Introduction to iMapInvasives

Note: This storymap will be made available to everyone on today's Zoom meeting.

• The Need for iMapInvasives
• Differences Between iMapInvasives & iNaturalist
• Visual Examples of Data Records
• Training Information
• Ways to Get Involved

iMapInvasives is an on-line GIS-based reporting and data management tool used to track invasive species.

The goal of the program is to assist natural resource professionals and citizen scientists by advancing their knowledge of species distributions locally, regionally, and nationally, and to provide a tool which stores both location and management details.

The impetus for the creation of iMapInvasives came when the  New York State Department of Environmental Conservation  (NYS DEC) approached the  New York Natural Heritage Program  (NYNHP) in 2005/2006 and asked if they would manage an all-taxa, GIS-based state invasive species database. A similar database,  EDDMapS , was, at the time, not GIS-based, plants-only, point data only, and not interested in implementing  GIS  or polygon-drawing technology in their database. Another similar database,  USGS NAS , tracked only aquatic data and was not for citizen science use. Additionally, the  iNaturalist  database had not yet been created; their database began in 2008.

Therefore, work began to develop the original iMapInvasives online GIS-based information system. In 2010, iMapInvasives was officially created.

Created for use at the national level, several organizations currently participate in the iMapInvasives program, each representing a particular state or province (jurisdiction). The following list comprises the current iMapInvasives network and the jurisdictions they represent.

•  Arizona Game and Fish Department  (AZ)
•  Maine Natural Areas Program  (ME)
•  New York Natural Heritage Program  (NY)
•  Oregon Biodiversity Information Center, Institute for Natural Resources, Portland State University  (OR)
•  Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program  (PA)
•  Saskatchewan Conservation Data Centre  (SK)

Note: Currently, each host organization of a participating iMapInvasives jurisdiction is a member of the NatureServe network, though this is not a requirement in order to be a jurisdictional member of the iMapInvasives network.

Invasive species data can be mapped in any state or province in North America, even if a particular jurisdiction is not an active participant in the iMapInvasives network. However, not all iMapInvasives functionality will be available in a non-participating jurisdiction. Also, data in a non-participating jurisdiction is not being actively managed or reviewed.

Each participating jurisdiction has the responsibility to manage the invasive species data reported in their state/province AND collaborate with registered users to ensure the proper user and understanding of the iMapInvasives program. For example, jurisdictional administrators will often host instructional webinars or other training events, create user documentation, and host jurisdiction-specific iMapInvasives websites, all in an effort to better communicate the tools and benefits available from iMapInvasives.

In Pennsylvania, the iMapInvasives Program began in 2011 and is administered by staff from the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy/Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program. Funding for the Pennsylvania iMapInvasives Program comes from grant money provided by the  Great Lakes Restoration Initiative .

The  PA iMapInvasives website  is available for registered users to learn more about our state-specific iMapInvasives program.

The Pennsylvania iMapInvasives program strives to engage with a broad and diverse audience of people in Pennsylvania who are actively involved and/or interested in invasive species efforts. We do this in a variety of ways, by hosting instructional webinars and events, sending our newsletter to 1,500+ people, and communicating often with the registered users of our program via emails, phone calls, and in-person meetings (pre-COVID-19).

Additionally, administrators of our program are tasked with reviewing and confirming all presence records submitted to the Pennsylvania "instance" of iMapInvasives. We also work closely with state agencies and others in Pennsylvania with "boots on the ground" to ensure that data collected in iMapInvasives can translate into real-world management efforts and/or follow-up surveys.

The Pennsylvania iMapInvasives program creates a triannual newsletter containing stories written by people across Pennsylvania who are doing work related to invasive species, and who are using iMapInvasives to help tell their stories.

The most recent edition of "Tracking Invasive Species with Pennsylvania iMapInvasives" is available to read online at  Issuu.com .

If you have a story you'd like to see included in a future edition of our newsletter, please send your idea to Amy Jewitt at ajewitt@paconserve.org.

