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UID:112281-1781096400-1781100000@playcleango.org
SUMMARY:What's on Your Boots? Seeds\, Invasive Species\, and Landscape-Level Patterns from Boot Brush Stations at Elk Island National Park
DESCRIPTION:Chaplain143\, Sunset at Elk Island National Park\, CC BY-SA 4.0\n\n\n\nSeed dispersal is a natural process that helps keep ecosystems healthy and resilient. However\, when people visit parks\, they can unknowingly carry seeds on their boots—including seeds from invasive plants—which can change what grows where. Programs like PlayCleanGo help reduce this risk by encouraging visitors to clean their gear and by providing opportunities to educate visitors and monitor seed movement. In this talk\, we’ll share results from a pilot study using PlayCleanGo boot brush stations at Elk Island National Park. We found that visitors can carry up to 4\,000 viable seeds in just one litre of soil\, with more than 30\,000 viable seeds collected at boot brush stations over a single summer. In total\, 57 plant species were identified—about half of which were only found through visitor dispersal—and more than 50% were non-native. Notably\, visitor-dispersed seeds were consistent across trailheads and independent of visitor volume\, highlighting that visitor activity can actively homogenize the landscape and drive significant ecological change. \n\n\n\nThis webinar is being presented as part of PlayCleanGo Awareness Week\, a collaborative initiative led in partnership with NAISMA\, Invasives Canada\, CONABIO\, and partners across North America to help prevent the spread of invasive species.  \n\n\n\n\nCharlotte Brown is an Ecologist Team Lead at Parks Canada\, based at Elk Island National Park and an Adjunct Professor in the Biological Sciences Department at the University of Alberta. Her work focuses on invasive plant management\, bison management\, ecological monitoring\, and supporting evidence-based decision-making to maintain ecosystem health. Charlotte completed her Ph.D. in Ecology at the University of Alberta\, where her research examined species interactions and the processes shaping native grassland communities. She has since held postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Arizona and Université de Sherbrooke\, where she studied long-term vegetation change and responses to global change. Her current work bridges science and management\, applying ecological research to real-world conservation challenges in Canada’s protected areas.
URL:https://playcleango.org/event/whats-on-your-boots/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://playcleango.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Sunset_at_Elk_Island_National_Park-scaled.jpg
LOCATION:https://playcleango.org/event/whats-on-your-boots/
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260610T163000
DTEND;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260610T183000
DTSTAMP:20260610T032138
CREATED:20260602T223433Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260602T223438Z
UID:112460-1781109000-1781116200@playcleango.org
SUMMARY:Nodding Thistle Control
DESCRIPTION:Nodding Thistle is an invasive plant that at times\, can grow as high as a Christmas tree. As beautiful a flowering plant as they are\, they seed like wildfire and have got to go. Bonus it’s easy and wildly satisfying to pull them out of the ground! This volunteer event is special because you get to work alongside our resource management team\, with 20+ years experience working in the valley. They’ll share a ton of incredibly true facts about the area we live in while exploring one of our favorite spots on the river.
URL:https://playcleango.org/event/nodding-thistle-control/
LOCATION:Chief Whitecap Park\, Saskatoon\, Saskatchewan\, Canada
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://playcleango.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_2453.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Meewasin Valley Authority":MAILTO:volunteer@meewasin.com
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260612T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260612T150000
DTSTAMP:20260610T032138
CREATED:20260518T213550Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260605T155918Z
UID:112312-1781272800-1781276400@playcleango.org
SUMMARY:Communicating strategies for the prevention of IAS in two countries in Latin America
DESCRIPTION:Invasive species are one of the main drivers of biodiversity loss worldwide and different countries have taken different approaches to communicating this to society taking into account culture\, language\, and local traditions. Let’s hear about two countries in Latin America\, Mexico\, part of NAISMA\, and Chile\, on the other side of the continent and learn about the differences and similarities in tackling this common problem. \n\n\n\nThis webinar is being presented as part of PlayCleanGo Awareness Week\, a collaborative initiative led in partnership with NAISMA\, Invasives Canada\, CONABIO\, and partners across North America to help prevent the spread of invasive species.  \n\n\n\n*Language Notice: This webinar will be presented in Spanish with English subtitles available. We encourage participants from across North America to join us as we explore invasive species communication strategies and perspectives from Latin America. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSergio Benavides Avendaño is a natural resource conservation engineer with a master’s degree in biodiversity\, protected areas\, and biological invasions. He is the co-founder of Naturaleza Intrusa (Intrusive Nature)\, a science outreach initiative focused on biological invasions\, which has organized the Week on Biological Invasions in Chile since 2019. Since 2023\, he has worked in the invasive alien species management program at the Ministry of the Environment. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYolanda Barrios is the head of the department of invasive species at the National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO) in Mexico where she has worked for almost 20 years. She brings together her knowledge on invasive species and studies in science communication in workshops and talks for the general public and other stakeholders in different sectors.
