Invasive plants and wildfire reinforce each other in ways that make both harder to manage. Invasive species alter fire behavior — some carry flames faster, others burn hotter — and fire, in turn, creates disturbed conditions that accelerate invasion. Addressing either problem effectively means understanding both.
On September 22, CAST is co-hosting the NCFAR Lunch-N-Learn on Capitol Hill, bringing together three leading weed scientists to examine this two-way relationship and what it demands of policy. Speakers will walk through integrated pest management approaches — biological, chemical, cultural, and mechanical control methods — and restoration strategies following invasion and wildfire. Regional case studies from California, the Southeast, and the Great Plains illustrate how these dynamics play out across distinct ecosystems and fire regimes.
This session draws directly from CAST’s issue paper Integrated Management of Fire-Adapted Invasive Plants That Change Wildfire Regimes, published April 2026.
Event Details
- Date: Tuesday, September 22, 2026
- Time: 12:00–1:00 p.m. ET
- Location: 1300 Longworth, Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.
- Lunch is provided for in-person attendees
- Pre-registration is required
Speakers
- Matt Baur, Director, Western Integrated Pest Management Center
- Tom Getts, Weed Ecology and Cropping Systems Advisor, UC Cooperative Extension
- Greg Dahl, Western Society of Weed Science
This event is organized by the National Coalition for Food and Agricultural Research (NCFAR) and co-hosted by CAST.
