|
Online
Resources and Links
National
Wildlife Refuge Sites
Advocacy
Sites
Legislative
Sites
|
U.S.
House of Representatives home page
http://www.house.gov/
U.S.
Senate home page
http://www.senate.gov/ |
|
Thomas
is the Library of Congress' guide to legislation on
the Internet.
http://thomas.loc.gov/
You can look up the text, status, and summaries of
current legislation using this site.
League
of Conservation Voters'
http://www.lcv.org/
The League of Conservation Voters' site includes their
National Environmental Scorecard and freshman profiles
for the 107th Congress. |
|
toolkit
for tracking members of Congress
http://www.vote-smart.org/
Provides you with information on your representative
including their voting record and an online toolkit
for tracking members of Congress
Provides
information on politicians' campaign contributions
http://www.opensecrets.org/ |
Cooperative
Alliance for Refuge Enhancement (CARE)
CARE
is a diverse coalition of conservation and recreation organizations
working to
secure increased funding for the National Wildlife Refuge
System.
Resources
for nonprofits on organizational development
Nonprofit
Startup and Management
|
Network
for Good
http://www.networkforgood.org/
Network for Good assists nonprofit organizations increase
their capabilities, outreach and Internet services.
The site provides useful resources on nonprofit organizations'
start-up, volunteering, financing, management and
news.
What
You Need to Know About
http://nonprofit.about.com/
This site provides various resources on starting-up,
marketing, planning, fundraising, grant writing, choosing
board members, news articles, government information
and outside links for nonprofits.
|
|
The
Alliance
http://www.allianceonline.org/
The Alliance provides information about nonprofit
management. It has resources available on topics such
as advocacy, public policy, collaboration, community
building, education, employment, finances, management/budgeting,
foundations/grant makers, fundraising, governance/board
development, law/taxes, marketing/public relations,
operations management, leadership, strategic planning
and volunteerism/ volunteer management.
The
Nonprofit Resource Center
http://www.not-for-profit.org/
The Nonprofit Resource Center has a comprehensive
list of website links and facts for nonprofits. The
categories covered on the site include:
-
Legal
Services, Nonprofit Laws, Taxation, Politics &
Policy, Accountability and Information For/About
Directors;
-
Consultants,
Management Service Organizations, Regional Organizations,
Sector Organizations. Publications and Discounts
and Free Services;
-
Financial
Services, Insurance, Information Technology Services,
Accountants, Leadership/Management, Financial
Software;
-
Fundraising,
Philanthropies, Grant writing, Consultants, Donor
Resources, Fundraising Software;
-
Human
Resources, Job Sites, Volunteers, Membership,
Marketing/Public Relations and Communications.
|
|
Idealist.org
http://www.idealist.org/
Idealist.org provides links to information about starting,
running and funding a nonprofit organization, recruiting
and managing volunteers, technology for nonprofits
and nonprofit news sites.
Guide
Star
http://www.guidestar.org/index.jsp
Guide Star is a database of nonprofit organizations
and charities, which includes financial information,
purpose statements and program profiles for each group.
|
|
Online
Nonprofit Information Center
http://www.socialworker.com/nonprofit/nphome.htm
Online Nonprofit Information Center provides details
and ordering information for publications on starting
and running a nonprofit organization.
Internal
Revenue Service
http://www.irs.gov/
The Internal Revenue Service allows you to download
tax forms, check schedules and get news on taxes.
|
|
StargazerNET
http://www.stargazernet.net/
StargazerNET supports nonprofit activities and organizations
in sharing knowledge and experience throughout the
world, at no cost. It allows nonprofits to: communicate
and collaborate, share knowledge and experience, teach
and learn, and give and get resources.
Board
Source
http://www.boardsource.org/main.htm
Board Source helps nonprofits build effective boards.
|
|
NPOtoday.com
http://www.npotoday.com/
NPOtoday.com is a new daily online news service that
provides useful summaries and links from stories on
the Web. Daily updates focus on trends in philanthropy,
fundraising, grantmaking and the economy. There is
no charge for this service, and there is an easy to
search archive section on the site.
Nonprofit
Genie
http://www.genie.org/
Nonprofit Genie provides a wealth of resources on
organizing a nonprofit organization, grant writing,
board development, fundraising and volunteer management.
It also has a list of useful publications.
|
Fundraising
and Finances
|
Internet
Nonprofit Center
http://www.nonprofits.org/
The Internet Nonprofit Center publishes the Nonprofit
FAQ, which incorporates "frequently asked questions"
and their answers about nonprofit organizations. It
also provides articles on fundraising strategies.
Nonprofit
and Grant Resources
http://www.tuc.edu/lrc/grants.htm
This site has several links to information on starting
up a nonprofit organization, grant writing, government
and finances. There is particular weight on Texas
organizations.
|
|
Accounting
Aid Society
http:///ww.accountingaidsociety.org
The Accounting Aid Society provides skills and resources
in accounting, law, business management, human resources,
and other areas of nonprofit management. It also provides
nonprofit education, training and business coaching.
