Invasive Plant Academy

Attention foresters and other natural resource professionals! The Maine Forest Service and the Maine Natural Areas Program are offering intensive training on invasive plant identification, mapping, and treatment practices, as part of a new program that offers financial incentives to landowners to have Invasive Plant Control Practice Plans written by a trained professional. The program will also provide free treatments for selected properties.

Invasive Plant Academy in September 2024

The Maine Forest Service and the Maine Natural Areas Program will offer an Invasive Plant Academy in September 2024. The training is required for foresters and other natural resource professionals wanting to participate in the Maine Forest Service Invasive Plant Management Program. The program provides financial incentives to woodland landowners for Invasive Plant Control Practice Plans (IPCPPs) prepared by a trained professional. Landowners with an approved IPCPP then have the option to apply for invasive plant treatment through the program, to be completed by practitioners under contract with the Maine Forest Service.

  • Who: Foresters and other Natural Resource Professionals
  • What: A multi-day training required to participate in the Maine Forest Service Invasive Plant Management Program
  • Where: Online trainings and in-person field day
  • When:
    • Central Maine/Orono field day: September 13, 2024
    • Southern Maine/Bridgeton field day: September 27, 2024
    • Plus an additional 12 hours of online work to be completed in advance of field days
  • Why: Woodland landowners need professionals to survey their woodlands, map invasive plant species, and give guidance on how to address them. Foresters and other Natural Resource Professionals need training to prepare to offer this service to clients and meet program requirements.
  • Deadline: Apply by August 16, 2024.

The Invasive Plant Academy will include recorded training for self-guided learning (below) and two field days, one in central Maine and one in southern Maine. Academy participants only need to attend one field day. Central Maine field day is Friday, September 13. Southern Maine field day is Friday September 27. Academy participants should complete the recorded training before the field days. These recordings will be approximately 12 hours of time.

Spots in the Academy are limited with preference foresters and other natural resource professionals who will prepare IPCPPs for woodland-owning clients. The questions below will help the Maine Forest Service and Maine Natural Areas Program staff evaluate an applicant's chance for success in the Academy and likelihood of going on to prepare IPCPPs.

The Invasive Plant Management Program is grant-funded through October 2024 with the intention to pursue additional funding in the future.

2024 Invasive Plant Academy Training Recordings

View these prior to field day training

  1. Welcome Program Overview; Processes and Procedures
  2. Invasive Plant Invasion Dynamics Ecology & Spread
  3. Invasive Plant Identification
  4. iMap Invasives Introduction & Overview
  5. iMap Invasives Desktop Demonstration
  6. Prioritizing & Planning for Invasive Plant Management
  7. Invasive Plant Management Considerations Related to Timber Harvesting
  8. How to Survey a Property to Prepare an IPCPP
  9. Making Maps Avenza & Bulk Uploading to iMap_Invasives
  10. Writing an Invasive Plant Control Practice Plan
  11. Invasive Plant Control Methods
  12. Herbicide Use
  13. Pesticide Safety for Invasive Plant Managers

Questions?

Questions about the IPA? Please contact Chad Hammer, Maine Natural Areas Program: 207-287-8040, Chad.Hammer@maine.gov.

Questions about the program? Please contact Nicole Rogers, Maine Forest Service: 207-446-3418, Nicole.S.Rogers@maine.gov.