Do you have the opportunity to work with large numbers of volunteers? We can help! Are you faced with explaining to your community just how killing non-native invasive species can enhance biodiversity? Yes, we can help there too!

"KNOTWEED!" and "Gill Man" Films 
Suzanne Blais (Black Dog Productions, suzanne(at)blackdogproductions.com) is the twisted genius who crafted KNOTWEED! Originally created for the public outreach efforts by the Whatcom County Noxious Weed Board and the City of Bellingham, Washington, this amazing 30 second video turned out to be so good that it is being shown in theatres before the main features! (For more of the details on Whatcom county's work, contact Laurel Shiner, lshiner (at) co.whatcom.wa.us, or view their web site.)

While the last frame of KNOTWEED! is customized for the Whatcom County efforts, the last frame can be changed to your own contact information if you have your own knotweed (Polygonum spp.) battles. Best of all, the very last frame can be personalized with your own contact information for a mere $125! For that you will get the video in one of a number of formats (such as a quicktime file, dvd, mini-dv tape) that would be the highest quality and fully broadcast/cable ready for broadcasting stations or theatres. You would also get a VHS review copy.

Whatcom County Weed Board and Black Dog Productions followed up the success of KNOTWEED! with another public service announcement called "Gill Man." I am personally quite happy to see that the lead female protagonist survived her encounter with botanical horror in KNOTWEED!, but pity her luck to see her menaced now by aquatic invasives. Another two thumbs up to the production folks in Washington!

And most recently, knowing that true Hollywood masterpieces come in trilogies (such as Lord of the Rings and Evil Dead), Black Dog has returned to their roots and made another film on the weed menace Chondrilla juncea (rush skeletonweed). Our famous screamer returns to the screen for one last time. We can only lament that she has retired from Black Dog Productions, but hope that more films are on the way. Can a scratch-n-sniff movie on garlic mustard be far behind?

(Suzanne wanted me to point out that these projects were made possible by the entire ensemble staff at Black Dog Productions--the list of people she wanted to have recognized read like an Oscar acceptance speech. Forgive my deletion of her long list.)
KNOTWEED! (3.7MB mp4)
Gill Man (3.0MB mp4)
Rush Skeletonweed (3.3MB mp4)
(To view these mp4 files, you may need a version of Quicktime that is vintage version 6 or later.)

GIST brochure: "Preventing and containing the global spread of invaders" 
The Global Invasive Species Team has produced, along with the help of other fine TNC staff, a great brochure about invasive species work TNC is doing. See the pdf version below. While quantities last, TNC can request copies of the brochure from Barry Rice (brice(at)tnc.org). That's what they're there for!
Adobe Acrobat (1MB, Feb-2008)

"Weeds You Should Get to Know" Weed Deck 
TNC-Florida has just produced with some notable partners, a great little pocket-sized weed deck (3.5"×5" laminated cards that can be fanned-out). Designed specifically for land managers (ranchers, road and waterway managers, natural area stewards, etc.) this waterproof and durable weed deck includes identifying characters for 5 weeds, great photos, and control information!
Adobe Acrobat (5.5MB)

"Spread the word, not the weed" Pamphlet 
Staff in Pennsylvania and New York have developed a great brochure on knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum) that you can revise and reprint. If you use this pamphlet (below), keep a copy of the disclosure letter and also complete the tracking request form. Contact Jen Grieser (JGrieser (at) dep.nyc.gov, NYC DEP Stream Mgmt) for original artwork or printer mock-ups.
Adobe Acrobat (2.7MB)

"Knotweed" Pamphlet 
Another excellent knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum) brochure, this one developed by TNC staff in the Pacific Northwest. Contact Lisa Jeidy (ljeidy (at) tnc.org, Oregon) if you have questions about this production.
Adobe Acrobat (3.6MB)

"Stopping the Spread" Pamphlet 
The Florida chapter of The Nature Conservancy produced this interesting twelve page brochure on invasive species threats in Florida. While it is specific to Florida, other operating units might do well to borrow from its ideas and approach. Beware, though, it is a large pdf---if your internet connection is not fast, you might have to take a coffee break while the file downloads!
Adobe Acrobat (4.8MB)

Invasive Species in Georgia Pamphlet 
Another fine pamphlet, this time from Georgia. You can download this 0.8MB pdf from either of the urls given below.
TNC's GIST site -or- TNC's main site

Weeds in the Wild Pamphlet 
Here at the Invasive Species Team, we have written a two-page pamphlet that you can print and distribute to site visitors, partners, and neighboring land-owners. The pamphlet discusses the general issues of wildland invaders. It is designed to be printed on standard black & white or color printers, then photocopied back-to-back and folded into thirds. The pamphlet is available as either an MS Word or Adobe Acrobat file.

The pamphlet discusses the general issues of wildland invaders. Excellent for providing information to site visitors, partners, and neighboring land-owners.
MS Word (940K) -or- Adobe Acrobat (500K)

Understanding the impacts of invasive plants in natural areas
This PowerPoinnt presentation has been moved to a new location on our web site.

