Volunteers and Invasive Plants: Learning and Lending a Hand

State and County Governments

Many states and counties have laws and policies related to the management of invasive plants. Comprehensive plans help ensure that various landowners and land managers work together on the issue of invasive plants.

• Existing and proposed invasive species laws by state
  Website: http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/laws/execorder.shtml
• South Carolina Noxious Weed Code
  Website: http://www.scstatehouse.net/code/t46c023.htm
• Santa Barbara County Weed Management Area Strategic Plan
  Website: http://www.countyofsb.org/wma/SPlan.htm

Universities

Universities conduct local research that is often applicable at a statewide or national level.

• University of Delaware, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
  Website: http://ag.udel.edu/enwc/research/biocontrol/index.htm

University extension services take information garnered by their staff and student researchers and publish it for use by local farmers, ranchers, or other land stakeholders.

• University of Nevada - Reno Cooperative Extension
  Website: http://www.unce.unr.edu/publications/files/ag/other/sp9603.pdf#search="invasives"

Conservation Organizations

Conservation organizations seek to protect wildlife and habitat at the local level by participating in invasive plant research on the lands they manage.

• The Nature Conservancy
  Website: http://tncinvasives.ucdavis.edu

Federal Agencies

See Scientific Research under National and Regional Actions

Cooperative Weed Management Areas

Cooperative Weed Management Areas (CWMA) are partnerships of federal, state, and local government agencies; tribes; individuals; and various interested groups that manage invasive plants in a defined area. Many CWMAs have their own invasive plant management plan that complements state and national plans.

• Center for Invasive Plant Management: Resources for CWMAs
  Website: http://www.weedcenter.org/management/control.html

Federal Land Management Agencies

All federal land management agencies are involved in managing invasive plants on their lands.

• US Fish and Wildlife Service
  Comprehensive Conservation Plans are developed for each refuge and include management plans for invasive plants.
  Website: http://www.fws.gov/refuges/planning/comprehensive.html

Conservation Districts

Conservation Districts are geographical areas designated by state legislatures for land and water management purposes.

• Homer (Alaska) Soil and Water Conservation District
  Website: http://www.homerswcd.org/invasives/invasivepg.htm

Invasive Species Associations

In many places, invasive plants are such a problem that groups have sprouted up solely for the purpose of managing and educating about invasives.

• Invasive Plants Association of Wisconsin
  Website: http://www.ipaw.org/
• Maryland Invasive Species Council
  Website: http://www.mdinvasivesp.org

Museums and Botanical Gardens

Museums and botanical gardens are working to educate their constituents on invasive plant issues.

• Arizona Sonora Desert Museum
  Website: http://www.desertmuseum.org/invaders/invaders_about.htm#help
• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
  Website: http://www.wildflower.org

State and County Governments

Local governments support programs to get the word out on invasive plants.

• Montana’s Statewide Noxious Weed Awareness and Education Program
  Website: http://www.weedawareness.org
• Whatcom County (Washington) Noxious Weed Control Board
  Website: http://www.co.whatcom.wa.us/publicworks/weeds/education.jsp

Conservation Organizations

Organizations that were established to protect natural resources are now alerting their members about invasive plant problems.

• Audubon
  Website: http://www.audubon.org/campaign/invasives/index.shtm
• Federation of Fly Fishers
  Website: http://www.fedflyfishers.org/
• Wildlife Forever
  Website: http://www.wildlifeforever.org/