In an effort to coordinate invasive species management strategies throughout the western United States, the Western Governors Association recently announced a new invasive species council comprised of representatives from 16 states, including Montana.

Stephanie Criswell, program manager for the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, was appointed vice-chair for the council. Justin Bush, executive coordinator for the Washington Invasive Species Council, will chair the council.

Other appointed members are from Arizona, California, Idaho, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah, Kansas and other states. The group, called the Western Invasive Species Council, meets for the first time in April.

The governors association authorized the creation of the council as part of one of the nonprofit organization’s policy resolutions called Biosecurity and Invasive Species Management. According to a press release, the council was formed specifically to “enhance coordination between existing state invasive species councils, improve communication and collaboration on regional biosecurity and invasive species control efforts, and to advocate for regional needs at the federal level.”

According to Criswell, who said she is thrilled to be vice-chair and to represent Montana, about three years ago leaders from invasive species groups throughout many of the western states started informal meetings to discuss challenges in their states.

“We would connect on different issues and share best practices based on our own experiences,” Criswell said. “We had two goals, really: to learn about what others were doing and to streamline campaigns. And those goals are carrying over into what council will continue to do.”

As one example of campaign efforts, Criswell pointed to the Don’t Let it Loose project, which encouraged pet owners not to release their domestic animals into the wild as they most likely won’t survive and can be disruptive to the environment and the economy.

The council leaders also assisted in launching the Squeal on Pigs campaign, which primarily seeks to inform landowners of the threat of feral pigs to natural resources and provide landowners with the information they need to “effectively and quickly report suspected sightings of feral pigs.”

Criswell said the issue of feral pigs is one that is especially concerning for Montana where Canada’s rampant feral swine population inches closer to the United States-Canada border year after year.

The spread of the pigs could result in major environmental and economic impacts. In September, Dale Nolte with the National Feral Swine Program told the Daily Inter Lake, “if we were to design an invasive species that could do the most widespread damage, feral swine aren’t too far off from being the perfect specimen.”

Criswell said the council is working on various project ideas to address feral pigs and raise awareness, including a transboundary project that calls for data gathering and monitoring assistance from Canada.

“These populations are just north of our border now,” Criswell said. “Montana has really taken the lead on this issue and its one that others will most likely be looking to us for advice on. We will continue towards short-term and long-term actions.”

The Western Invasive Species Council was formally introduced statewide at Wednesday’s Montana Invasive Species Council meeting in Helena.

Reporter Kianna Gardner may be reached at 758-4407 or kgardner@dailyinterlake.com.