Weed Management Training for Volunteers
Invasive plants are one of the greatest threats to diversity in our natural areas. Do you work with invasive plants or want to learn more about it? Whether you are an experienced volunteer or curious to know how to care for natural areas in your local community.. Join local experts for a training workshop!
We will cover:
- biology and ecology of invasive plants
- tools and tips for dealing with weeds
- strategies for fuel reduction
- regional weeds to look out for
- how to use Calflora to map weeds
- collaborating and sharing stories
- resources for plant ID
- Hands on experience in the field!
Invasive Plant Management Training Agenda:
9:15 Sign-in, Refreshments
9:30 Introduction
5 min - Welcome to site [Site Host]
10 min - Importance of invasive plant management; Setting strategy and tracking progress;
Regional coordination and the role of volunteer groups. Importance of sharing knowledge -
today’s meeting. [Cal-IPC]
9:45 Why we care about invasive plants. Biology and Management of Invasive Plants
Biodiversity and ecosystem health, and why we care about maintaining resilient ecosystems,
and do so by managing invasive plants. Principles of IPM; Strategic approaches; Invasion
curve and EDRR; How to approach a specific invasive plant problem: Life strategy differences
among invasive plants and how they influence control methods (annual, perennial, vine,
woody); Mechanical, chemical, cultural and biological tools; Limiting spread of seeds and
pathogens. [Chip Bouril, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)/Land Trust
of Napa County; Tony Norris (Napa County Regional Parks and Open District)]
10:30 Invasive Plant Resources…
Resources that are available to help you with your volunteer program. Resources focus on
three areas: Plant Bio and ID; Management and Mapping. Featured resources included:
Calflora, the Observer Pro smartphone app, Cal-IPC resources, Weeds of the West, Weeds of
California, and the Wildland Volunteer Network map. [Cal-IPC]
10:45 Break
11:00 Ask the Experts YOUR management questions!
Facilitated round robin about what weeds you work on, what questions you have, what
additional info you might consider, etc. [Local land manager lead: Rick Fessenden (Napa
County Regional Park) with local experts from USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
(NRCS), Land Trust of Napa County, CNPS, Sonoma County Ag and Open Space, Napa
County RPOSD, etc.]
12:00 Lunch (brown bag, bring your own)
12:30 Lessons learned from local invasive plant management efforts
o The power of volunteers and collaboration in Westwood Hills Park - Kevin Hansen (Friends
of Westwood Hills Park)
o Invasive Plant efforts in the Open Space District – Rick Fessenden (Napa County RPOSD)
o Volunteer programs at the City of Napa Parks and Rec Department – Kelly Verrinder (Napa
Parks and Recs Volunteer Programs)
o Working with volunteers as a part of land trust– Megan Lila (Land Trust of Napa County)
o An update on our invasive species efforts– Mike Palladini (Land Trust of Napa County)
1:30 New Regional Weeds to Watch! (EDRR species)
Weed Alerts for Napa County. These species are new detections of concern to local land
managers. Learn to ID these species, look for them and, if found, to map them in Calflora.
Volunteers can help local land managers with mapping, and rapid response (“RR”)
management. [Jake Ruygt - CNPS Napa Valley Chapter]
1:45 Restoration Tour / Observer Pro Demonstration OR Optional Work Party
Restoration Tour - Tour local restoration project with Skyline Park Stewards and discuss
invasive plant management and restoration efforts while we take plant observations on
Calflora’s Observer Pro app. [Tom Bunter - Skyline Stewards; Chip Bouril - USDA Natural
Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)/Land Trust of Napa County; Cal-IPC]
Optional Work Party (1:45 -4pm) – Work on blackberry patches in a riparian corridor of Skyline
Park (w/ Rick Fessenden) or work on broom removal in Westwood Hills Park (w/ Kevin
Hansen).
2:45 Reflections, Additional Questions, Thank you & Course Evaluation [All partners; Cal-IPC]