iMapInvasives
Manage and Share Invasive Species Data
Photo Credit: @ Monika Olszewska/Shutterstock
What is iMapInvasives?
iMapInvasives is an online, mobile-friendly, GIS-based data management system that is used for tracking and managing invasive species. iMapInvasives is used by natural resource professionals and citizen scientists to quickly and easily report information about invasive species. The platform enables real-time tracking of infestations and improves management decisions to protect native species and ecosystems.
Since many regulatory and budgetary decisions about invasive species are made at the state or province level, each participating jurisdiction can customize their iMapInvasives platform, including the creation of custom species lists. You can learn more about iMapInvasives at http://www.imapinvasives.org . To sign up for a free account and explore the iMapInvasives application, visit imapinvasives.natureserve.org .
Invasive zebra mussels Photo Credit: U.S. Department of Agriculture
The iMapInvasives Partnership
The iMapInvasives Partnership facilitates the management and sharing of invasive species information, including the extent of infestations, search efforts, and treatment outcomes. Affordable, sustainable, and collaborative tools developed by the Partnership provide a flexible platform for aggregating invasive species data from a wide variety of sources – anywhere in the Americas. These tools add value by organizing the data to support early detection of new populations that may require a rapid response, and analysis of management strategies at scales relevant to user needs.
iMapInvasives operates on a state or province jurisdictional level, providing a link for many entities working on invasive species. Each participating jurisdiction has an iMapInvasives administrator who works with groups to define the jurisdiction’s tracked species list, incorporate bulk uploads of existing data, and train users. Jurisdiction Admins also help guide new development efforts and provide input on design and functionality requirements.
"In Maine we rely on iMapInvasives as our central repository for invasive plant occurrence data. Using one publicly accessible, free online tool has streamlined our program and allows us to meet the needs of community scientists, teachers and students, and land management professionals." Nancy Olmstead, Maine Natural Areas Program
Asian Longhorned Beetle Photo Credit: Natureserve
Why iMapInvasives?
iMapInvasives is designed to share and manage invasive species information for stakeholders within your state or province. This information includes presence records, treatment efforts and effectiveness, and areas where invasive species were searched for but were not found. iMapInvasives also has built in functionality like custom distribution maps, email alerts, filters, exports, and reports to inform regulatory decisions and rapid response efforts. Since many regulatory and budgetary decisions about invasive species are made at the state level, each jurisdiction can customize their iMapInvasives platform by selecting their tracked species list, setting user roles and permissions, and many other details. On a broader scale, iMapInvasives is a growing, collaborative partnership of participating states and provinces, with a network of professionals and shared resources to help combat the threat of invasive species.
"As a nature enthusiast, I'm greatly alarmed by the spread and impact of invasive species. The iMapInvasives program is an outstanding resource that I've used not only to share my own observations but to further my understanding of invasive species. The program offers a wealth of information, all in one place, that I can't find elsewhere." Nicholas Tonelli, Citizen Scientist
Giant Hogweed - an invader that also causes burns to the skin Photo Credit: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
iMapInvasives Record Types
iMapInvasives has four basic record types within the application: Search Areas, Presence Records (observations), Not-Detected Records, and Treatment Records.
Searched Area
A Searched Area documents where you looked for invasive species. Every record in iMapInvasives is associated with a Searched Area. Searched Areas may be associated with one or more Presence, Not-Detected, or Treatment Records. They contain information on site, landscape conditions, weather, crew, survey methodology and much more.
Presence
Presence Records indicate the location where you found one or more invasive species at one location on one date. Add photos, counts, comments about each sighting. In many applications, these are also known as "Observations". Presence Records can be represented by points, lines, or polygons on the map.
Not Detected
Where you didn't find a species is just as important as where you did find it! This gives land managers powerful information on where to concentrate search efforts. iMapInvasives allows you to add a list of invasive species that you looked for but did not find within the searched area and also add information on search effort, why you didn't find the species, photos of the area and more.
Treatment
Record where invasive species were treated, the methods used, and the outcome. Treatment actions include biocontrol, chemical, mechanical/manual, fire, grazing, and trapping.