Society
for Nonprofit Management
http://www.danenet.wicip.org/
The Society For Nonprofit Organizations publishes
a bi-monthly magazine on relevant nonprofit issues
and a monthly report on funding opportunities for
nonprofits. It recently created The Learning Institute
For Nonprofit Organizations that provides satellite-based
education for the nonprofit sector.
|
Membership
Development
|
The
Virtual Volunteering Project
http://www.serviceleader.org/vv/
The Virtual Volunteering Project offers useful information
about broadening your nonprofit volunteering scope
through the Internet.
NetAid
http://www.netaid.org/
NetAid is an organization that promotes worldwide
education programs for underprivileged children. It
also provides insightful tips and articles on how
to manage online volunteers.
|
|
Service
Leader
http://www.serviceleader.org/manage
Service Leader offers comprehensive information on
volunteer management, including getting an organization
ready to involve volunteers, volunteer screening,
matching, record-keeping and evaluation, legal issues
and risk management, volunteer/staff relations, online
activism and volunteer management software.
|
Lobbying
Limitations and Advocacy
|
THOMAS
http://thomas.loc.gov/
THOMAS contains comprehensive federal legislative
records so that organizations can follow important
legislation.
Nonprofit
Gateway
http://www.nonprofit.gov/
Nonprofit Gateway provides nonprofit organizations
with access to more than 300,000 federal website and
agencies. It also offers management information.
|
|
Kern
DeWenter Viere
http://www.kdv.com/limits.html
Kern DeWenter Viere is a financial services and business
consulting firm that has advice and information about
lobbying limitations for 501(c)(3) organizations.
Alliance
for Justice
http://www.afj.org/fai/nonprof.html
The Alliance for Justice is a national association
of public interest advocacy organizations. It offers
a variety of programs through its Nonprofit Advocacy
Project, including advocacy workshops, legal guides,
technical assistance and public education.
|
|
GiveVoice.org
http://www.givevoice.org/
GiveVoice.org provides nonprofits with public policy
and advocacy resources and allows members to publicly
voice their concerns about issues. It is partnered
with multiple state, nonprofit support organizations.
|
Media
Outreach
|
The
Advertising Council, Inc.
http://www.adcouncil.org/
The Ad Council sponsors public service announcement
campaigns.
MediaRights.org
http://www.mediarights.org/
MediaRights.org assists media makers, educators, nonprofits,
and activists in using documentaries to encourage
action and dialogue on contemporary social issues,
including the environment.
|
|
National
Broadcast Association for Community Affairs (NBACA)
http://www.nbaca.org/
NBACA is a national association of broadcast, cable
industry and nonprofit community affairs professionals
who have a strong sense of community service. It provides
seminars, publications and workshops that explore
new trends in community affairs.
Benton
Foundation's Media Relations
http://www.benton.org/Practice/Toolkit/mediarelations.html
Benton Foundation's Media Relations provides a collection
of site links that will help build a nonprofit's media
presence.
|
|
BroadcastPublicService.org
http://www.broadcastpublicservice.org/
Sponsored by the National Association of Broadcasters,
the site provides information about public service
opportunities offered by broadcasters.
Coyote
Communications Technology Tip Sheet
http://www.coyotecom.com/promote2.html
This site has a useful article entitled: "Basic
Press Outreach for Not-for-Profit and Public Sector
Organizations," which gives basic advice to nonprofits
on media relations.
|
Coalition
Building
|
Coalescence
http://www.dowelldogood.com/tips1.html
Coalescence is a consulting firm for both corporate
and nonprofit sectors. This site offers an article
entitled "Building Effective Corporate/ Nonprofit
Partnerships" that offers useful tips about coalition
building.
The
Benton Foundation
http://www.benton.org/Practice/Toolkit/partnerships.html
The Benton Foundation has compiled 15 useful resources
that share the lessons and successes of partnerships.
The resources provide important questions to consider
before engaging in any collaboration.
|
|
Cooperative
Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU)
http://www.cesu.org/cesu/introduction/introduction.html
CESU Network is a valuable reference for setting up
partnerships and implementing environmental education
programs. One of its goals is to create and maintain
effective partnerships among Federal agencies and
universities
Know
Your Watershed
http://www.ctic.purdue.edu/KYW/Brochures/BuildingLocal.html
Know Your Watershed is a valuable resource for building
coalitions around a watershed. It lists potential
partners that should be included in protecting watersheds
and tips for establishing and maintain effective coalitions.
|
Invasive
Species Education Programs
National
|
Aquatic
Plant Management Society, Inc. (APMS)
http://www.apms.org
APMS is an international organization of scientists,
educators, students, commercial pesticide applicators,
administrators, and concerned individuals interested
in the management and study of aquatic plants. The
Society published an activity booklet for 5th graders
called "Understanding Invasive Aquatic Weeds,"
available online.
