Volunteer
Activities
Terrestrial
Inventory and Control
Overview
Early detection of invasive
plant infestations is essential for successful management and
control. The Terrestrial Invasive Plant Project organizes volunteers
to assist with inventory and control efforts. Citizen volunteers
and organizations may inventory an area of their choice and attend
a summer training session to sharpen their identification skills
of native and invasive terrestrial plants and gain instruction
on how to conduct an invasive plant inventory.
In addition to inventory
efforts, the Terrestrial Invasive Plant Project also coordinates
field days to control priority terrestrial invasive plant sites
throughout the Park. Volunteers and resident groups may sign-up
to assist these work parties to help eradicate, contain, or reduce
invasive plant populations.
Methods
The sooner invasive populations
are detected by inventory measures (early detection), the better
chance there is of controlling them (rapid response).
Inventory:
Inventory efforts concentrate along roadways (likely areas to
find invaders) and backcountry areas (sensitive areas). A volunteer
inventory involves attending a summer training session in plant
identification and inventory methods.
Volunteers then choose
a geographic area either to drive designated roadways or to hike
along trails to look for terrestrial invasive plants. Volunteers
are asked to conduct surveys at least once between June and August
and send in their data sheet noting their field observations including
species name, geographic location, physical setting,
and abundance. Equally important is noting if invasives were not
observed.
Control:
The Adirondack Nature Conservancy Invasive Species Field Coordinator
organizes and supervises work parties to cut, dig, pull or herbicide
terrestrial invasive plants. Specific dates, times, and locations
are announced in late spring / early summer. Daily invasive
plant control projects are on-going throughout the field season.
Please join us during one of our volunteer
field days scheduled during 2008!
To help or to find
out additional information, contact Steven Flint, Field Coordinator,
at the Adirondack Nature Conservancy at 518-576-2082 x 120.
Benefits to Participants
Information
gathered by volunteers, the Field Coordinator, and participating
staff is recorded in a terrestrial invasive plant database and
used to prepare maps
of the current distribution of invasive plants. Inventory
information directly focuses the needs for priority site management.
Such “up-to-date” documentation of inventory and control efforts
serves to better inform the public and their representatives about
terrestrial invasive plant infestations in the Adirondack Park.
Interested in volunteering with the Aquatic Invasive Plant Project
too? Click here
to learn more about our aquatic surveys!
Additional
information about inventory and control activities is available
from
Hilary Oles, APIPP Coordinator,
c/o Adirondack Nature Conservancy
Po Box 65
Keene Valley , NY 12943
518-576-2082 ext 131
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