"iMapInvasives has allowed us to create the most comprehensive dataset for invasive species ever seen in the state, a valued resource leading to coordination and management of noxious weeds, modeling of predicted habitat for invasives, and supporting research at agencies and universities." Lindsey Wise, Oregon Biodiversity Information Center
American Water-lily Photo Credit Kurt Staber
Mobile Technologies
Smartphone and Tablet Browser-Based Mapping
Use your smartphone or tablet's internet browser to log into iMapInvasives when you have data connectivity. iMapInvasives is responsive to different screen sizes and mobile devices. You can view and create records directly into iMapInvasives right from your mobile device.
iMapInvasives Mobile
The iMapInvasives Mobile app allows for quick and easy invasive species reporting for citizen scientists and natural resource professionals using your smartphone. This app currently supports point Presence and Not-Detected records. Utilize your mobile device's camera and GPS, even when you're out of connectivity range.
You need to have an active iMapInvasives account in a participating state or province for your iMapMobile observations to sync. The app is available for both Android and Apple devices and can be downloaded from the corresponding Google Play or the Apple App Store .
iMapInvasives Survey123 App
iMapInvasives Survey123 App is a comprehensive mobile app for entry of Presence, Not-Detected, and Treatment Records. The app works outside of connectivity and the records will be uploaded once the user is back in range. Its interface mimics that of the online iMapInvasives application.
You must be a registered user of iMapInvasives in order to submit records using the Survey123 App. Download the Survey123 App and start reporting invasive species!
"iMapInvasives is comprehensive, yet easy to use. A user can quickly get a complete picture of what is threatening a given area and make management decisions." Brian Crooks, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
Adult Spotted Lanternfly Photo Credit: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Distribution Maps
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"What makes iMapInvasives so powerful is that not only can you view general distribution maps documenting invasive species across the state, but other tools allow you to create specific maps for a project area, set up an alert system for account users within your CWMA, or track the progress of treatments and control efforts." Kimberly Bohn, Ph.D, Penn State Extension and Allegheny Plateau Invasive Plant Alliance
Water Chestnut Photo Credit: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Reports
iMapInvasives offers four standard reports for users
Click on the title of the report to view a sample of each report type
- Species List by Geography : Reports a list of species found in the drawn or selected geographic layer (can include a buffer). Report runs on the layers that are turned on in the legend and can include Presence, Approximate Presence, Not-Detected, and Treatment Records (depending on permissions). A map snippet can be included if desired.
- Infested Area : Reports the total infested area of the drawn or selected geographic layer (can include a buffer) for the selected species and time frame. If no species are selected, it reports on all species. Similarly, if no date is selected, it returns all dates. By default, the reports runs on all polygons, but can optionally report on buffered points and lines - based on buffer distance entered by the user. A map snippet can be included if desired.
- Approaching Region : Reports a list of species that occur within a specified distance of drawn or selected geography to determine species that are not yet in the selected geography, but are approaching the region in question. User inputs the buffer distance to be used for the approaching region. Report will run on all presence layers turned on in the legend, excluding deleted presence layers.
- Treated Area : This report will display 'total area treated' based on Treatment records located within a custom-drawn polygon or geographic boundary by a user running the report. Users can specify one or more species as well as Treatment begin/end dates as part of this report. If desired, the report will run on all species and all Treatment begin/end dates if these options are left blank.
"The built-in analytical reports in iMap are very powerful. We can easily make a list of which species are present, or not present but approaching, for any geography value we need. And the infested area report lets us estimate the coverage by species using the most current data. Our partners now have strategic information for invasive species work at the click of a button." Jennifer Dean, New York Natural Heritage Program
Red Lily Leaf Beetle Photo Credit: Saskatchewan Conservation Data Centre
iMapInvasives User Stories
New York State Foresters use iMapInvasives to Support Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Management
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Hemlock Woolly Adelgid
Native to Asia, the hemlock woolly adelgid, or HWA, is an invasive, aphid-like insect that attacks North American hemlocks. HWA are very small (1.5 mm) and often hard to see, but they can be easily identified by the white woolly masses they form on the underside of branches at the base of the needles.