Agriculture
in the Classroom
http://www.agclassroom.org
Agriculture in the Classroom is a grassroots program
coordinated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Its goal is to help students gain greater awareness
of the role of agriculture in the economy and society.
The program is carried out in each state, according
to its needs and interests, by individuals who represent
farm organizations, agribusiness, education and government.
For information on curricula related to invasive species,
contact Dorothy Jackson at djackson@reeusda.gov.
|
|
Global
Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment
(GLOBE)
http://www.globe.gov
GLOBE is a worldwide primary and secondary school
program that provides students with hands-on learning
and teachers with professional development and training.
Participating students collect environmental measurements
of atmosphere, climate, hydrology, land cover and
biology, soils and phenology, which they make available
to scientists across the world via the Internet. Students
of all skill levels use a Global Positioning System
(GPS) to take photographs, measure the latitude, longitude
and elevation of the site's center, and classify land
cover using a qualitative measurement system. More
than 140 universities and state and local school systems
contribute to the project.
National
Aquatic Nuisance Species Clearinghouse
http://www.cce.cornell.edu/aquaticinvaders/nan_ld.cfm
The New York Sea Grant Program, a research, education
and technology transfer program cosponsored by Cornell
University and the State University of New York, operates
the ANS Clearinghouse. It is an international library
of research, public policy and education publications
pertaining to invasive marine and freshwater aquatic
nuisance species in North America.
|
|
National
Sea Grant Program
http://www.nsgo.seagrant.org
Administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), the National Sea Grant Program
encourages the wise stewardship of our marine resources
through research, education, outreach and technology
transfer. It involves partnerships between government,
academia, industry, scientists, and private citizens
to help Americans understand and sustainably use our
precious Great Lakes and ocean waters for long-term
economic growth. NOAA currently has 30 State Sea Grant
programs and partners with more than 200 universities
and millions of people.
|
|
Western
Society of Weed Science (WSWS)
http://www.wsweedscience.org/publications/wyo_ed_desc.html
The WSWS is made up of weed science professionals
working in the western United States, including the
states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii,
Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico,
North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington,
and Wyoming, and the Canadian provinces Alberta and
Saskatchewan. The Society offers the following educational
resources for sale:
o
"Enhancing Resources through Integrated Management
Systems" (17-minute video)
Audience: Landowners, land managers and public interest
groups are the anticipated audience for this video.
Goal: The goal of this video is to effectively and
accurately communicate that resources threatened by
invasive weeds can be protected, and even enhanced,
as invasive weeds are managed by using existing and
potential integrated weed management.
Objective: The objective is to introduce landowners,
land managers, and public interest groups to the concept
of the "Integrated Weed Management System."
o
"A Kid's Journey to Understanding Weeds,"
3rd Grade Classroom Activity Packet
Purpose: This activity packet categorizes the weeds
of North America into six regions to enable teachers
and students to focus on the invasive weeds found
in their community. The activities are located on
the back of ten different 8x11 photos, which show
a natural resource area being threatened by each of
the 10 most invasive weeds. Background information
concerning the weed, a picture of the weed dominating
an area, a picture of the flower and the corresponding
black line activity reinforce the concepts found in
the video and further the awareness in the classroom.
"A Kid's Journey to Understanding Weeds"
can play a vital role in helping kids understand the
threat of weeds to open spaces.
|
Pacific
Region
|
Bureau
of Land Management (BLM)
http://www.blm.gov
The Bureau of Land Management's Office of Education
and Volunteers has a partnership with the Student
Conservation Association (SCA). Through this partnership,
the BLM places interns at field sites to conduct community
education programs on invasive species and fire. Previous
sites include Fort Ord, CA, and Cody, WY. BLM is now
expanding the program to Idaho. SCA interns, both
for the U.S. Forest Service and for BLM, will work
together to provide education to local communities
and to recreationists in Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
The SCA also has expanded its education work on weeds,
originally initiated by BLM, to the National Park
Service in the Grand Canyon. An additional program
will run in Salem, Oregon. BLM is working with SCA
to develop a website on this partnership. BLM has
also funded a service learning grant program through
Project Learning Tree that encourages high school
teachers to sponsor service learning programs on invasive
species. For more information, please contact Elizabeth_Rieben@blm.gov.
McNary
National Wildlife Refuge, Washington
http://pacific.fws.gov/visitor/washington.html#mcnary
Volunteers working with the McNary NWR joined up with
the newly formed Northwest Shrub-Steppe Educators
group, a loosely organized group of educators in central
and eastern Washington that is concerned with protecting
sage-grasslands habitat and dealing with invasive
species issues. The group aims to involve diverse
groups such as ranchers, private preserves, refuges,
farmers, 4H clubs, homeowners, school science teachers/classes,
school environmental clubs and city park departments,
in an effort to provide outreach and education programs.
For more information, contact Naomi Sherer at nsherer@worldnet.att.net.
|
|
Kootenai
National Wildlife Refuge, Idaho
http://kootenai.fws.gov
Kootenai NWR recently got approved for a Youth Conservation
Corps crew this year. One of the many projects the
crew will work on is hand pulling of invasive species.
