Mapping invasive species with educators and students

The New York Natural Heritage Program manages the state invasive species database and provides an online mapping and reporting tool (iMapInvasives) for natural resource professionals and citizen scientists. Contributors... [ view full abstract ]

The New York Natural Heritage Program manages the state invasive species database and provides an online mapping and reporting tool (iMapInvasives) for natural resource professionals and citizen scientists. Contributors trained to enter data help support the state’s goals to foster early detection of and strategic response to invasive species. While the natural resource professionals input the majority of data, educators, students, volunteers, and amateur naturalists are valuable eyes-on-the-ground that contribute observations regularly. To help build this team of citizen scientists across the state, we have launched invasive species mapping projects for a variety of educational audiences (e.g., secondary, college, and adult learners), with the goal of having the educators provide the necessary data entry training and yearly continuity. Many projects were met with enthusiasm, but failed to have momentum for the following year for a variety of factors. We have found our best return on investment from working with college professors, who typically have continuity and flexibility in their curriculum to design projects with students. I’ll discuss some projects that worked (and didn’t work) to keep educators coming back each year.