Weeds Will Take Center Stage In Corvallis In December

The Oregon Department of Agriculture is looking for presenters for the 2026 Oregon Interagency Noxious Weed Symposium.  The biennial event brings together natural resource professionals from across the Northwest to share research, field experience, and new strategies for invasive plant management.

Organizers are now accepting presentation abstracts and speaker recommendations on a range of topics.  ODA suggested topics include (but are not limited to):

• Technology and Innovation
  New technologies and innovative approaches are force multipliers in our discipline. Presentations will highlight new and emerging technologies or methodologies that address the challenges faced by managers.
• Restoration and Monitoring
  Killing weeds is not always enough and creating resilient landscapes often requires restoration. Presentations can include success stories and lessons learned from restoration and monitoring projects.
• Management and Biocontrol (IPM)
  Land use, public sentiment, environmental considerations, and capacity/budget limitations require managers to be adaptive and creative in our approach to weeds management. Presentations should highlight the use of IPM to achieve desired outcomes.
• Fire and Climate Impacts on Invasive Species
  The impacts of fire and climate change on our landscapes is well known. Only recently have we begun to tackle these challenges at scale. Presentations should highlight projects or management frameworks that incorporate fire cycles and climate change.
• Outreach & Education
  Knowledge is power and every cause needs a champion. Presentations should highlight innovative or successful approaches to outreach and education and reinforce the importance of an informed public.
• Early Detection & Rapid Response (EDRR)
  An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of Tordon. Presentations will highlight the importance of EDRR and showcase successful EDRR projects.
• Policy and Economics
  Practices must be "built on sound policies, and must make economical sense".  Presentations will highlight the relationship between policy, economics, and implementation by showcasing the failed or successful applications of policy and economics.
• Power Through Partnerships
  Many hands make light work and partnerships are the backbone of natural resource conservation and management. Presentations will highlight success achieved through partnership or identify partnerships that are missing in our discipline.
• Other Relevant Topics
  Presentations that focus on other aspects of noxious weed or natural resource management will be considered.  

ODA noted submissions should include a presentation title, speaker information, topic category, a brief abstract of no more than 150 words, and whether the presentation is intended as an oral session or poster.  To learn more about the Oregon Interagency Noxious Weed Symposium, visit the ODA Noxious Weed Symposium website.

The symposium is scheduled for December of 8th-11th in Corvallis.

In addition, the ODA Native Plant Conservation program will hold its first in-person symposium on December 10 at the same venue.  The symposium will focus on the connections between noxious weed management and native plant restoration and we encourage you to attend. There may be additional credits available.

If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-9791, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@townsquaremedia.com