A Model for Public-based Reporting of Invasive Species
March 4, 2020Community Science Workshop
Ottawa, Ontario
Hans Landel, Ph.D.Invasive Species Program Coordinator
UT-Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Invasive Species Impacts
Recreation
Forestry Agriculture
Natural Heritage
IndustryHuman Health
Economy
Invasive Species
Requires Control, Treatment, Management, Monitoring
Invasive Species
Today
Texas Citizen Science Programs:
Invaders of Texas
Sentinel Pest Network
Funding Partners
Thank you!• USDA-APHIS (Farm Bill)• Texas Parks and Wildlife Department• Texas A&M Forest Service• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center• Texas Invasive Plant and Pest Council
Introduction to the Programs
Texasinvasives.org
• A partnership between the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, USDA-APHIS, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and others.
• Designed to present a coordinated approach.
Goals
• Facilitate communication among the state's invasive species stakeholders
• Implement a coordinated response to address invasive species issues on a statewide level
• Provide a venue for sharing information about key invasive strategies
• Create public awareness of the problems posed by invasive species in Texas
Texasinvasives.org
Integrated components:• Website• Mobile app• Data collection/mapping program• Early detection and rapid response (EDRR) system• Facebook page• Monthly e-newsletter
Managed by UT-Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Texasinvasives.org
Integrated components:• Website• Mobile app• Data collection/mapping program• Early detection and rapid response (EDRR) system• Facebook page• Monthly e-newsletter
Texasinvasives.org
Integrated components:• Website• Mobile app• Data collection/mapping program• Early detection and rapid response (EDRR) system• Facebook page• Monthly e-newsletter
Invaders of Texas
• Train a cadre of citizen scientists to find and report locations of selected local invasive plant species in Texas
• Move target audience beyond awareness to action on invasive species
• Produce a usable database
• Mapping
Invaders of Texas
History:• Established in 2005
– Part of National Geographic's “Strange Days on Planet Earth” PBS TV series
• Covers all of Texas• Funded by grants
Sentinel Pest Network
Early Detection and Rapid Response System
• Train citizens to identify and report specific "high consequence" pests.
• Reports sent to experts for validation and action
COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME
Asian Longhorned Beetle Anoplophora glabripennis
Brown Fir Longhorned Beetle Callidiellum villosulum
Cactus Moth Cactoblastis cactorum
Emerald Ash Borer Agrilus planipennis
Gypsy Moth Lymantria dispar
Sirex Woodwasp Sirex noctilio
Cogongrass Imperata cylindrica
Giant Hogweed Heracleum mantegazzianum
Onionweed Asphodelus fistulosus
Tropical Soda Apple Solanum viarum
Tropical Spiderwort Commelina benghalensis
Giant African Land Snail Lissachatina fulica
Original "Dirty Dozen"
Data Collection
Invaders of TexasData Flow
Collection
Submission
Validation
Access Database
Online Mapping Download EDDMapS
Sentinel Pest Network Pathway of Submitted Observations
Submission
Filter for Spam
Validation
No Action Action
Invaders of TexasMethods of Data Collection
MOBILE APPiOS: Texas InvadersAndroid: Texas Invasives
• Built by the Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health (University of Georgia)
• 2012• Revised 2014
Old-fashioned method:• data sheet• camera• GPS unit• transfer data to
web-based interface
Invaders of TexasReporting Invasive Plants
Invaders of TexasReporting Invasive Plants
• ONLY PLANTS• Photo• GIS coordinates and
accuracy• Time spent collecting data• Patch type (point, line,
polygon)• Disturbance type (fire, flood,
grazed, etc.)• Abundance (rare, common)• Notes
Based on Nature Conservancy Weed Information Management System.
Invaders of TexasDetection Database
• Accessible Online
• Online mapping
• Downloadable
• Become part of Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System (EDDMapS)
Invaders of TexasData
Example: Arundo donax (giant reed)
Texasinvasives.org website Texas Invasives mobile app
Sentinel Pest NetworkMethods of Submission
Sentinel Pest Network Reporting a Species
• Species• Contact info• Location• Photo• Host species (if
applicable)• Whether
specimen was collected
• Notes
Training
OverviewTraining
• Free• Invaders of Texas: Both in-person and online;
Sentinel Pest Network: only in-person• Established groups: Master Naturalists, Master Gardeners,
Native Plant Society of Texas• Reach out• Registration required• Try to make training interactive
Invaders of TexasTraining
All-day
Objectives:• Introduce participants to
invasive species– Definition– Threats– Spread– General Management– Regulations, Agencies
• Teach participants – Prevent spread– Manage/control
– Local Invasives ID– Use tools to report invasive
plants
Invaders of Texas: 2 Types of TrainingSatellite Groups and Voyagers
Invaders of TexasProgram Summary
Invaders of Texas Program Summary 2005-2020
• 148 workshops• 77 satellites• 3,490+ trained citizens• 22,300+ observations
Sentinel Pest NetworkTraining
3 hours
Objectives of the Program:• Introduce participants to
invasive species– Definition– Threats
• Teach participants – ID SPN species and symptoms– Use tools to report SPN
species
Sentinel Pest NetworkProgram Summary
2018
• ~ 50 pest reports submitted • 21,057 website views • 28 participants completed the EAB online training • 66 completed the SPN online training • 143 participants trained in workshops
Challenges and Lessons
Challenges and Lessons
Challenges• Continued participation• Limited demographic• Making workshop interesting• Restricted to public land (95.8%
is private land)• Concentrated in metropolitan
areas• Can't prevent duplicates• Can't deal with
treatements/removals• Funding
Challenges and Lessons
Lessons• Make it easy!
– Limit workshop plant ID to about 10 local species
– Limit and simplify data collection
– Mobile app
– For SPN: no login required
Challenges and Lessons
Lessons• Part of an overall program• Proactively set up workshops• Advertise workshops• Make workshops engaging with
hands-on activities, "field trip"• Emphasize importance of good
photographs for validation• Importance of strong leadership in
the satellites• Emphasize how data will be used:
close the loop• Need way to keep motivated• Train-the-trainer• Funding!
Summary
Summary
Citizen scientists play important roles in the battle against invasives.• The Invaders of Texas and Sentinel Pest
Network citizen scientist programs have helped to– Increase knowledge about the distribution of
invasive plants in Texas– Increase the awareness and motivation of
Texas residents– Establish an EDRR system– Increase control of invasive species
• Challenges remain• Lessons learned
– Simple– Motivate
Thank you!
Hans Landel, Ph.D.Invasive Species Program Coordinator
UT - Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center(512) 232-0107
Invaders of TexasData Validation
• Me• Volunteers:
– Experience with local invasives
– Botanists
Invaders of TexasCitizen Scientist's Account Page
• View/map validated submissions
• Edit/delete unvalidatedsubmissions
• Edit profile
Invaders of TexasThe Data are Utilized!
For example, since 2015, there have been six documented requests, such as• U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers Interagency Review Team
• San Antonio Parks and local volunteers
• Texas Landscape Project