On developing your own Weed Management Area 
Do you want to battle invasives on multiple fronts, using partners from your geographic area? It might be that you need to create a "Weed Management Area" (WMA). The following documents describe how a the Long Island (NY) staff of The Nature Conservancy established a WMA. Also included are some of the useful handouts that were created to publicize the issues of invasives. For more information, contact Marilyn Jordan (mjordan (at) tnc.org) or Bill Jacobs (bjacobs (at) tnc.org).

Action Steps in Creating a WMA (MS Word | Adobe Acrobat):

A 3-page description defining a WMA, with a description of the set of actions needed to be done.

Adopted Management Plan (MS Word | Adobe Acrobat):

How do you A refined plan (18 pages), describing the details of how the WMA would work, guiding principles, initial lists of invasive species of concern, conservation sites, strategies, and even a glossary!

Project Summary (MS Word | Adobe Acrobat):

A 5-page summary reporting on the WMA project after two years. Includes a project background, list of cooperators, a recapitulation of the project goals, and also the project achievements.

Informational outreach products distributed by the WMA:

Fact sheet for gardeners and homeowners
Fact sheet for outdoor recreationists
Voluntary codes for nursery and landscape professionals
Best management practices for land managers
Fact sheet for public officials

Developing your own Weed Watchers & Weed Busters Program
Are you interested in developing your own cadre of volunteers to act as your early weed detection and rapid response teams? Read about how TNC's Maryland/D.C. Chapter produced their program. Use the tools to create your own volunteer network to achieve success across entire landscapes!

Weed Watchers-Weed Busters Program (MS Word | Adobe Acrobat):

A 6-page summary history of their program. This includes how to become involved with their program; how to develop your own program; how they prioritized weeds for management.

Appendix 1 (MS Word | Adobe Acrobat):

How do you decide what invasive species are the ones that you are concerned about? This file consists of a set of helpful documents that will help you develop your own "Weed Hit List."

Appendix 2 (MS Word | Adobe Acrobat):

Each volunteer Weed Watcher is provided a manual to help them in their work. This 1-page file is the table of contents page from the Maryland/D.C.'s manual, and it gives you the idea of what is needed to make your own manual.

Appendix 3 (MS Word | Adobe Acrobat):

Of course, the Weed Watchers get training. Here are a few sample questions from their Weed Watchers Test.

Appendix 4 (MS Word | Adobe Acrobat):

A file used to track work being done, and which helps prioritize work in the future.

WW-WB Slideshow (Web version of PowerPoint show, 33 slides):

Outlines how TNC's Maryland/D.C. Chapter developed their own Weed Watchers & Weed Busters Program, and shows how you can develop a similar program.

WW-WB Slideshow (PowerPoint show, 33 slides; WARNING! 3.6 MByte file.):

Outlines how TNC's Maryland/D.C. Chapter developed their own Weed Watchers & Weed Busters Program, and shows how you can develop a similar program.

More Information :

This link is to a page where you can download the entire WW-WB manual and all training presentations and materials.

Press Releases, etc.
Information that may be useful for the media, designed for a 20 March 2002 media campaign.

Press release template (MS Word, 0.7 MB)

A news release issued on the first day of spring to draw attention to the problematic invasive plants that are lurking in America's backyards.

Q and A (MS Word)

A set of common questions and answers dealing with some invasive species issues.

Problem Plants #1 (MS Word, 1.2MB)

Photographs and descriptions of five nationally-problematic wildland invasives that many Americans may still have in their yards and gardens. (Please note that this document includes data from various sources.)

Problem Plants #2 (MS Word)

Data on more than 30 different invasive species that have been, and in some cases are still being used in horticulture, landscaping or erosion control. Sorted by USA region in which they occur. Very meaty! (Again, please note that these documents include data from various sources.)

NPR Item #1

Listen to Ketzel Levine's most excellent treatment of the issue archived on her web site. Specifically, listen to the March 20 show. (The RealAudio slide show is most superb.)

NPR Item #2

Listen to our team's noble and eloquent leader, John Randall, talk weeds with Ketzel Levine on a spot on National Public Radio's show, Morning Edition. (Hint: listen to the 21 March 2002 show---John and Ketzel's piece is called "Oh No! Not My Wisteria!" This may have been taken off the web by the time you read this, however.).

Voluntary Codes of Conduct in horticulture
All about the set of practices being adopted that will help stop invasions from horticulture.

Weed Information Management System (WIMS)
A fully-integrated hardware and software application for mapping invasives and tracking management actions.

Remote sensing
A review of remote sensing technology, as applied to invasive species detection and mapping.

Templates and examples
Adaptive management planning tools such as model plans for sites, weed control templates, etc. Very useful!

Invasive species learning networks
Learn about Invasive Species Networks that help promote best practices for invasive species abatement among staff in The Nature Conservancy, partner agencies, and other organizations.

Success stories
Invasive species management is not impossible. Read these success stories and be inspired.

Assessments and regional plans
Assessments of invasive species issues for various operating units in The Nature Conservancy.

Weed Control Methods Handbook
An electronic handbook provides detailed information on the use of manual and mechanical techniques, grazing, prescribed fire, biocontrol, and herbicides, to help you control undesirable invasive plants.

Listserves
Join our listserve to voice your frustrations and trumpet your successes.