Engaging and empowering citizen science volunteers to protect against invasive species Rachel L. Carroll¹, Rebekah D. Wallace¹, Charles T. Bargeron¹, Michael Ielmini², Pat Conzemius³ ¹ University of Georgia-Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health ² USDA Forest Service ³ Wildlife Forever
Project Mission: To engage and empower the public to help find, map, and prevent invasive species in America’s wilderness areas, wild rivers, and other natural areas. Become a Wild Spotter citizen scientist volunteer, download the mobile app, and help protect America’s Wild Places!
Identify Create a Wild Fill out the Download Wild Locate Your Invasive Spotter Account Report form Introduction Spotter Wild Place Species! Next Steps Partnership between the University of Expand the Wild Spotter citizen • Georgia-Center for Invasive Species and • science project into new wild Ecosystem Health and Wildlife Forever with the places, wilderness areas, wild USDA Forest Service And lastly, rivers, and other natural areas make sure to Wild Spotter is a nationwide effort to detect, upload your Data collection techniques such queue after • • quantify, and map targeted invasive species across filling out a as traps or samples (i.e., water or taxa (plants, pathogens, vertebrates, invertebrates, report! soil samples) can be used for fungi, and algae) prioritized species and the appropriate equipment, supplies, Promotes citizen science volunteers to provide and training is provided to the • critical scientific support to address the expanding citizen scientists. threat of aquatic and terrestrial invasive species Participating Wild Places Continue to: 1) promote the *numbers are from data as of March 4, 2019 • Data collected improves our effectiveness at awareness of non-native invasive • preventing, controlling, and eradicating invasive Daniel Boone Chequamegon- Results species, 2) engage the public in National Forest Nicolet National FACEBOOK species and aids in restoring invaded areas Forest NUMBER OF PARTNERS Page Views creating the first-ever nationwide inventory of invasive species, and 3) defeat invasives by creating Bridger-Teton Lincoln National effective management strategies National Forest Forest 38 1,195 Methods and Materials Create partnerships with public • Field (on-the-ground) inventory and mapping • and private organizations at all activities are accomplished by citizen science WILD SPOTTER WEBSITE Pag e L owe ac levels and across all ite e V site Us ag ikes oll rs Re h Nez s ie eb er P F volunteers. Data is entered into the Wild Spotter b w s Monongahela e W s landownerships Perce-Clearwater W smartphone application. National Forest National Forest 13,176 3,531 2,745 2,753 191,392 Information collected by volunteers is either • autofilled or editable. Specific information collected Ozark-St. Payette National includes: Francis National Forest Works on iPhone, 1) what was found (selected from provided list) Forest Target Audience iPad, and Android 2) where it was found (GPS location) devices. Download 3) how much was found (area or number) and install the FREE Wild Spotter 4) date of collection Santa Fe Shawnee National Forest National Forest App to map invasive species in your Data collected by volunteers is verified by local favorite Wild Place! • experts before becoming public (maps, downloads). Wallowa- Citizen scientists can find more information about Siuslaw Whitman • National Forest National invasive species and the Wild Spotter project at Forest https://wildspotter.org/ Anticipated Forests of 2019 include Talladega National Forest, Wild Spotter targets outdoor recreationalists that includes boaters, kayakers, canoers, birders, hunters, campers, naturalists, anglers, trail-riders, Chugach National Forest, Francis Marion and Sumter National and wildlife enthusiasts. It targets eduational professionals, teachers, families, kids, retired individuals, and anyone who enjoys the outdoors. Forest, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, Ouachita Na- tional Forest, Sequoia National Forest, Bitterroot National 2019 Forest, and Custer-Gallatin National Forest.