For more information, contact Aaron Drew at Aaron_Drew@r1.fws.gov.
Montana
War on Weeds
http://www.mtwow.org
Montana War on Weeds provides educators with comprehensive
resources on weed identification, prevention and control
methods. The site supplies various K-12 curricula
materials such as handbooks, research papers, labs
and larvae rearing guides. It also provides project
examples at three different high schools, links to
other education programs across the country and several
student essays on invasive species.
|
|
Noxious
Weed Information Project
http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/phpps/ipc/noxweedinfo/noxwdinfo_hp.htm
The Noxious Weed Information Project, run by a division
of the California Department of Food and Agriculture,
has general invasive species information for California,
including the Weed Education Clearinghouse - a collection
of education resources and curricula.
Oregon
Field Guide
http://education.opb.org/learning/ofg/weeds/curriculum.html
The Oregon Field Guide's "Noxious Weed"
segment is an educational video that introduces students
to topics such as native and nonnative plants, plant
competition, plant defenses, biodiversity, plant-animal
relationships, desertification, ecosystems, chemical
herbicides, natural weed control and field research.
The video is a foundation for further discussion and
research.
|
|
Partnership
for Arid Lands Stewardship (PALS)
http://www.pnl.gov/pals/
PALS aims to increase community awareness and understanding
of the arid lands of the Columbia Basin. The program
educates high school teachers about ecology, and this
year they are working on native and nonnative plant
species. PALS is currently using volunteers for weed
surveys and control, including at the Hanford Reach
National Monument/Saddle Mountain NWR in Washington.
Port
Defiance Zoo and Aquarium
http://www.pdza.org/
The Port Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, located in Tacoma,
Washington, has a new, semi-permanent interactive
exhibit featuring invasive plants and animals that
threaten marine ecosystems in Puget Sound and the
Pacific Northwest. The Zoo and Aquarium offers volunteer
and educational opportunities.
|
|
University
of Washington Friday Harbor Laboratories
http://depts.washington.edu/fhl/
The University of Washington Friday Harbor Laboratories
provides student learning and K-12 outreach opportunities
for many aspects of marine biology including invasive
species and oceanography.
Washington
Sea Grant Program
http://www.wsg.washington.edu/outreach/mas/nis/nis.html
http://seagrant.orst.edu/mist/whatis.html
Washington Sea Grant's "You Ought to Tell Somebody!"
video promotes early detection and quick response
to invasive species. The video targets monitoring
staff and volunteers, field educators and people who
spend times in lakes, rivers and estuaries. For more
information about the Washington Sea Grant Program
and these resources, contact Andrea Copping at acopping@u.washington.edu.
|
|
Washington
State Noxious Weed Control Board
http://www.wa.gov/agr/weedboard/education/curriculum.html
Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board offers
curricula for grades 6-12 that include several project
ideas and resources. This state-run program is designed
to teach students to identify invasive species, promote
awareness about their impact and possibly solve infestations.
The program is specifically geared toward fresh- and
salt-water weeds. The site also provides contacts
for county weed-control boards that work with landowners
to control and eradicate regulated weeds.
|
|
Pacific
Northwest Marine Invasive Species Team (MIST)
http://seagrant.orst.edu/mist/whatis.html
The Washington
Sea Grant Program, and the Oregon
Sea Grant Program, have joined forces to form
PNW MIST. PNW MIST has developed a series of invasive
species educational products in collaboration with
the State of Washington, National Estuary Program,
Georgia Basin/Puget Sound International Task Force,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and California Department
of Fish and Wildlife. PNW MIST provides the following
resources:
o Support for regional aquatic invasive species management
and research efforts, including access to a national
Sea Grant network of invasive species expertise and
materials;
o Presentations and training programs on invasive
species for youth and adult audiences;
o A variety of publications, including fact sheets
on specific species and introduction pathways, identification
materials, and a 20-page booklet entitled "Bio-Invasions:
Breaching Natural Barriers;"
o Attractively designed poster and T-shirts introducing
simple concepts about aquatic invasive species;
o Online updates on regional invasive species and
links to other Internet sites about invasive species;
o A brochure to help lab researchers who use marine
organisms or media to minimize risks of introductions.
|
|
Western
Society of Weed Science (WSWS)
http://www.wsweedscience.org/publications/wyo_ed_desc.html
The WSWS is made up of weed science professionals
working in the western United States, including the
states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii,
Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico,
North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington,
and Wyoming, and the Canadian provinces Alberta and
Saskatchewan. The Society offers the following educational
video for sale, geared specifically to Western states:
"Explosion
in Slow Motion: Weeds on Western Lands" (12 minutes)
Audience: Members of Congress, Secretaries of Federal
Agencies, State Legislators, Public Interest Groups,
County Commissioners, State Weed Boards, Public and
Private Landowners.
Purpose: To effectively and accurately communicate
that public and private resources on Western lands
are threatened by negative impact of invasive weeds
and harmful, non-indigenous plants.
