Interested in supporting the management of invasive plants in Vermont?

See below For a variety of opportunities.

I’m a Volunteer On-the-Go Who Wants to Help 

Maybe you're a Vermonter who's always on-the-go? Maybe you're visiting Vermont? And still want to volunteer? Check out the opportunities below where volunteers can provide important data from wherever they happen to be that day in Vermont!

 

Statewide Invasive Plant Phenology Monitoring Project (SIPPMoP)* 

Interested in volunteering, but always on-the-go? Consider joining our statewide phenology monitoring project! In the second full week of each month of the growing season, volunteers from across the state observe the seasonal changes of invasive plants (their phenology), submit that data, and it is reported in the monthly FPR Insect & Disease reports. This effort gives us a coarse but quick snapshot of what is happening for a wide variety of the invasive plant species in Vermont, and helps us all adjust this year’s treatment plans accordingly. Please be in touch if you’d like to be part of this collection effort.    

Involvement Level: Monthly  

*this is a Vermont Invasives Phenology Network (VIPN) project

Tree-of-Heaven Early Detection 

The Forest Ecosystem Monitoring Cooperative is running a project to track the location of invasive Tree-of-Heaven in Vermont. If you’re on the go, hiking, birding, for work or for fun, keep an eye out and up for Tree-of-Heaven!  

Involvement Level: Occasional 

Mapping for Healthy Forests, Vermont 

Help track which invasive plants are present in Vermont and where they are found. You can participate by adding observations in our Mapping for Healthy Forests, Vermont iNaturalist project when you’re afoot and afield.  

Involvement Level: Occasional 

I’m a Volunteer Who Wants to Record What’s Happening Locally 

Looking to volunteer in your backyard, neighborhood, or community? Check out the opportunity below where volunteers can provide important data from their own "backyards" in Vermont!

National Phenology Network Campaigns 

While not all specifically focused on invasive plants, within Nature's Notebook there are a variety of campaigns you can join. Nature's Notebook is a continent-wide "umbrella" project specializing in participatory phenology. For ideas, see the campaigns page. Note: as of 2023, the Pesky Plant Trackers Campaign is no longer active; check out the Pesky Plant Trackers in VT project page to learn more about what happens next. 

Involvement Level: Weekly during growing season* 

*generally, March to October 

https://www.usanpn.org/nn/campaigns

I’m a Volunteer Who Wants to Get Involved with a Local Organization 

We are working to build up a list of projects and ways to get involved at the local level. If you are, or know of, a group or project that would like to be listed here, please be in touch. 

CISMAS

Learn more about CISMAs (Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas).

Training Community Leaders 

Maybe you want to champion an existing cause, or be the community expert on invasive plants, or are interested in spreading the word, and not the plant by creating your own network of community leaders? The Outreach page has resources to walk you through that from start to finish. VT Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation have coalesced experiences, lessons learned, and training materials for anyone looking to motivate neighbors, family, and community in invasive plant management. As we like to say – this work is a process not an event! Also, check out our Forest Hero! Network page to learn more about our past experiences.

Involvement Level: Ongoing 

I’m a Volunteer Who Wants to REgularly contribute to scientific research

Are you interested in taking part in a long-term research project to observe the seasonal changes of invasive plants in Vermont? The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation recently (2022) launched a new research study, Vermont Invasive Plant Phenology Project (VIPPP) to capture phenology data on invasive plants to better inform the timing of management and provide a baseline for plant changes we expect to see with a changing climate. If you can contribute weekly observations, and want to know if you live near one of our study sites, check out our project partner, Nature's Notebook, and select our group under "partner groups" (hint: we're tucked under the subheading for USGS). 

Involvement Level: Weekly

*this is a Vermont Invasives Phenology Network (VIPN) project