June 1, 2012

The second annual North American Invasive Plant Ecology and Management Short Course (NAIPSC) will be June 26-28 at the UNL’s West Central Research and Extension Center at North Platte.

The NAIPSC is three days of intense instruction and learning for those interested in the basics of invasive plant ecology and management. The NAIPSC has been approved for CEU and CCA credits and graduate student credits through the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

The format of the NAIPSC includes a wide variety of venues and settings to engage participants in learning and applying the course material. Over a dozen instructors with expertise in restoration, GPS/GIS applications, plant identification and many other topics related to invasive plants have been invited from all across the U.S.

The presentations, hands-on workshops, site visits and instructor-led discussion sessions will allow for participants to interact with instructors on issues or challenges they might be addressing related to invasive plants.

For the 2012 NAIPSC, a special session has been planned on the topic of water use by invasive plant species and will include research related information specific to introduced common reed (Phragmites australis) and eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana).

NAIPSC 2012 organizers have announced the availability of funds in the form of scholarships from the Nebraska Environmental Trust to help participants from Nebraska attend at a reduced cost.

The 20 scholarships will be available on a first come, first serve basis to the first five individuals representing the following four categories in Nebraska: land owner, state or national agency, weed superintendent and graduate student.

Those in the last category must be registered in an approved institution located in Nebraska. For categories in which the number of individuals exceeds the capacity, a waiting list will be started. After May 1, if all categories are not filled, participants on the waiting list will be contacted until all remaining openings are filled.

For more information on the scholarships and registration, visit the website at ipscourse.unl.edu or contact Linda Lehmann at 308-696-6712, llehmann@unlnotes.unl.edu.

IANR News