Summary
KBNERR and ACCS co-designed invasive species hotspot surveillance sessions at the annual Alaska Invasive Species Partnership Workshop.
This fall, through the project titled “Surveillance of Invasion Hotspots in Southcentral Alaska,” funded by the US Fish & Wildlife Service, staff from Kachemak Bay Research Reserve and AK Center for Conservation Science collaborated with the Alaska Invasive Species Partnership (AKISP) to plan multiple sessions at the annual Alaska Invasive Species Workshop held October 28-30 in Anchorage.
KBNERR’s Manager, Katherine Schake, also serves as the Hotspot Project Coordinator and is collaborating with Homer and Anchorage Soil & Water Conservation Districts, Tyonek Tribal Conservation District, UAF International Arctic Research Center, Alaska Department of Fish & Game, and AK Department of Natural Resources. Recognizing that Alaska is relatively free of invasions compared to southern latitudes, and the high ecological, economic, and cultural value associated with these intact ecosystems, the goal of this work is to fill a gap in early detection surveillance in an area increasingly vulnerable to invasive species, using existing decision support tools and standing partnerships. Specific objectives of this project include implementing early detection monitoring programs for invasive plants (aquatic & terrestrial), invasive freshwater mussels, and invasive northern pike.
KBNERR’s Coastal Training and Engagement Coordinator, Syverine Bentz, assisted with planning, facilitation and evaluation of the session titled Invasion hotspots: standardizing and sharing data methods and organized a Tools Demonstration Roundtable/Expo Session that included hands-on activities for digital field data collection, surveillance and control of invasive species. KBNERR’s harmful species program staff, Jasmine Maurer and Kim Schuster shared their experiences with digital field data tools and collaborated with ACCS staff Marcus Geist and Justin Fulkerson to show & tell the possibilities of these tools (e.g., Survey123, ESRI Field Maps). Many partners at other agencies shared their experiences and tools during the expo session as well.
Presentations from KBNERR/ACCS included:
Southcentral Alaska Invasive Species Hotspot Surveillance – A Collaborative Coordinated Approach to Early Detection, Katherine Schake, KBNERR’s Manager and the Hotspot Project Coordinator
From Field Notes to Decision Tools: Building a Database for Alaska’s Invasive Species, Justin Fulkerson, Alaska Center for Conservation Science
Modernizing Invasive Species Field Data Collection, Integration, and Distribution: Preparing for Invasive Freshwater Mussels, Marcus Geist, Alaska Center for Conservation Science
One Thousand Miles to Nome: An Update on Nonnative Plant Occurrences In Select Locations Along the Iditarod Trail, Anjanette Steer, Alaska Center For Conservation Science