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Foresters Include Citizen Scientists in their Efforts
DEC Foresters, PRISM Leaders, hold iMap trainings for citizen scientists that focus on HWA as a priority species for early detection. Agency staff can create email alerts within iMapInvasives to they will be alerted when a new HWA location is reported in or around their county or other area of interest. Once a record has been reported, agency staff can then perform on the ground confirmation.
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View the HWA data in iMap
Data within iMapInvasives can be filtered to show only HWA data within NYS. You can then use the Distribution Map tool to display the distribution by various geographies. Distribution by USGS Quadrangle is shown here.
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HWA data within iMap informs response
Once records have been confirmed, DEC Foresters and other land managers can then plan an appropriate response, such as biological control methods, insecticides, cone collection, and more.
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Adding Treatment Records
Once treatments have been completed, they can be added into iMapInvasives, creating a full picture of an infested area, including Presence, Treatments, and Not Detected Records.
"iMapInvasives has helped our collaboration with many different partners to engage citizen scientists, and to focus survey and conservation efforts where they are most needed." Jason Denham, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Penn State Tree of Heaven Surveys to Combat Spotted Lanternfly
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Penn State Extension uses iMapInvasives to search for Tree of Heaven in its efforts to prevent Spotted Lanternfly infestations in PA
Over the past two years, Penn State Extension has engaged in a statewide survey of tree-of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) and other favored host plant species for signs of a new invasive insect — spotted lanternfly (SLF) (Lycorma delicatula) — in locations outside its known distribution.
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Volunteers use the iMapMobile app to collect data
The work was done by extension educators and personnel in many different disciplines and in every county in Pennsylvania during the late-season period of high activity and movement by SLF adults.
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Tree-of-Heaven Data in iMap
A variety of tree-of-heaven data types are represented on the following map, including Confirmed (green) and Unconfirmed (pink) Presence Records as well as Not-Detected Records (yellow).
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Tree of Heaven Data
The 2019 project overall generated 3,676 new Pennsylvania survey locations in iMapInvasives, with 1,346 new tree-of-heaven presence records. The 2019 survey represents the largest data-set that iMapInvasives had ever received that was generated by a single, coordinated project in Pennsylvania.
"We achieved our project goals, but this time we were also thrilled to generate a large amount of useful public data with immediate availability. We are also pleased to have demonstrated the viability of a large-scale, concerted invasives mapping project using this platform..." Sarah Wurzbacher, Penn State Extension
Saltcedar Photo Credit: Steve Dewey; Utah State University
Integration of iMapInvasives Data with other data sources
iMapInvasives offers a variety of ways to view data inside and outside of iMap
- Add Layer from URL: This is a tool available within the iMap legend that allows you to enter a URL of Map Or Feature Service to Add to the map. You can then save this layer to the map for the map session. This allows you to view multiple datasets alongside iMapInvasives data.
- Web Map Services: iMapInvasives data are also published as Web Map Services so they can be be brought into ArcGIS Online or other GIS-based applications to view and manipulate iMap Data in other platforms. More information on the iMapInvasives Web Map Services can be found on the iMapInvasives website .
- Exchange Services: iMapInvasives hosts several exchange services within iMapInvasives so that data will be always available and current. These data are listed in the Exchange Service section of the legend. More exchange services are being planned for the future including USGS NAS - Nonindigenous Aquatic Species and potentially iNaturalist data.
African Clawed Frog Photo Credit: University of Rochester
Explore iMapInvasives Public Presence Data
Use the map below to explore iMapInvasives public presence data from January 1, 2015 to present. The hex layer includes all data. Zoom, pan and search for addresses and see what confirmed iMapInvasives records exist in your area of interest! As you zoom in, point, line, and polygon layers become available, however, those data have been filtered to include only data from 2015 to present. To see our complete data set, create a free account for iMapInvasives !
IMapInvasives Confirmed Presence Map - 2015 to Present
Northern Crayfish-Faxonius virilis Photo Credit: Alan Schmierer
Become part of the iMapInvasives Network
Are you interested in bringing iMapInvasives to your state or province? For additional information on hosting iMapInvasives in your state or province, please see the flyer below and Contact Us to discuss how to get started.
Sedum integrifolium Photo Credit: Steve Young, New York Natural Heritage Program
