management Area's multiple control sites for Arundo donax, a significant invader of our riparian areas. We'll also visit an area featuring an abundant diversity of terrestrial invasive weeds, and try our luck at seeing some Yellow Star Thistle biocontrol agents at work.

    Passenger vans with limited seating will be available on a first come first serve basis. All other participants will need to provide their own transportation and carpooling is encouraged. Registration begins at 8:15 AM at the Lake County Department of Agriculture located at 883 Lakeport Blvd. The tour will depart from the parking lot at 8:45 a.m. Please RSVP with Kristi @ (707) 263-0217 by July 20, 2009 and indicate if you would like a seat on one of the vans.



  • Marin County ~~ Beginner Weed Watcher Training
    • Saturday, July 25, 2009: 10am-1pm, Marin Headlands, Fort Cronkhite, Building 1050

    Learn how to monitor along trails and roadsides of GGNRA where new weed invasions often occur. Discovering weeds before they become well-established is critical to reducing damage to ecosystem integrity, preventing the loss of habitat for rare plants and animals, and preventing costly natural resource management.

    Attend this training to become a volunteer Weed Watcher. We will review identification of priority plant species, as well as techniques for data collection and orienteering. We will start in the classroom, and then move outdoors to search for priority species on an introductory hike around Rodeo Lagoon Trail.

    For more information or to RSVP, please contact Jen Jordan at 415-331-5023, or Jenn_Jordan@nps.gov



  • Marin County ~~ Restore Wild Salmon Habitat
    • Saturday, July 25, 2009: 10am-1pm, Lagunitas Creek Watershed

    Join the Salmon Protection and Watershed Network (SPAWN) for some weed work along Lagunitas creek! Help them remove invasive plant species such as French Broom, vinca, and forget-me-nots in redwood and riparian ecosystem TO BENEFIT WILD SALMON HABITAT! Lagunitas Creek Watershed is home to THE LARGEST REMAINING WILD RUN OF COHO SALMON in Central California. Help make sure that our coho habitats are healthy and clean for them to return to..so that we may have the privilege to witness our salmon SPAWN!

    For directions and other information, please contact Claire at 415-663-8590 ext. 118, or Claire@tirn.net, or check the SPAWN website for more info.



  • Marin County ~~ Point Reyes National Seashore (pdf flyer)
    • Tuesday, July 21, 2009: 9am-4pm, Lake Ranch, oxeye daisy and capeweed removal
    • Sunday, July 26, 2009: 9am-3:30pm, Tomales Point, Tule Elk Range, capeweed removal

    The National Park Service's Habitat Restoration Team invites you to help restore and protect the natural communities of Point Reyes National Seashore. Visit some of the most beautiful areas in the park and learn about local plant ecology while you work alongside park staff to carry out ecological restoration projects.

    Tuesday: Remove non-native, invasive oxeye daisy, Leucanthemum vulgare, and capeweed, Arctotheca calendula, from Lake Ranch. This hike (2+ miles one-way, 4+ miles round trip) offers spectacular ocean views from far above the surf and plentiful summer salmonberries and thimbleberries. Volunteers are welcome to explore Bass Lake—unofficially the best swimming at Point Reyes (no lifeguards)—after the event or to continue hiking to Wildcat to be rewarded with ocean and lake views and a beautiful beach.

    Sunday: Remove non-native, invasive capeweed, Arctotheca calendula, from Tomales Point. Enjoy a beautiful morning hike (3 miles one-way, 6 miles round-trip) through pink, yellow and white blooming meadows with magnificent views of Tomales Bay, Bodega Bay and the Pacific Ocean. This hike is also prime for wildlife viewing, as it is remote and the Tule Elk are enclosed in this reserve. Meet at the Bear Valley Visitor Center parking lot at 9 a.m. or the Tomales Point Trailhead/Pierce Point Ranch at 9:45 a.m. A morning snack will be provided. Volunteers are free to explore the Elk Reserve after the event, and hike to the tip of Tomales Point (9.5 miles round-trip from the parking lot) for a breathtaking ocean view.

    Meet at the Bear Valley Visitors Center parking lot (directions - pdf) at 9:00am for project briefing and carpool to restoration site for both events. We encourage volunteers of all backgrounds, ages and experience levels. Tools, gloves and training are provided. Participants are advised to wear long pants, sturdy shoes and other seasonally appropriate clothing, as well as bring lunch and water.

    For more information contact Ellen Hamingson at 415.464.5196 or Ellen_Hamingson@nps.gov, or check the NPS website for more info. Groups and individuals can also arrange other workdays to fit their schedules.




