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Seeing Above the Weeds: The Nature Conservancy’s Newest Tool to Combat Invasive Species

Invasive weeds threaten the work of The Nature Conservancy and our partners by crowding out native plant communities, altering fire and hydrologic regimes, and spreading disease. Experts have found that detecting these invasive weeds early and rapidly deploying response strategies are the best ways to abate the threat. Now, conservation practitioners have an innovative new tool that does exactly that: the Weed Information Management System (WIMS).

Developed by the Conservancy's Oregon and Idaho chapters with partners, WIMS uses the latest advances in data management and GPS mobile technology to thwart the advance of invasives. This tool is a great "save" for the lands and waters the Conservancy seeks to protect.

Using lightweight, inexpensive Pocket PC units, the WIMS allows managers to quickly map weed infestations and track their treatment and changes in size over time. The tool also simplifies the process of transferring data collected in the field to desktop computer programs, where they can be analyzed using Microsoft Access and GIS software. This feature makes it easier for land managers to develop efficient strategies to prevent, contain and control the highest priority threats.

In addition to its application at the conservation area scale, the user-friendly WIMS can also be applied at the state and regional scale. In the Southwest United States, for example, the U.S. Geological Survey and the Conservancy's Arizona chapter have modified WIMS especially for the Southwest (SW-WIMS) for a pilot project that would allow conservation practitioners in cooperative weed management areas to share data. In the future, the Invasive Species Initiative foresees additional regional WIMS where data can be shared across land management, state and even international boundaries.

The Conservancy's Invasive Species Initiative soon recognized that WIMS was a tool that land managers around the world would want to use, and that it could be adapted for use at much larger scales. For nearly a decade, there have been urgent calls in the conservation community for the development of national and international invasive plant data-sharing systems. Because of its versatility and ease of use, WIMS promises to play a core role in such a system.

Because WIMS is wildly popular in the field, the Initiative has been working with the help of Technology & Information Systems to train staff and volunteers on the tool. Staff at TNC’s Enterprise Help Desk were also trained to provide free technical support to WIMS users. The Invasive Species Initiative is also working with several U.S. government agencies to train staff at the nation's wildlife refuges. Thanks to WIMS, refuge staff have clear pictures of invasive plant populations on six refuges for the first time ever.

"WIMS has served as an effective catalyst to get staff and volunteers engaged in mapping invasive weeds on refuges across the country," said Jenny Ericson, invasive species program specialist for the National Wildlife Refuge System. "It has enabled us to prioritize specific species and infestations for control and management, and has facilitated the early detection of new invaders."

For More Information:

• How We Work: Invasive Species Initiative
  Across the United States and around the world, The Nature Conservancy is building coalitions of conservation organizations, government agencies and volunteers to stop the spread of problematic plants and animals.
• Where We Work: The Nature Conservancy in Oregon
  Working with partners and local communities, The Nature Conservancy has helped protect more than 483,000 acres of critical habitat in Oregon.
• Where We Work: The Nature Conservancy in Idaho
  After reviewing the best scientific data available and consulting with community leaders, The Nature Conservancy in Idaho focuses on the most biologcially intact yet imperiled landscapes.
• Where We Work: The Nature Conservancy in Arizona
  For more than 35 years, The Nature Conservancy in Arizona has been working locally with communities, businesses and people like you, providing hope for the preservation of our land, our water, our way of life.
• How We Work: Weed Information Management System (WIMS)
  The Weed Information Management System (WIMS) is a relational database application that is designed to assist natural resource managers in managing their weed data.
• Archive of our Saves of the Week and Success Stories
  Read more about The Nature Conservancy's work to save the last great places on Earth.