OUTREACH, Citizen Science, and Volunteer Opportunities

On this page, we list activities, ideas, and organizations that advertise invasive species issues and activities.

Action Groups | Listservs | Calling Cards | Flyers & Posters | Apparel | Employment

There are lots of ways to learn more about invasive species, and to teach others about them. You can wear caps and t-shirts and buttons, distribute bumper stickers, flyers and posters, and even get involved by joining an action group or maybe an online discussion group. Volunteer to assist land managers in removing invasive plants and restoring native plant communities. Participate in local community weed pulling events. For information on participating in or organizing a community weed pull, contact your local National Park Service, Native Plant Society, or other conservation organizations such as The Nature Conservancy (check out TNC's Volunteer Coordination and Outreach Tools).

Volunteer and Action Group Opportunities

> Fairfax County Park Authority's Invasive Management Area (IMA) program (Virginia). Quote from the Web site "The Invasive Management Area program is a volunteer-led pilot project designed to reduce some pesky invasive plants on our parklands. Watershed stewardship training at the beginning of the program will "certify" volunteer leaders to restore parkland. The Park Authority is looking for 20 leaders who will commit to four work-days. We are also looking for project volunteers who can put their efforts into pulling invasives and planting native plants. The program begins late March and ends in October."
> Invasive Species - Jobs and Volunteering (EnviroLink)
> Invaders Volunteer (Sonora Desert Region/Museum)
> Oahu Invasive Species Committee
> Maui Invasive Species Committee
> NatureMapping - Invasive Species and the National Parks (Washington, Idaho, and Montana). "Students who [sic] participate in NatureMapping, the capstone unit of Aliens In Your Neighborhood, contribute valuable information about the entire ecosystem affected by alien weeds."

> Volunteers and Case Studies of Early Detection (National Invasive Species Information Center)
> What you can do in the fight against invasive species (National Invasive Species Information Center)

National Wildlife Refuges (www.REFUGEnet.org)

> Volunteer Invasives Monitoring Program
> Wildlife Refuge Invasive Species Volunteer Programs

Weed Related Volunteer Opportunities
> Weed Watchers - Become a Citizen Scientist in the San Francisco Bay Area (a volunteer-based invasive plant early detection program sponsored by the NPS Inventory and Monitoring San Francisco Area Network)
> Invasive Plant Inventory & Monitoring Project (Southern Appalachian Volunteer Environmental Monitoring (SAVEM))
> Invasive Plant Atlas of New England (IPANE) volunteers
> Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program (New York)
> Invasive Plant Patroller (Maine Center for Invasive Aquatic Plants)
> Purple Loosestrife Volunteers (USGS NWRC)
> Volunteer Fact Sheet Authors (Weeds Gone Wild project - Alien Plant Working Group)
> "Promote Zero Spread on Your Spread" (Montana Statewide Noxious Weed Awareness and Education Program)
> Sacramento Weed Warriors (California)
> Montgomery County Weed Warriors (Maryland)
> Baltimore Weed Warriors (Maryland)
> Albany Pine Bush Preserve Weed Warriors (New York)
> Reston Weed Warriors (Virginia)
> The Nature Conservancy Weed Busters (Maryland & the District of Columbia)
> King Country Noxious Weed Control Program (Washington)
> Weed/Invasive Species Control Activities (Volunteer.gov). Search for opportunities using keywords such as 'invasives' or 'invasive species' under the 'Natural Resources' category.

> Develop your own Weed Watchers or WeedBusters programs from The Nature Conservancy's Invasive Species Initiative.

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English Ivy Volunteers
> No Ivy Leaguers (Portland, Oregon)
> IvyOUT (Puget Sound, Washington)

Aquatic Invasive Species Volunteer Opportunities
> Aquatic Invasive Volunteer Opportunities (Wisconsin)
> Protect your Waters Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers campaign

Volunteer in Ontario!
> Biological Control of Purple Loosestrife in Ontario. Quote from their Web site: "We are looking for groups, individuals and landowners to assist us with our program. Are you interested in assisting with the release and monitoring of Galerucella beetles for purple loosestrife biocontrol?"
> Fanwort Find. Quote from their Web site: "Fanwort Find is a volunteer monitoring protocol to help us find and track the spread of the invasive aquatic plant fanwort (cabomba caroliniana). Fanwort Find is an initiative of the Invading Species Awareness Program, which is a partnership between the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (O.F.A.H.) and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (O.M.N.R.)."
> Invading Species Watch. Quote from their Web site: "Invading Species Watch is a free volunteer based lake monitoring program for aquatic invading species."

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Calling cards - Let people know you value native species

> Native plant buyers shopping cards for retail nurseries (Marland Native Plant Society) From the Web site: "The cards are a tangible way for plant retailers to see that more and more people are seeking native plants. By using the cards, we hope to inspire retailers to stock more native and fewer invasive, non-native plants."
> Native Plant Buyers Shopping Cards for Retail Nurseries (North Carolina Native Plant Society)
> California nursery wallet cards. (California Invasive Plant Council). From the Web site: "If you are out shopping for your garden and see an invasive plant for sale, consider leaving one of these cards to let the retailer know about your concern. The file provided can be downloaded and printed on perforated cardstock or regular paper, then cut apart."
> Birdwatcher calling cards let communities know that birdwatchers are visiting their community to watch birds (Florida Birding Trail). You could develop something similar to let communities know that you are visiting their local native habitats and that you appreciate their efforts to preserve native habitats by controlling invasive species.

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Flyers and Posters

> Weed Wanted Posters (Bureau of Land Management - BLM)
> Aquatic and Terrestrial Invasive Plants Posters - Classroom size laminated photo murals (Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants, Institute of Food and Agricultural Services, University of Florida)
> Stop the Mudsnail (flyer by Trout Unlimited California)
> Publications for teaching and public outreach (Weeds Gone Wild - Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas)
> Get FREE Signs, Posters, Stickers, and Brochures from www.invadingspecies.com including the 'Wait Don't Dump Your Bait' posters and stickers.

Apparel

> Invasive Species Weblog Store. T-shirts, caps, mugs, buttons etc.
> Volunteer for the Invasive Plant Atlas of New England project and earn an IPANE T-shirt with their Oriental bittersweet plant logo.

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