Maine Invasive Species Network (MISN) brings together both professionals and amateurs who are interested in understanding and managing invasive species in Maine.
Our members work, among other places, at the Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry, University of Maine, Nature Conservancy, Colby College, Unity College, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Maine Lakes Society, several land trusts, and for private land management companies. We also have many citizens who are simply concerned about land stewardship and preservation of natural ecosystems.
MISN and this website were conceived in October 2009, when a group of 45 people met in Augusta at the first meeting to bring together people who work intensively on invasive plants, animals, and other invasive species in Maine.
Purpose of MISN
- serve as a communication tool;
- help members identify and pursue collaborative projects;
- support research on management of invasive species;
- map invasive species populations;
- present funding opportunities;
- exchange species-specific information;
- explore new tools to monitor populations;
- develop and distribute educational materials;
- provide outreach opportunities; and
- exchange database tools.
Land Managers: Contribute to UMaine’s Thermal Calendar preferences study by August 1st
A University of Maine study is researching how ecologically-driven shifts in seasonal timing (phenology) impact land management, and how tools like the Thermal Calendar may support more effective decision-making. You are invited to fill out the survey to help us refine this tool.
Our intended participants include land managers who make seasonal, timing-related decisions—such as when to treat invasive species or harvest native seeds for restoration. If you have additional staff in your department who oversee this kind of work, we encourage you to forward the survey link to them as well. A strong and diverse sample will help us build a more useful and dynamic tool that will be accessible to all.
The survey is anonymous, hosted online via Qualtrics, and should take approximately 25 minutes or less to complete. We ask that surveys be submitted by Friday, August 1, 2025.
You may review the consent form and begin the survey using the link below:
👉 [Click here to read the consent form and begin the survey.]As a thank-you for your time, participants will have the option to enter a separate raffle for a Wabanaki ash baskethandcrafted by a tribal artisan (valued at $250). Entry is entirely optional, and your contact information will be stored separately to maintain anonymity. Participants must be at least 18 years of age.
Thank you for considering participation in this research, led by Katherine Zwierstra (Principal Investigator, Master’s Student, School of Forest Resources, University of Maine. Email: Katherine.zwierstra@maine.edu) and Dr. John Daigle (Professor of Forest Recreation Management, Faculty Advisor, University of Maine. Email: jdaigle@maine.edu)
