Download IAS Management Options - Invasive Species Specialist Group

Module 10
Raising Awareness and
Support
Learning Outcomes
• Understand why raising awareness is critical in the
fight against invasive alien species (IAS)
• Know the key elements of awareness raising
Who is a stakeholder?
• A stakeholder is any person or organization who
contributes to, or is affected, positively or
negatively, by invasive species.
Raising awareness
• Awareness-raising and education are a
critical component in the fight against IAS
• Awareness-raising should cover issues of
causes, impacts of IAS as well as solutions.
• All sections of society should be included
Objectives of raising awareness
• Greater understanding of issues
• “Ownership” of the problem, and involvement
in the solutions
• Greater acceptability of measures to address
IAS
• Increased political support / greater resources
Why raise awareness?
• Human related activities are a major facilitator or
pathway for alien species spread.
Asian ladybird beetle (Harmonia axyridis)
Introduced as a biocontrol agent, but proved invasive in
Belgium and North America
Hedera helix, a garden escapee that is
now a major invader
Why raise awareness?
• Invasive alien species have differential
impacts on different groups of people.
Sudden Oak Death – symptoms
Photo by Joseph O'Brien, USDA Forest Service
Salvinia clogging a lake.
Photo by Scott Bauer (USDA, Agricultural Research Service)
Why raise awareness?
• People at all levels form part of the solution.
Children taking part in a weedbuster
programme, New Zealand
Participation in an Alligator weed
awareness programme, Australia
Planning an awareness raising activity
Key elements
• Decide what to raise awareness about.
• Define the target audience
• Use appropriate communication
Some objectives are:
• Disseminate information on IAS
• Increase awareness of a particular species and its impacts
• Encourage stakeholders to take a specific action
• To bring about a change in attitude
• Build support for IAS management
• Motivate people to participate in programmes and
activities
• Define the target audience
• They can be broadly classified into
– general public
– focused stakeholders
– industry
– policy makers
Use appropriate tools and techniques
• Using the right tool or a combination of tools
will result in a better outcome
• Consistent messages
• Use of eye catching logos
• Use flagship species
The school at Natividad Island, Mexico adopted the
black-vented shearwater and the abalone as their
school mascots and constructed a new school sign.
Use appropriate tools and techniques
• Messages that not only educate but also
motivate to change actions
Educational and eyecatching
Summary
• Raising awareness and educating
stakeholders is a central instrument in the
fight against (IAS)
• Awareness-raising efforts should be targeted
at all levels of society
• Humans are at the heart of the problem of
IAS and, paradoxically, also at the heart of
the solution