In Cordova, one invasive species of concern is reed canarygrass. This perennial grass likes wetlands and grows in dense stands of culms produced from creeping rhizomes. It threatens salmon habitat by outcompeting native species, clogging streams, reducing shade, and causing greater erosion along stream banks.

🌾 We`ve been working on managing this aggressive plant in the Cordova area primarily by removing seed heads, and trying a new tactic of laying light-excluding tarps on large patches of it along the shoreline of Eyak Lake where salmon spawn.

✂️ It`s SUPER important to not clip seed heads or disturb this plant once it`s gone to seed. And equally important to not rip or break plant roots or stems when removing the entire plant. Otherwise, all those little plant pieces will sprout new plants and spread. Timing is everything when managing reed canarygrass.

👉🏼 Tap our bio link and select the Invasive Plant Management Program to find more information.

📷 CRWP - Photo 1 - Reed canarygrass on the shoreline of Eyak Lake (2025). Photo 2 - Our field technician, Maddie Tharp, removing a large patch of reed canarygrass along the shoreline of Eyak Lake, that was then tarped (Photo 2) to kill the roots of the grass (2025). Photo 4 - CRWP Field Technician Serena Herschleb clipping reed canarygrass from the roadside in Cordova (2024).

#NISAW #reedcanarygrass #alaskainvasivespecies #CordovaAlaska ...

This week, during National Invasive Species Awareness Week (NISAW), we`re sharing information on the 4 Top Invasive Species
in the Copper River watershed.

White sweetclover is a very aggressive invasive plant in the Copper Basin that can disperse more than ❗️350,000 ❗️seeds PER PLANT.

It`s a tough one to control. The Copper River Watershed Project (CRWP) is making an effort to slow the spread of this aggressive plant along rivers like the Gakona, Gulkana, and Klutina, which are important salmon tributaries to the Copper River. Taking on white sweetclover is a gargantuan task, but any white sweetclover plants that can be removed before they go to seed will help slow the spread in our watershed. This plant moves downstream quickly on river bars and shorelines via wind, and fisher people`s clothes and boots. It can travel in boats and on cars, hitch rides on wildlife, and get shoved and hauled around with heavy equipment. Waterways with rich soil and plenty of damp earth - rivers - are a prime target for this invasive plant.

Removing white sweetclover is a big job, so why not make it fun? CRWP started doing Floatable Weed Smackdowns, and ran 2 very successful trips last summer. On each trip, we filled a couple of rafts with willing people, and stopped on the ride downriver where we found thick patches to pull and haul out as much white sweetclover as the rafts could carry. It was super fun and the groups removed hundreds and hundreds of pounds of this invasive plant from our rivers. That`s millions and millions and seeds that won`t be traveling our watershed this year!

Stay tuned for information on this summer`s upcoming Weed Smackdowns!

Tap our bio link and select the Invasive Plant Management Program button for more information.

📷 CRWP - Participants of the 2025 Weed Smackdown on the Gulkana River pulling white sweetclover, bagging it up, and hauling it out in rafts.
#NISAW #AKISAW #invasiveplants #alaskainvasivespecies #whitesweetclover ...

It`s National Invasive Species Awareness Week (NISAW)! This international event was created to raise awareness about invasive species, the threat that they pose, and what can be done to prevent their spread.

❓What is an invasive species?

🌱 It is a plant that is non-native to the ecosystem and whose introduction and spread causes economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.

🐟 Invasive species are a real concern in Alaska because they outcompete native plants, disrupt the food web, and can damage the habitats salmon rely on. This week, we`ll be sharing information on the Top 4 Invasive Plants in our watershed, how to Stop The Spread, and some do`s and dont`s of removing these invasive plants.

👉🏼 Tap our bio link and select the Invasive Plant Management Program to learn more about what CRWP is doing to manage invasive plants.

#NISAW2026 #AKISAW #InvasiseSpecies #copperriverwatershed ...

Youth currently in 8-12 grade can register for the Copper River Stewardship Program!

✨The stewardship program takes ten youth from communities throughout the Copper River region on a journey through the Copper River watershed, meeting with representatives from a wide range of fields perspectives along the way. Participants will boat, raft, hike, and camp with new friends, while learning about our watershed.

✅ Optional credit is available through your local district!

📝 Application deadline is March 31st. Applicants must currently be in 8-12 grade.

👉🏼 You can find more information and the application by tapping our bio link and selecting the Copper River Stewardship Program button!

📷 2025 Copper River Stewardship Program adventures.
#copperriverstewardshipprogram #youtheducation #CopperRiver #copperriverwatershed ...

Today is Women and Girls in Science Day! And we have a lot to celebrate at CRWP!

On our powerhouse team of women, many are trained in science, working to solve watershed issues related to fish passage, and resource management. In a watershed that depends on salmon, cold water matters, and science helps monitor stream temperatures for spawning. GIS data and tracking help map spawning beds and culvert removal projects. Data collection on native plants for seed harvesting and invasive species for removal areas helps keep our habitats strong.

On staff at CRWP: Kirsti Jurica, Hydrology & Watershed Restoration scientist; Ashley Taylor, GIS & Data Specialist; Kate Morse, Executive Director and watershed champion; Amy Scudder, trained in the art and science of partnerships; Darcy Saiget, a fish biologist working on watershed restoration; Colleen Merrick, Climate Change Coordinator; Alexis Cooper making the fine science of accounting look easy; Kim Casavan managing all things operations. This team works hard on Watershed Education, Fish Passage, Native Seed Collection, and Invasive Species Management projects.

Here`s to the women and girls in science creating solutions for better world!
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Learn more about International Day of Women and Girls in Science here: https://www.womeninscienceday.org/
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Learn more about the CRWP team at https://copperriver.org/about-us/staff/
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📷 CRWP Staff / Photo 1 - Colleen Merrick, Amanda Jackson, Tenley Nelson (CRWP Board Member), Alexis Cooper, Lakota McRoberts replanting native plants along the banks of Little Tonsina project site.

Photo 2 - In the field with NFPP students. Photo 3 - Glennallen Middle School students studying aquatic species through the Salmon in the Classroom program. Photo 4 Nelly Hand - GIS Specialist Ashley Taylor mapping salmon spawning beds in Eyak Lake, Cordova.
#InternationalDayofWomenandGirlsinScience #womeninscience #girlsinscience #empoweringwomen #WeLoveOurTeam ...