Concept: Define the threat of invasive weeds, detail
the impact these weeds have on natural resources,
and explain how harmful, non-indigenous plants interfere
with ecosystem management.
|
Southwest
Region
|
Grand
Canyon National Park
http://www.nps.gov/grca/
Grand Canyon National Park has an extensive volunteer
program that assists with all aspects of habitat restoration.
Last year, 1,683 volunteers donated over 20,000 hours
to the park. Volunteers assist with surveying, mapping
and eradicating invasive species. In addition, the
park's staff has worked for the past five years on
a School-to-Work curriculum, which a local school
uses. Through the program, 7th and 10th grade classes
complete a site restoration project, one aspect of
which involves invasive species. For more information,
contact Lori J. Makarick, Restoration Biologist at
the Grand Canyon National Park Science Center at Lori_Makarick@nps.gov.
Junior
Master Gardener Program
http://www.jmgkids.org
Texas A&M University created the Junior Master
Gardener program for youths of all ages. It uses fun
activities to teach horticulture and environmental
science concepts including invasive species. Level
One is for 3rd-5th graders; Level Two, called "Operation
Thistle," is for 6th-8th graders; and Level Three
is being developed for 9th-12th graders.
|
|
Western
Society of Weed Science (WSWS)
http://www.wsweedscience.org/publications/wyo_ed_desc.html
The WSWS is made up of weed science professionals
working in the western United States, including the
states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii,
Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico,
North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington,
and Wyoming, and the Canadian provinces Alberta and
Saskatchewan. The Society offers the following educational
video for sale, geared specifically to Western states:
"Explosion
in Slow Motion: Weeds on Western Lands" (12 minutes)
Audience: Members of Congress, Secretaries of Federal
Agencies, State Legislators, Public Interest Groups,
County Commissioners, State Weed Boards, Public and
Private Landowners.
Purpose: To effectively and accurately communicate
that public and private resources on Western lands
are threatened by negative impact of invasive weeds
and harmful, non-indigenous plants.
Concept: Define the threat of invasive weeds, detail
the impact these weeds have on natural resources,
and explain how harmful, non-indigenous plants interfere
with ecosystem management.
|
Great
Lakes - Big Rivers Region
|
Center
for Invasive Plant Management http://www.weedcenter.org/education/educationhome.html
The Center for Invasive Plant Management, in cooperation
with Michigan State University, provides links to
16 different K-12 teaching resources on invasive species,
including books and program ideas. The site is also
a resource for grants, management ideas, identification
information and control methods.
Great
Lakes Information Network
http://www.great-lakes.net/
The Great Lakes Information Network offers information
about Sea Grant Programs in the Great Lakes area,
and offers a variety of educational resources on invasive
species, particularly the zebra mussel. The site has
information on "TEACH Great Lakes," a program
about invasive species that explains what invasive
species are, how they damage the Great Lakes ecosystem
and what preventative and control measures are available.
The site also has GIS maps of the Great Lakes region.
|
|
Illinois
Natural History Survey (INHS)
http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu
INHS is a program of the Illinois Department of natural
Resources. It offers educational materials on biodiversity,
wetlands and biological control, including curriculum
for a purple loosestrife biological control program
funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the
agency that manages the National Wildlife Refuge System.
The INHS Office of Outreach and Education is currently
engaged in educational programs targeting elementary,
middle school and high school teachers and students
in Illinois. For more information, contact Dr. Robert
Wiedenmann at r-wiede@uiuc.edu.
Michigan
Sea Grant Program
http://www.miseagrant.org/pp/index.html
The "Seagrant Purple Pages" is a Michigan
State University project to restore biodiversity,
integrity and ecological function of wetlands, and
to increase science and environmental education for
Michigan children. The project is focused on the biological
control of purple loosestrife by introducing three
plant-feeding beetles into infested habitats. The
site offers downloadable K-12 materials, class activities
and a handbook. Additional materials for the project
can also be ordered through this site.
|
|
Minnesota
Sea Grant Program
http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/exotics
Minnesota Sea Grant offers a boater education video
entitled "Stop Exotics, Clean Your Boat,"
which shows the simple steps boaters across North
America can take to prevent the spread invasive species.
Featuring John Ratzenberger (better known as Cliff
Clavin from the TV show "Cheers"), this
humorous video leaves boaters informed and motivated
to take a couple extra minutes to clean their boat,
sailboat or personal watercraft at the end of a day
on the water. The site also features five education
programs conducted in collaboration with other partners.
|
|
Illinois-Indiana
Sea Grant Program
http://www.iisgcp.org/education/excamp.htm
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant College Program provides
educational program ideas and materials, including:
o Exotic Aquatics Traveling Trunk: Created in connection
with the Minnesota Sea Grant Program, this is an interactive
education kit including a curriculum with nine classroom
activities, an award-winning video, maps, books, and
museum-quality specimens and models of seven exotics.
