Contact: Gina Ramos, 202-452-5084
Matt Spangler, 202-452-5130

Interior Department Assistant Secretary Delivers Opening Remarks
 At National Invasive Weeds Week, February 24 – 29

It is estimated that weeds have spread to affect an estimated 126 million acres of public and private lands in the lower 48 States. Interior Department and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) officials will join stakeholders from across the country next week for the ninth annual National Invasive Weed Awareness Week in Washington, D.C., to help raise public awareness of the widespread, devastating impacts invasive plants have on the economy and ecology of the U.S.

Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management C. Stephen Allred will give opening remarks at the ninth annual National Invasive Weeds Awareness Week (NIWAW) Monday, February 25, at 8:30 a.m. at the Four Points Hotel by Sheraton. Assistant Secretary Allred’s message will focus on Interior’s new Healthy Lands Initiative, and ways in which Interior can cooperate with State governments and private landowners to combat the spread of invasive species.

"The spread of invasive weeds threatens the economic productivity of millions of acres. It also damages basic ecological processes, and this poses serious threats to wildlife habitat and water quality," Allred noted. "But with the public’s help, there is a lot we can do to protect and restore key areas. This will be critical as we address challenges posed by a changing climate and increased demand for land uses."

Allred also will discuss the challenges of addressing weed-fueled rangeland fires in the West. Invasive plants have shortened fire cycles and increased the frequency and intensity of fire in many areas. Wildfires burned more than 9 million acres of land in each of the past two years.

On Wednesday, February 27, Interior and Bureau of Land Management officials will conduct round tables on invasive species issues from 8 a.m. – noon, also at the Four Points Sheraton.

The week’s events will include a children’s day Sunday, February 24. Parents are encouraged to bring their children to this event, which will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET at the U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory. This special day of fun and activities will feature songs, stories, a play and hands-on activities, to help children discover the world of invasive weeds and what can be done about them.

The Ninth Annual National Invasive Weeds Awareness Week is February 24-29. NIWAW is organized by the Invasive Weeds Awareness Coalition, a Washington-based organization dedicated to increasing awareness of invasive weed problems and the associated research and management needs.

Most of the week’s events will be held at the Four Points Hotel by Sheraton , 1201 K street, NW, Washington, D.C. (at 12th and K streets, NW), with exhibits at the U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory located at the intersection of Maryland Avenue and 1st Street S.W., near the U.S. Capitol. For more details, visit http://www.nawma.org.

The BLM manages more land – 258 million surface acres – than any other Federal agency. Most of this public land is located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM’s multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, and cultural resources on the public lands.

– BLM –