Invasive Species Organizations and Volunteer Opportunities

Missouri Invasive Plant Volunteer Opportunities

Missouri Stream Teams

The Missouri Stream Team program logs waterway improvement activities including litter removal, water quality monitoring, and invasive plant removal. Members uses the code HAI (for Habitat Improvement) on their activity reports when removing any invasive plants from the landscape. Activities are currently enumerated by number of projects. At this point, they don’t have a way to track how much acreage or area is covered since it is still a relatively ‘new’ activity and includes removal of any invasives (wintercreeper, Japanese hops, honeysuckle, etc).

All ages, statewide.

Operation Wildlands

A community-based partnership, The Open Space Council’s Operation Wild Lands (OWLs) prepares citizen volunteers of all ages to restore and maintain public lands throughout the St. Louis region.  These trained volunteer land stewards assist with the proactive management of public open space to improve wildlife habitat and nature-related outdoor recreation.

St. Louis

Rock Bridge Memorial State Park

Rock Bridge Memorial State Park is being threatened like never before by invasive plants and needs your help!

Attached are two planning docs that give details about locations/species/methods for work that needs to be done.

The map shows locations of 3 spots along Clear Creek that need winter creeper pulled and is an example of maps I can make as needed. Please let me know what task you are willing to tackle and report when it’s done so I can keep this up to date and serve as a coordinator.

  • Planning Doc 1
  • Planning Doc 2
  • Instructions

To join the effort, call or email Roxie Campbell, park naturalist:

Roxie Campbell
Park Naturalist
Rock Bridge Memorial State Park
5901 S. Hwy. 163
Columbia, MO 65203

573-449-7400
roxie.campbell@dnr.mo.gov

You will need to fill out and send the following forms to Roxie:

  • Application for Volunteers in Parks program
  • Volunteer Work Agreement and Registration

Columbia

Science Teachers of Missouri: Invasive Honeysuckle Project

All schools, groups, families, and individuals are invited to participate in the Invasive Honeysuckle Project.   Learning about the impacts of invasive species is an important part of ecosystem science, but it is not often that teachers, students, and families are given such an opportunity to make such an immediate difference.

All ages, statewide.

Scenic Rivers Invasive Species Partnership

The Scenic Rivers Invasive Species Partnership (SRISP) is a Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA) within southern Missouri.  Memorandum of Understanding was implemented by over twenty federal and state agencies, Non-Government Organizations, landowners and others to recognize the importance of working together across boundaries to address the threats invasive species pose to Missouri’s native ecosystems. The SRISP covers the watersheds of the three National Scenic Riverways found in Missouri: The Current, Jack’s Fork, and Eleven Point Rivers.

Southern Missouri

Other Organizations

Cooperative Weed Management Areas

Information from the Midwest Invasive Plant Network:

Cooperative Weed Management Areas (CWMAs) are partnership organizations formed with the goal of managing invasive plants across jurisdictional and landownership boundaries. Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas (CISMAs) and Partnerships for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISMs) are similar to CWMAs, but their goals may include the management of invasive animal species in addition to plants. The following are key characteristics of CWMAs/CISMAs/PRISMs:

  • Work within a defined geographic area
  • Participation from a broad cross-section of associates and land owners
  • Decision making though a steering committee
  • Long-term commitment to cooperation, preferably formalized through a partnership agreement
  • Have a strategic plan for addressing species of concern
  • Coordinate across jurisdictional boundaries

CWMAs/CISMAs/PRISMs enable partners to pool resources between partners in order to address invasive species problems held in common. The partnership approach is more efficient and effective than a piecemeal approach. Due to these benefits, MIPN advocates for and offers technical support towards the establishment of CWMAs/CISMAs/PRISMs in the Midwest. Please explore some of our resources below.

Visit the Midwest Invasive Plant Network website for more information, including comprehensive “cookbooks” on how to start your own CWMA.

Nationwide concept

Midwest Invasive Plant Network

MIPN’s mission is to reduce the impact of invasive plant species in the Midwest.

    Midwest

    National Invasive Species Council

    National Invasive Species Council membership resides with the highest level of Federal leadership. The overarching duty of the Council is to provide the high-level vision and leadership necessary to sustain and expand Federal efforts to safeguard interests of the United States by preventing, eradicating, and controlling invasive species, as well as restoring ecosystems and other assets impacted by invasive species. NISC’s policy and planning activities benefit from the technical input provided by Federal agency staff and Federal inter-agency bodies working on invasive species issues, as well as non-Federal stakeholders.

    United States

    North American Invasive Species Management Association

    NAISMA is a network of professionals and individuals who implement management programs to prevent the detrimental impacts of invasive species to North America’s lands and waters.

    North America

    PlayCleanGo®

    The PlayCleanGo Stop Invasive Species In Your Tracks campaign provides clear messaging and community-based social outreach to raise awareness of how and why thousands of invasive species are spread every year.

    North America

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