URL:https://playcleango.org/event/invasive-species-latin-america/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://playcleango.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/olga-stalska-0lq_UCD1ZMw-unsplash-1-scaled.jpg
LOCATION:https://playcleango.org/event/invasive-species-latin-america/
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260613T103000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260613T123000
DTSTAMP:20260610T032138
CREATED:20260602T223542Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260602T223544Z
UID:112458-1781346600-1781353800@playcleango.org
SUMMARY:Goats Beard / Yellow Salsify Removal
DESCRIPTION:Yellow salsify (Tragopogon dubius)\, is an invasive plant that typically grows to a height of 1 to 3 feet (30 to 90 cm). It spreads quickly through the production of numerous wind-dispersed seeds\, thrives in a variety of disturbed habitats\, and outcompetes native plants for resources. Its deep taproot makes it difficult to remove\, but careful digging can be effective. To remove it\, dig down at least 12 inches to ensure the entire taproot is pulled out\, as leaving any part behind can allow the plant to regenerate. Its seeds can remain viable in the soil for years\, ensuring its persistence. Lacking natural predators or diseases in non-native areas\, it crowds out native vegetation\, reduces biodiversity\, and disrupts ecosystems by altering habitat structures. We will be hand pulling and bagging the plant to ensure proper disposal.
URL:https://playcleango.org/event/goats-beard-yellow-salsify-removal/
LOCATION:Beaver Creek Conservation Area\, Saskatoon\, Saskatchewan\, Canada
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://playcleango.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Goats_beard_Tragopogon_dubius_close.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Meewasin Valley Authority":MAILTO:volunteer@meewasin.com
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260617T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260617T140000
DTSTAMP:20260610T032138
CREATED:20260603T232757Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260603T232759Z
UID:112487-1781701200-1781704800@playcleango.org
SUMMARY:NAISMA Webinar: Starry Trek: Mobilizing Volunteers for Early Detection of Aquatic Invasive Species
DESCRIPTION:Since 2017\, Minnesota’s Starry Trek Program has demonstrated how coordinated volunteer engagement can significantly expand early detection capacity for aquatic invasive species. Originally launched as a statewide effort to search for starry stonewort (Nitellopsis obtusa)\, an invasive freshwater green alga that can form dense mats and disrupt lake ecosystems\, Starry Trek has grown into a successful model for large scale\, volunteer powered surveillance. Each year\, hundreds of trained participants survey public water accesses across the state\, contributing to the discovery of new infestations of starry stonewort and other priority aquatic invasive species. In this webinar\, we will explore how Starry Trek was built\, how it has evolved over time\, and what lessons have emerged from organizing a recurring\, statewide volunteer detection event. Participants will gain insight into the partnerships\, coordination strategies\, and program design considerations that have allowed Starry Trek to scale while maintaining scientific credibility and management impact. \n\n\n\n\nMegan Weber\, Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center/University of Minnesota Extension \n\n\n\nMegan Weber is an Extension Professor at the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center and University of Minnesota Extension. Megan’s work focuses on the development and delivery of AIS education\, volunteer\, and citizen science programs that work towards solutions to aquatic invasive species problems. A native Minnesotan\, Megan studied marine biology in California and received her B.S. from University of California Santa Cruz and her M.S. in environmental studies from San Jose State University.
URL:https://playcleango.org/event/starry-trek-volunteers/
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