The sixth annual California Invasive Species Action Week – CISAW – began on Saturday, June 1 and runs through Sunday, June 9. Sponsored by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), the Action Week is a statewide event that promotes public participation in the fight against invasive species that harm our environment and native species.

Numerous agencies, non-profit organizations and volunteer groups across the state have teamed up to host events this year. The week’s opportunities range from a raft trip in Humboldt County, to an identification workshop at Lake Tahoe, to online webinars, to invasive plant removals. To view the Schedule of Events and Map, visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/cisaw.

This year’s winners of the CISAW Youth Art Contest have also been announced. The contest was open to students in grades 2-12, focused on the theme “Say No to Nutria.” Contest winners will be displayed at the State Capitol, on the third floor of the Capitol Annex, from June 3 to June 14. Among the winners was a student from Escalon’s El Portal Middle School.

Invasive Species Program Choice Award: Cara Lee, Woodside Priory School, Menlo Park.

Grades 2-4: First place Mrs. DeMoss’ Fourth Grade Class, Charleston Elementary, Los Banos; 2nd Jude Dellinger, Sutter Peak Charter School, Orangevale; 3rd Sydney Jane Camera, Phoenix Charter Academy, Palo Cedro.

Grades 5-8: 1st Edison Jun, Capital Innovations Academy, Sacramento; 2nd Claire Gonzales, Washington Middle School, Salinas; 3rd Isabella Grant, El Portal Middle School, Escalon.

Grades 9-12: 1st Shreya Dhanala, Folsom High School, Folsom.

Want to stop the spread of invasive species year-round? Citizens can also contribute to a healthy environment by taking small, everyday actions, including selecting native plants for landscaping, not releasing unwanted pets into the wild, reporting invasive species findings, and taking precautions to clean, drain and dry gear after recreating in waterbodies.