Collaborators/Partners

California Invasive Plant Council (Cal-IPC), Berkeley, CA; Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants (CAIP), University of Florida, Gainesville, FL; Center for Invasive Plant Management (CIPM), Montana State University, Bozeman, MT; Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health (CISEH), University of Georgia, Tifton, GA; Midwest Invasive Plant Network (MIPN), Purdue University, Indianapolis, IN; Invasive Plant Atlas of New England (IPANE), University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT; Western IPM Center, University of California-Davis.

Project Summary

Working collaboratively, six organizations comprise a National Network of Invasive Plant Centers (NNIPC). Individually, they provide science-based information and services to diverse stakeholders-natural resource managers, researchers, information specialists, policy-makers, and conservationists working with government agencies, tribal nations, universities and private landowners-who are involved with managing terrestrial and aquatic invasive plants on public lands such as parks, refuges, nature preserves, rangelands, roadsides and rights of ways, forested lands, riparian areas, and waterways. Linked together as NNIPC, these organizations will:

• Aggregate and coordinate existing regional information and expertise to efficiently develop and deliver comprehensive national programs.
  
  
• Provide a clearinghouse for continuously evolving information such as: best management practices, invasive species alerts, research findings, mapping efforts, and funding and training opportunities.
  

The network will work closely with other  regional/national organizations and nonprofits such as the National Association of Exotic Pest Plant Councils (NA-EPPC) and the Western Weed Coordinating Committee (WWCC).


Project Grant

CIPM was awarded a grant by the Western IPM Center (Univ. California-Davis) to convene the first face-to-face meeting of NNIPC partners in January 2009. Hosted by the Midwest Invasive Plant Network, the two-day meeting in Indianapolis provided partners with an opportunity to explore ideas about building an efficient, information-sharing network. The group concluded that NNIPC would primarily aggregate and synthesize regional information to provide a national perspective and resources for natural resource managers, researchers, policy-makers, and educators. Initially, NNIPC will focus on four areas that warrant national discussion and coordination:

• Early detection and rapid response (EDRR)
• Cooperative weed management areas
• Economic impacts of invasive plants
• K-12 education and curriculum

In March 2009, NNIPC posted a citizen-propelled National CWMA Map on its website. Programmed and hosted by NNIPC partner Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health (Bugwood), the interactive Google map illustrates the broad range of community-led weed management efforts in the U.S. All CWMAs are welcome to input their data  and become a pop-up point on the map, which will continually evolve as people upload their information.