There are many similarities between iMapInvasives and iNaturalist. Both are online databases available to the public for the collection of plant, animal, and insect observation data. Each has an online mobile app that is popular with its users for collecting data while outdoors and away from a computer. Both allow for the creation of projects to tag observations to, and provide the option to set up custom email alerts. Additionally, both iNaturalist and iMapInvasives provide a platform for citizen scientists to contribute valuable information for others to utilize, and enable data to be downloaded/exported.

Some of the differences between iMapInvasives and iNaturalist include the following:

• Data available globally
• All taxa: Native, exotic, and invasive species
• Record confirmation process is done by other iNaturalist users (casual, research grade)
• Allows for community-based interaction via "The People of iNaturalist", leaderboards, journal posts, and the iNaturalist forum

• Data available in North America only (at present)
• Invasive species only
• Record confirmation process is done by trained experts (i.e., professors, natural resource professionals, etc.)
• iMapInvasives administrators oversee data locally (i.e., only data submitted in their jurisdiction)

Note: Each "instance" of iMapInvasives has at least one jurisdictional administrator in place to review and manage data for their state/province. Jurisdictional administrators have close ties to registered iMapInvasives users and natural resource professionals in their state/province that are doing work with invasive species initiatives. This relationship helps to make the connection between points on a map and the need for "boots on the ground".

• Specialized reports allow natural resource professionals and others to view invasive species that are:

1. In an "approaching region"
2. Treated in a custom-selected area
3. Found in a specified geography (i.e., Cooperative Weed Management Area, State Game Land, specific waterbody, etc., or another custom-selected area)

Note: Other differences exist between these two platforms with only a few of the main differences highlighted here in this story map.

iMapInvasives offers its users the ability to record data using three data types: Presence, Not-detected, and Treatment. Additionally, for users wishing to record multiple data types at one location, iMapInvasives offers the ability to create a "Multi-Record Searched Area".

Note: iMapInvasives offers the ability to record data as points, lines, and polygons.

Note: Queries are also available in the iMapInvasives database to search for specific records by species, observer, location, project, etc. Screenshots for this capability are not shown in this story map.

The following is a compilation of instructional webinars/events hosted by the Pennsylvania iMapInvasives Program in 2020. Each can be viewed by accessing the ArcGIS online story map and/or watching the webinar recording (links to which are provided below).

The iMapInvasives mobile app allows for data collection of invasive species findings (or absence data) to easily be recorded and uploaded into iMapInvasives while in the field, away from a computer.

For more information on how to begin using the iMapInvasives mobile app, please review the "Mobile App" section (located about 2/3's of the way down) in the  2020 Water Chestnut Chasers Challenge  ArcGIS online story map.

To get started using iMapInvasives, you'll first need to  sign up for a free iMapInvasives user account.  

1. Review the "Invasive Species Scavenger Hunt" training (links listed above), visit your local natural area, and search for/report your findings for each of the 15 species on the checklist.

Partner with your local land trust or other outdoors group, and inquire about assisting with surveys for invasive species on their properties. Land trusts (and other similar groups) located in or around Allegheny County include:

•  Western Pennsylvania Conservancy 
•  Allegheny Land Trust 
•  Hollow Oak Land Trust 
•  Westmoreland Conservancy 
•  Independence Conservancy 
•  Montour Trail Council 
•  Pine Creek Land Conservation Trust 
•  Scott Conservancy 

Search for early detection/high priority species such as those on the following lists:

1.  Be an Early Detector: Protect Pennsylvania from these Emerging Invasive Species 
2.  Pennsylvania's Noxious, Invasive, and Poisonous Plants 
3.  PA Fish and Boat Commission's Aquatic Invasive Species Banned in Pennsylvania 

For more information on how to use iMapInvasives, please visit the following websites, or email Amy Jewitt, the Coordinator of the Pennsylvania iMapInvasives Program, at ajewitt@paconserve.org.

•  www.paimapinvasives.org 
•  www.imapinvasives.org 

Story map created and maintained by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy/Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program.

Please contact  Amy Jewitt  via email (ajewitt@paconserve.org) or phone (412-586-2305) with questions or comments about this story map.