This virtual webinar series aims to 1) introduce the community to different existing decision support tools to manage invasive species in a changing climate and 2) gather community input to inform the development of new tools. Advanced registration is required to attend the webinars. Register here.
Click here for the Webinar Series Flyer (PDF).
April 7, 2023, 10 - 11 am MT
Catherine Jarnevich (USGS), INHABIT
Tool overview: An existing, web-based tool that uses species distribution modeling to provide spatial and statistical summaries and visualizations of habitat suitability for numerous invasive plant species across the continental US. This tool is freely accessible and provides managers with information to inform prevention and management strategies for invasive plants.
Speaker bio:
Catherine Jarnevich began working for the USGS while obtaining her doctorate in ecology from Colorado State University. Since that time she has developed a research program through the USGS Resource for Advanced Modeling to assist multiple agencies and groups with species distributions, focusing on invasive species. Catherine’s current research involves the application of habitat suitability models to answer different applied research and management questions for various species across a range of taxa and spatial scales.
To watch the recording of the INHABIT webinar click here.
May 5, 2023, 10 - 11 am MT
Annette Evans (University of Massachusetts Amherst) and Chuck Bargeron (University of Georgia), EDDMapS
Tool overview: An existing, web-based tool that aggregates observation data to provide a database of invasive species and pest population information for the US and Canada. EDDMapS also includes a range shift listing tool that provides information for selected species under future climate conditions which can aid invasive species prevention and early detection.
Speaker bios:
Chuck Bargeron has been with the University of Georgia for 24 years, where his work focuses on invasive species and information technology. Recently, Chuck has focused on mapping invasive species and tools for Early Detection and Rapid Response using EDDMapS, Wild Spotter, and companion smartphone applications. Chuck has spoken at over 300 regional and national conferences and co-authored over 67 journal articles and outreach publications.
Annette Evans is an ORISE postdoctoral fellow at USGS Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center (NECASC) and UMass. Her work focuses on the effects of climate change on the risk posed by invasive species across the United States. She currently is working on synthesizing management priorities identified by land managers across the U.S. as part of the Regional Invasive Species and Climate Change (RISCC) Management Networks. Annette is particularly interested in the eco-evolutionary cascades caused by the introduction or removal of invasive species from native communities.
To watch the recording of the EDDMapS webinar click here.
June 2, 2023, 10 - 11 am MT
Amy Wray (USGS), Siren
Tool overview: The final webinar will introduce a new system that is in development - an online portal that will house existing tools and datasets to aid invasive species management - from species distribution models to occurrence data and more. This centralized hub will facilitate early detection and rapid response to biological threats across the US.
Speaker bio:
Amy Wray is a Biologist and Technical Outreach Coordinator at the USGS Fort Collins Science Center, working on the National Early Detection Rapid Response Information System. She is originally from San Diego, CA, and completed her PhD in Wildlife Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Amy was a postdoc and lab manager at the University of Wyoming before relocating to Colorado, and her previous research interests focused on wildlife disease and community ecology.
To watch the recording of the NEDRRIS webinar click here.