About Anchorage CISMA

Origin.

Why form a CISMA?

Formed in 2007, the Anchorage Cooperative Weed Management Area (ANC-CWMA) is a joint effort of government agencies, non-profit groups, and private citizens who have come together to fight the spread of non-native invasive weeds in the Anchorage area.  Charter members, who signed a Memorandum of Understanding in June 2008 to share information and resources, are:

• Alaska Division of Forestry
• Anchorage Fire Department
• Citizens Against Noxious Weeds Invading the North (CANWIN)
• Bureau of Land Management
• Municipality of Anchorage
• National Park Service
• University of Alaska Fairbanks
• US Fish and Wildlife Service
• US Forest Service

In 2020, recognizing that non-native invasive weeds are part of the larger problem of invasive species in Alaska, the organization members voted to change the name of the organization to reflect this:  Anchorage Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (ANC-CISMA).  ANC-CISMA continues to focus on preventing the spread of non-native invasive weeds, but as part of a larger picture of invasive species affecting Alaska.
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Weeds don't recognize land ownership boundaries.  A CISMA enables all interested parties to come together across those boundaries.  Under a CISMA, local citizens and land managers work together to identify common needs, priorities, and goals and to pool information and resources.  CISMAs have cropped up all over the United States and are generally more successful in stopping the spread of invasive weeds than individual stakeholders working alone.

What We Do.

Members meet once a month to share information about invasive weeds, plan weeds-related education events, discuss grant opportunities, plan and execute weed pulls, and build membership.

Send an e-mail to find out how to join us