EmpowerU! Advocating Invasive Species Management
Date/Time
Saturday, February 16, 2019
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Location
Squires Student Center at Virginia Tech
Categories
Registration is required and encouraged one month prior to the in-person workshop so that you have the full amount of time to complete the four online modules prior to the workshop.
Learn how to work with decision makers, influence management decisions, and stop the spread of invasive species! The Virginia Master Naturalist program and the Virginia Forest Landowner Education Program are partnering to organize this training program in Virginia.
For more information and registration, see the Virginia Master Naturalists Program Description. Only the final session on February 16, 2019 will be held in person at Blacksburg. All other sessions will be completed online prior to the final session.
In this 4 week course, woodland and shoreline owners, master volunteers, and natural resources professionals can grow their skills to meaningfully engage decision makers about invasive species. Through a series of self-paced online learning activities and one in-person workshop, participants will:
- Gain understanding of the roles and levels of government and who to contact regarding invasive species management
- Learn to use skills such as influence, power, persuasion, framing, questioning and listening in interactions with decision makers
- Know where to find reputable information on the status of invasive species in your area
- Create an engagement plan and experience practicing it in a safe, peer-learning environment
- See yourself as a resource to decision makers on invasive species management
- View engagement with decision makers as a norm and encourage others to do it
- Network with other people passionate to make a difference around invasive species
This program is open to natural resource volunteers and forest landowners with an interest in developing skills to engage decision-makers about invasive species management. Virginia Master Naturalist volunteers and contacts from the Virginia Forest Landowner Education Program are our primary audiences, but others are welcome to participate.
Recommended course completion timeline:
- Week 1 – Online modules 1 & 2
- Week 2 – Online modules 3 & 4
- Week 3 – Online modules 5 & 6
- Week 4 – Online modules 7 & 8
- End of Week 4/Beginning of Week 5 – Workshop at Virginia Tech Squires Student Center (full day; in-person and required)
Other available in-person workshops:
- Friday, February 15, Prince Edward Extension Office in Farmville, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Friday, March 8, New Kent Forestry Center in Providence Forge, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Saturday, March 9, Madison Extension Office in Madison, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
For more information and registration, see the Virginia Master Naturalists Program Description. Only the final session on February 16, 2019 will be held in person at Blacksburg. All other sessions will be completed online.
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