The 2025 winners of the Invasive Species Action Awards. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR
By Mackenzie Manicki, DNR Invasive Plant Specialist, Madison
In Wisconsin, June is Invasive Species Action Month (ISAM), and plenty of activities are planned to educate and motivate residents and visitors into action.
Invasive species are defined as nonnative organisms whose introduction can cause harm to the environment, the economy, or pose threats to human health.
ISAM, established by the Wisconsin Invasive Species Council, began in 2005 with goals of raising awareness and promoting action on invasive species in Wisconsin.
Volunteer workers tend to invasive plant removal at the Platteville Community Arboretum. / Photo Credit: Platteville Communicy Arboretum
As a part of ISAM, the Council initiated the annual Invasive Species Action Awards to reward, support and promote the individuals, groups and organizations around the state taking exemplary action on invasive species.
Award recipients conduct a variety of work focused on invasives, including educating their communities, organizing events such as volunteer workdays, conducting critical monitoring efforts to detect populations early and coordinating response efforts.
This year marks the 22nd annual recognition of these awards, with 204 awards given out as of this year.
To help build upon the foundations of ISAM and further its goals, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources piloted Invasive Species Awareness Weekend in 2024. The program encourages organizations around the state to host invasive species-related events during the third weekend in June, resulting in opportunities for folks across Wisconsin to get outdoors, learn and take action.
In 2026, Awareness Weekend is taking place June 20-21. View the list of 2026 Awareness Weekend events and find an event in your area! Registration to host an event remains open until May 31, and this list will continue to be updated to include new submissions.
To learn more about ISAM, the Action Awards and Awareness Weekend visit the department’s invasive species events and volunteering page.