o GLIMCES (Great Lakes Instructional Materials for
the Changing Earth System): Activities address global
environmental change with a section on exotic species
and a scenario of how they are likely to be influenced
by global warming in the Great Lakes eco-region.
o Zebra Mussel Mania Traveling Trunk: Created in connection
with the Minnesota Sea Grant Program, this award-winning
education kit and curriculum that offers ten activities
incorporating experiments, games, stories, and community
action projects about zebra mussels and other aquatic
exotics.
o Zebra Mussel Citizen Monitoring Kit: Kit used to
collect seasonal monitoring samples and data from
inland lakes. This equipment can be used by educators
during field work such as water quality and habitat
assessment. Hands-on fieldwork by students will contribute
to regional and national data collection.
o Great Lakes Solution Seeker CD-ROM: Datasets related
to exotic species have active links to Internet sites
that keep the data up-to-date. Students access images
of the species, track their spread, and compare means
of introduction and control.
o The Purple Loosestrife Project: Includes activity
sets for grades 4-12, background materials, and a
website called "The Purple Pages." From
this project, teachers have created classroom activities,
such as rearing purple loosestrife and its natural
enemy, the leaf-feeding Galerucella beetle.
o SGNIS: Peer-reviewed website contains research information
and outreach products on exotic species. Graphics,
photos, and videoclips of many species can be downloaded.
o Mussel Menace: Zebra Mussels and You: Instructor's
training package teaches people how to raise zebra
mussel awareness aimed at preventing spread and reducing
impacts. Includes video/slide program, fact sheets,
newsletters, contacts, and more.
o Exotic Species Day Camps: Design classroom resources
for 4th-8th graders using Sea Grant educational products
such as resource kits, CD-ROMs, Internet resources,
lake monitoring kits and instructor's training packages.
For
more information on these programs, contact Robin
Goettel at goettel@uiuc.edu.
Another
program is the Exotic Species Compendium of Activities
to Protect the Ecosystem (ESCAPE) project, http://www.iisgcp.org/edu/cr/index.html,
which offers of a package of 36 lesson sets that incorporate
experiments, art, music and games into learning about
invasive species. For more information, contact Valerie
Eichman at eichman@uiuc.edu.
|
|
|
|
Illinois
Rivers Project
http://www.siue.edu/OSME/river/ZebraMussel/zebramussel.htm
The goal of the Illinois Rivers Project is to increase
the scientific literacy of high school students through
water study. The project began in 1990 as a pilot
program involving eight high schools along the Mississippi
and lower Illinois River. The Rivers Project network
has grown, through the training of teachers, to include
schools in most of the states and provinces across
the United States and Canada. With scientific literacy
as the ultimate goal, students collect and analyze
water samples from various test sites. The data collected
are sent via the Internet to the Rivers Project. Data
have been transmitted to various state agencies and
to the Environmental Management Technical Center (a
division of the US Geological Survey) in Onalaska,
WI. In Illinois, the recipient is the Illinois EPA.
Rivers study has been extended to include historical,
social and/or economic implications of the river conditions,
thus involving students from classes across the curricular
areas of science, mathematics, social studies and
language arts.
The
"Zebra Mussel Mania Traveling Trunk" is
an educational activity kit created by the Illinois
Rivers Project, The Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant College
Program and the University of Minnesota Bell Museum
of Natural History. The activities in this kit and
the companion curriculum, Zebra Mussel Mania, allow
5th and 6th grade students to explore the effects
of alien species, particularly the zebra mussel, on
the ecosystem. Students learn about native mussels,
shellfish biology, mussel classification, the historical
importance of native mussels and the current effects
of the zebra mussel invasion on the environment and
society.
"Alien
Invaders" is a curriculum designed for middle
and high school students to evaluate the impact of
the zebra mussel on their own community. The students
address four goal levels in their study that includes
taking action.
|
Southeast
Region
|
Florida
Aquarium
http://www.flaquarium.org
The Florida Aquarium recently opened a 2,500-square-foot
education exhibit called "Invaders! Florida's
Most Unwanted Species." "Invaders!"
features colorful, interactive fun and games for all
ages, plus more than 20 Florida invasive species such
as: walking catfish, green iguana, tokay gecko, Cuban
tree frog, Brazilian pepper, marine toad, house mouse,
knight anole, suckermouth catfish and red-eared sliders.
Jupiter
High School Environmental Academy http://www.palmbeach.k12.fl.us/JupiterHS/JERFSA%20PAGE.htm
At Florida's Jupiter High School Environmental Academy,
more than 400 9th graders have completed thousands
of volunteer hours, much of them related to invasive
species removal on public lands. These students have
mapped gopher tortoise burrows using GPS technology,
removed literally tons of exotic plants, and planted
thousands of mangroves grown from seeds students collected
themselves. They have also done invasive species work
at Loxahatchee NWR and at Hobe Sound NWR. Their efforts
have earned them more than 244,850 college credits
through a dual enrollment program with Palm Beach
Community College, Florida Atlantic University and
Montana State University. For more information, contact
Neal White, Director, at 561-743-6005.
|
Northeast
Region
|
Blackwater
National Wildlife Refuge, Maryland
http://blackwater.fws.gov
The Friends of Blackwater are helping the staff at
Blackwater NWR with the "Marsh Restoration and
Nutria Control" project, an effort to control
and eradicate the invasive nutria living on the refuge.
