Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: Nebraska
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

The Nebraska Invasive Species Council focuses on early detection, prevention and management of invasive species within the state of Nebraska. The members of this council are committed to minimizing the harmful effects of invasive species, with an ultimate goal of promoting healthy landscapes and healthy people. To help fulfill this commitment, Allison Zach served as the Coordinator for the Nebraska Invasive Species Council from September 2013 through March 2023. In this capacity, Allison served as a liaison with Nebraska’s Governor and State Legislature. Allison developed and provided invasive species outreach and education to Nebraska resource agencies, individual stakeholders, educators and the general public. She served on the North American Invasive Species Management Association (NAISMA) Board, and was the NAISMA Play, Clean, Go committee Chair.

The Nebraska Invasive Species Council develops management tools including an invasive species adaptive management plan, a risk analysis for high-risk invasive species in Nebraska, a multi-agency prevention protocol for preventing the spread of invasive species (terrestrial and aquatic), and identification of invasive species introduction pathways. The Council created a 2-sided outreach card during 2020 and updated its adaptive management during 2021. The Council’s website has a reporting tool; concerned citizens have identified new infestations of zebra mussels and other invasive species—these reports are referred to an appropriate invasive species expert for investigation and guidance.