  • Santa Clara County ~~ Learn about invasive plants and restoration
    • Saturday, July 25, from 8 am to 4:30 pm

    Come out to Rancho Cañada del Oro Open Space Preserve for a hike and stop by the Open Space Authority booth. Open Space Technicians will be on hand to share their knowledge of invasive weeds and the struggle to contain them. See the tools of the weed eradication trade, learn to identify the culprits, and even sign up to volunteer for a weed removal project. Resisting this silent invasion is an ongoing effort and you can play a part. Directions at www.openspaceauthority.org or 408-224-7476.


Past CIWAW Highlights

Demonstration in Marin County
Demonstrating new technologies for controlling invasive plants.
Photo courtesy Janet Klein, MMWD

Groups around the state used a variety of programs to educate local citizens on invasive plants. The following is a sample of events from California Invasive Weeds Awareness Week, July 2008. Are we missing your group’s event? Send a short description of it to us.

  • Friends of Five Creeks, with the help of many volunteers, removed thornless blackberry (Rubus ulmifolius var. inermis) from El Cerrito's Creekside Park, within Alameda County.
  • Within El Dorado County the Lake Tahoe Basin Weed Coordinating Group hosted presentations on:
    • The impacts of invasive aquatic and terrestrial weeds,
    • What is being done to stop their establishement and spread, and
    • How to stop their establishment and spread.
  • Volunteers were quite active in Marin County, where multiple events were hosted! Capeweed (Arctotheca calundula) was pulled by both volnteers and staff within the Point Reyes National Seashore, and later in the week, the Habitat Restoration Program crew and Vegetation Management staff removed cape ivy, periwinkle, and capeweed from historic Pierce Point Ranch.
  • In San Diego County, the local CNPS Chapter joined the spirit of California Invasive Weed Awareness Week by inviting Carl Bell, the Regional Advisor of Invasive Plants from the UC Cooperative Extension, to share his latest research. Carl focused on habitat recovery after the recent wildfires.
  • The weed warriors and wonder women of Santa Clara County participated in two volunteer based events, removing a variety of invasive plants throughout Pearson-Arastradero Preserve.

Below are examples of events from California Invasive Weeds Awareness Week, July 2006 & 2005.

  • On the border of Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, Friends of Five Creeks held volunteer work parties on Cerrito Creek to tackle the explosion of bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) that had completely covered about 70 feet of bank and was spreading downstream
  • The Marin Municipal Water District and Marin/Sonoma Weed Management Area organized a workshop with demonstrations of “New Technologies to Control Invasive Weeds on Public Lands and Watersheds”.
  • The San Luis Obispo County Weed Management Area sponsored a Board of Supervisors Resolution declaring July 17-23 Invasive Weed Awareness Week in San Luis Obispo County; published an article on the problems caused by invasive weeds in several local newspapers; and staffed a SLO County WMA display board at the Thursday night Farmer's Market (one of the largest farmer's markets in the State).
  • The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority in the Santa Monica Mountains brought volunteers from their local REI store to remove weeds in Franklin Canyon.
  • In Sonoma County, Russian Riverkeeper held a workday to remove invasive plants from riparian areas.
  • The Tuolumne County portion of the Central Sierra Partnership Against Weeds presented a Noxious Weed Resolution to the Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors on July 17, 2006.
Friends of Five Creeks, Invasive Weeds Week 2005
Friends of Five Creeks, Invasive Weeds Week 2005
Photo courtesy Susan Schwartz
  • Friends of Five Creeks in Alameda County removed blackberries, Cape ivy, and other invasives -- along with litter and shopping carts -- from a derelict, weed-choked reach of Cerrito Creek.
  • Lake Tahoe Basin Weed Coordinating Group sponsored a "Sweep Broom out of Tahoe" event. Because Scotch broom poses a threat to Lake Tahoe's water quality and creates a fire hazard, the Lake Tahoe Basin Weed Coordinating Group asked Tahoe residents to uproot their Scotch broom plants and bring them in for a free replacement plant.
  • Modoc County Weed Management Area held its annual weed tour focusing on four major A-rated noxious weeds, and a workshop for local backyard weed warriors focusing on "Pretty Weeds" that are very invasive.
  • Redwoods National Park held a two-hour hike with some active manual control. The event was a front page story the next day. Park employees also gave two presentations at the visitor's center on Scotch broom, periwinkle, English ivy, and Cape ivy.
  • The Return of the Natives project at California State University-Monterey Bay held a community weed volunteer event in the creeks of Salinas.
  • Santa Barbara County aired five programs on Santa Barbara County's government access TV during July, focusing on arundo, brooms, pampas grass, and yellow starthistle.
  • San Diego Chapter of the California Native Plant Society featured a presentation on the San Diego County Weed Management Area at its chapter meeting, while Carlsbad Watershed Network launched their "No Invasives In My Back Yard (NIIMBY)" program, with tours held at two weed removal sites to educate local residents.


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