+Use Pest Proof Packing

• Store your food in tightly sealed, closed containers to protect from pests.
• Use impermeable containers such as Tupperware, storage bins, or coolers.
• Cardboard packaging is prohibited unless brand new and never opened.
• Improper storage can result in accidental transport of insects and other critters

+Inspect and Clean

• As you pack, check and clean your backpacks, shoes, sleeping bags/pads, tents, and other gear.
• Backpack zippers, tents, and the treads, tongues, and laces of shoes frequently harbor biosecurity threats, such as weed seeds.
• Be sure to remove all insects, seeds, soil, and other organic material.
• Apply disinfectant such as hydrogen peroxide, isopropyl alcohol, or white vinegar to eliminate fungal spores and bacteria.
• If you hiked through mainland streams in Western states, freezing your gear for a minimum of 6 hours is necessary to eliminate the threat of New Zealand mud snails.

+Brush and Spray Your Shoes

• If traveling via Island Packers, use the boot brush station to remove all soil and seeds from your shoes.
• If using alternate transportation, use a brush or pick to remove all soil and seeds.
• Spray your soles with the disinfectants listed above to eliminate fungal spores and bacteria.
• Soil and microscopic organisms can carry plant diseases that cause significant harm to the rare plants and animals on the Channel Islands.

+Clean Your Hull

• Use antifouling techniques on your hull, propellers, and intakes, and clean them in the harbor to prevent the accidental transport of hitchhiking organisms.
• Check and clean any growth from your boat hull every six to ten weeks, as well as before leaving the mainland harbor. Never clean your hull while visiting the Channel Islands.
• Check, clean, and dry marine equipment (buoys, mooring lines, anchors, fishing and diving gear, boat trailers) before departing.
• Dispose of any debris from your hull or equipment appropriately on the mainland.
• Nonnative marine invasive species, such as the algae Undaria pinnatifida and Sargassum horneri, threaten the survival of the endemic marine wildlife.

+Check for Stowaways

• Check your vessels for rodents, insects, and other critters before departing the mainland.
• Look for signs of rodents such as droppings and chew marks.
• Report any rodent sightings to the vessel captain.
• Set rodent traps on your vessel, including when it is in storage.
• Consider putting rat guards on vessel mooring lines and never attach them directly to the shore.
• Rats and raccoons can reach the Channel Islands as stowaways on boats, which could introduce novel diseases to island wildlife.

+Leave Pets at Home or on Your Boat

• Pets, including dogs, are not allowed on the islands within Channel Islands National Park.
• Service animals are allowed if they have completed the required health screening prior to coming ashore on Santa Cruz Island, Santa Rosa Island, and San Miguel Island. Service Animal Registration Procedure.
• In 1999, canine distemper killed almost all the island foxes on the eastern portion of Santa Catalina Island.
• Pets can also be exposed to diseases and parasites that are unique to Channel Islands wildlife.

+Hike on Trail

Trails are pathways for more than just people. Weeds often spread along trails and into adjacent un-infested areas. You can help prevent this by always staying on designated trails, avoiding weed-infested areas, and by not picking or transporting plants when hiking on the islands.

+Pack-in, Pack-out

Pack out all trash. Just because a bit of trash is organic —apple cores, orange seeds, etc.— doesn’t mean it can be left behind. While most domestic fruit and vegetable species are not invasive, some can germinate and become pests.

+No Campfires

Campfires are prohibited on the Northern islands and allowed only in specific locations on the Southern islands. In addition to the threat of wildfire, firewood brought from the mainland can harbor harmful organisms. A prime example is the fungal-like disease "Sudden Oak Death," which can attack several species of native trees. You can help prevent the spread of such threats by not transporting firewood under any circumstances.