Pacific Northwest Invasive Plant Council

Volunteer

PNW-IPC Volunteer Oportunities

New! Spring-Fall 2013 - Early Detection Rapid Response (EDRR) Invasive Plant Project

The PNW Invasive Plant Council is working in partnership with the Washington Department of Agriculture (WSDA) and other state and local conservations groups to develop a Citizen Science EDRR program in Washington State with funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. We are recruiting volunteers now to participate in two upcoming trainings (May 5th and 6th) that will provide volunteers with the knowledge to detect invaders and help us report these occurrences. EDRR trainings are free. Trainings are intended to equip volunteers with the knowledge necessary to conduct EDRR plant surveys in target areas. We expect that each volunteer who attends the trainings can commit to at least two surveys over the spring/fall of 2013.

What makes this conservation project timely is that we are focusing on eradicating plants currently in low abundance in target areas. The goal is to find these newly established populations and remove them before they have a chance to spread and cause serious ecological damage and deplete economic resources.

Volunteers will be asked search for a suite of invasive plants while they explore and enjoy the outdoors camping, hiking, horseback riding, kayaking etc. and report plants if they encounter them. Volunteers will also have the opportunity to have a more directed search assignment, concentrating on certain "red-flag"areas. Our surveys are focused within eight WA State Counties, in four different Cooperative Weed Management Areas (CWMA); Nisqually, South Central Washington CWMA, and Chehalis River Watersheds and HWY 12-SR 410 (see the EDDR Local page for more information on the program).

We will conduct volunteer trainings on May 5th and 6th to train volunteers to identify plants, collect and report data to the IPC who will then alert local weed managers so they can act to remove these invaders. If you are interested in participating as a Citizen Scientist to help detect newly established invasive species. We are recruiting volunteers to attend trainings in Olympia and Eatonville on May 5th and 6th, 2013.

Training Locations and Dates for 2013:

11610 Trek Drive East, Eatonville, WA; Specific location of training will be sent to participants who sign up for the trainings. General location information about Northwest Trek can be found at http://www.nwtrek.org/

500 Adams Street NE, Olympia, WA; Specific location of training will be sent to participants who sign up for the trainings. General location information can be found at http://www.lottcleanwater.org/directions.htm

***Capacity is limited so if you would like to attend one of the trainings, please RSVP to Julie Combs at pnw.ipc.org@gmail.com (or call 615-812-5295) to reserve your place! We look forward to seeing you there.

 

Green Seattle Partnership

Join the Green Seattle Partnership as we work to restore 2500 acres of forested parkland in Seattle by 2025. Volunteers are needed to help remove non-native invasive plants, spread mulch, and plant native trees, shrubs and groundcovers. There are many volunteer opportunities at different parks across the city. For upcoming volunteer events go to: http://greenseattle.org/events

The Nature Conservancy of Washington

Join TNC for a variety of Earth Day events around Washington. See their website for more details.

http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/washington/volunteer/art30967.html

Other Volunteer Opportunities:

Geranium robertianum (herb Robert or stinky Bob)
Geranium robertianum
Hieracium aurantiacum (orange hawkweed)
Hieracium aurantiacum