The Friends engage in education and outreach initiatives
to gain the support of lawmakers and to inform the
public about the nutria problem and the efforts being
made to address it. For more information, contact
Richard Gooch at Richard_Gooch@fws.gov.
Patuxent
Research Refuge
http://patuxent.fws.gov
Patuxent Research Refuge has a children's program,
"Enemy in Our Backyard," that deals with
the dangers of invasive plants and what you can do
to help. There are a variety of other programs that
highlight problems with invasive species such as teacher
workshops, interpretive tram tours, invasive species
feature stories in the monthly volunteer/Friends newsletter
and youth removal projects. For more information,
contact Nell Baldacchino at Nell_Baldacchino@fws.gov.
|
|
Phragmites
Student-Teacher-Scientist Partnership
http://www.invasiveplants.net/phragmites/phrag/index.htm
Welcome to Invasive Plants has information, resources,
case studies and management solutions for invasive
species. It also offers information about the "Phragmites
Student-Teacher-Scientist Partnership," a Cornell
University project that gives middle school through
college level science teachers and their students
an opportunity to take part in a long-term research
project on the biological control of Phragmites australis,
a wetland invasive plant species. For more information,
contact Dr. Bernd Blossey at bb22@cornell.edu.
|
Mountain-Prairie
Region
|
National
Bison Range, Montana
http://bisonrange.fws.gov
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation provided
the refuge with a grant that supported a cooperative
invasive species control program on private land near
the National Bison Range. Local high school students
studied the site and helped develop strategies for
control. For more information, contact Bill West at
Bill_West@fws.gov.
|
|
|
|
Rocky
Mountain Arsenal/Two Ponds NWR, Colorado
http://www.pmrma-www.army.mil
http://mountain-prairie.fws.gov/refuges/twoponds/
Refuge staff at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR and
Two Ponds NWR in Colorado produced literature and
brochures with invasive species information for its
environmental education programs and for distribution
to visitors. The staff coordinated with both refuges'
Friends groups to raise grant money to print the brochures.
Another partner is the Colorado Agricultural Foundation,
which educates elementary school kids on issues that
influence agriculture in Colorado. Refuge staff provide
editing and technical expertise in support of the
Foundation's monthly newsletter, which features articles
on Colorado native plant communities and invasive
species.
The
Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR recently participated in
a summer program for local teens (ages 13-18) in conjunction
with a neighboring municipality (Commerce City, Colorado).
The program, called "Enviro-teens," provides
an opportunity for young adults with limited outdoor
experiences to learn about the natural world while
restoring degraded wetlands and other landscaping.
Invasive species awareness and control are part of
the program.
A
cooperative venture between the Rocky Mountain Arsenal
NWR and the Denver Botanic Gardens provided landscape
management assistance around the Visitors Center,
education and interpretive areas. Invasive species
management was a major focus for that task. The Visitors
Center native prairie communities are weed controlled
with the assistance of volunteers who contribute over
300 hours during the growing season. The need for
weed awareness and prevention is an area in which
the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Refuge complex will be
dedicating more attention to in future. For more information,
contact Beth Dickerson at EDickerson@rma.army.mil.
|
|
|
|
Western
Society of Weed Science (WSWS)
http://www.wsweedscience.org/publications/wyo_ed_desc.html
The WSWS is made up of weed science professionals
working in the western United States, including the
states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii,
Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico,
North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington,
and Wyoming, and the Canadian provinces Alberta and
Saskatchewan. The Society offers for sale the following
educational video, geared toward Western states:
"Explosion
in Slow Motion: Weeds on Western Lands" (12 minutes)
Audience: Members of Congress, Secretaries of Federal
Agencies, State Legislators, Public Interest Groups,
County Commissioners, State Weed Boards, Public and
Private Landowners.
Purpose: To effectively and accurately communicate
that public and private resources on Western lands
are threatened by negative impact of invasive weeds
and harmful, non-indigenous plants.
Concept: Define the threat of invasive weeds, detail
the impact these weeds have on natural resources,
and explain how harmful, non-indigenous plants interfere
with ecosystem management.
|
Invasive
Species Volunteer Programs
National
|
Environmental
Protection Agency/Ocean Conservancy http://www.epa.gov/owow/estuaries/monitor/chptr19.html#nonindigenous
The Environmental Protection Agency and the Ocean
Conservancy highlight ways for volunteers to monitor
invasive species and collect samples in their jointly
produced "Volunteer Estuary Monitoring: A Methods
Manual," which includes monitoring case studies
from Virginia and the Pacific Northwest.
