Apply to Attend the Invasive Plant Academy this May
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.
What: A multi-day Invasive Plant Academy (IPA) on invasive plant ID, using the iMapInvasives tool, preparing Invasive Plant Control Practice Plans (IPCPPs), and helping clients participate in the new Maine Forest Service Invasive Plant Management Program. There is no cost to attend but applications are required.
When: May 19, 20 and 25, 2021: 3 days, + 1/2 day’s homework between the 20th and 25th
Where: A combination of live online trainings, plus in-person field site visits around the state.
Why apply: Woodland owners need help identifying invasive plants in their woods and figuring out what to do about them. They need professionals to survey their woodlands, map infestations, and recommend actions to address them. Graduates of the IPA will be eligible to participate in this program by writing IPCPPs for clients. Only landowners with approved IPCPPs may apply for the free treatments.
Apply for the Invasive Plant Academy today! Deadline to apply is Wednesday, February 17, 2021.
Questions about the IPA? Please contact Nancy Olmstead, Maine Natural Areas Program: 207-287-8046, or Nancy.Olmstead@maine.gov
Questions about the new program? Please contact Andy Shultz, Maine Forest Service: 207-287-8430, Andrew.H.Shultz@maine.gov, or visit the MFS website, here.