Reef
Environmental Education Foundation (REEF)
http://www.reef.org/exotic/index.html
REEF provides the SCUBA diving community a way to
contribute to the understanding and protection of
marine populations through its volunteer fish-monitoring
program, the REEF Fish Survey Project. Recently, it
launched a special program focused on monitoring invasive
fish species. An online "sighting" report
form allows volunteers to document invasive species
sightings.
|
Pacific
Region
|
Center
for Lake and Reservoir Study
www.clr.pdx.edu/
Portland State University's Center for Lake and Reservoir
Study runs various invasive species and water quality
projects. The mitten crab and zebra mussel volunteer
projects are focused on research and/or monitoring
a specific species. The Columbia River Aquatic Nuisance
Species Survey and ballast water projects concentrate
on more general monitoring of aquatic invasive species
in the Columbia River system. This effort is funded
through several agencies, including the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, Pacific States Marine Fisheries
Commission, Bonneville Power Administration and Oregon
Natural Wildlife Heritage Foundation. The Center has
about 150 volunteers looking for zebra mussels in
seven states.
Don
Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Complex, California
http://pacific.fws.gov/visitor/california.html#sf-bay
The Sequoia Audubon Society has volunteers working
to remove invasive iceplant from Bair Island on the
San Francisco Bay NWR. At Ellicott Slough NWR, a prison
crew is removing eucalyptus and pampas grass to protect
an endangered salamander, while other volunteers help
revegetate the site. At Antioch Dunes NWR, volunteers
help remove yellow star thistle and other non-native
grasses, and replant sites to support two endangered
plants and an endangered butterfly. For more information,
contact Marge Kolar at Margaret_Kolar@r1.fws.gov.
|
|
Hakalau
Forest National Wildlife Refuge, Hawaii
http://pacific.fws.gov/visitor/hawaii.html#hakalu
At Hakalau Forest NWR in Hawaii, volunteers form an
essential component of the refuge's resource management
program. The refuge sponsors a program in which volunteers
come from the mainland and the Hawaiian Islands for
a weekend, working one to two days planting trees
and bushes that will eventually form a multi-layered
canopy and cool the ground and limit the spread of
gorse, a weed that thrives in areas denuded by grazing
cattle, sheep and pigs. In return for their efforts,
volunteers receive a guided refuge tour and a custom-designed
T-shirt available only to refuge volunteers. Because
the refuge is mostly closed to the public, the only
way to visit is as a volunteer. Since 1989, eco-tourists
have paid for this privilege and contributed their
time planting more than 225,000 native seedlings.
For more information, contact Dick Wass at Richard_Wass@fws.gov.
Kauai
National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Hawaii
http://pacific.fws.gov/visitor/hawaii.html#kauai
The refuge works with the 1,000 Friends of Kilauea
Point and more than 100 volunteers who do public use
work for the refuge and also help with native plant
restoration and invasive species removal. For more
information, contact Tom Alexander at Thomas_Alexander@fws.gov.
|
|
Pearl
Harbor National Wildlife Refuge, Hawaii
http://pacific.fws.gov/visitor/hawaii.html#pearl-harbor
Along with other volunteers, teachers and students
from Leeward Community College come out to the Kalaeloa
Unit of Pearl Harbor NWR to pull invasive plants and
plant natives, including two endangered species. For
more information, contact Jerry Leinecke at Jerry_Leinecke@r1.fws.gov.
Washington
Department of Ecology
http://www.ecy.wa.gov
The Washington Department of Ecology offers invasive
species educational and volunteer monitoring opportunities
at Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.
For more information, contact Maggie Bell-McKinnon,
the Lake Monitoring Volunteer at mbel461@ecy.wa.gov.
|
|
Washington
Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW)
http://www.wa.gov/wdfw/volunter/vol-3.htm
WDFW has volunteer monitoring programs for green,
mitten and Chinese crabs, and also for zebra mussels.
WDFW contracts with the Puget Sound Restoration Fund
(PSRF) to monitor for European green crab in Puget
Sound, Hood Canal and the Straits. They monitor between
80 and 100 sites that are fully manned by volunteers.
Several different volunteer centers and organizations
are involved in the monitoring. For more information,
contact Pam Meachem, Nuisance Species Coordinator,
at meachpmm@dfw.wa.gov.
Willapa
National Wildlife Refuge, Washington
The Friends of Willapa NWR is an important partner
for the refuge. The group uses its newsletter and
website (http://www.willapabay.org/~fwnwr)
to educate the public about invasive species; it writes
and visits with congressional staff to gain support
for more federal funds to control invasives; it builds
partnerships with area agencies and organizations;
and it raises grant funds for invasive species projects.
A recent grant the Friends received from the National
Fish and Wildlife Foundation may prove critical to
Spartina alterniflora control at the refuge. Area
partners are matching this $60,000 grant with $188,000
in contributed goods and services. Grant funds will
purchase herbicide in a large-scale test of a new
infrared sprayer mounted on an amphibious tractor
that might improve the efficiency of the spray and
reduce costs for Spartina control. For more in | | | | | | |
