Progress 04/01/18 to 03/31/21
Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences for Partners in Invasive Species (PAIS) included: 1. Stakeholders (landowners, hunting clubs, those with leases, etc., and other community members) in the region of west Alabama surrounding the University of West Alabama. This is the audience addressed in Primary Objectives 1, 2, and 3 of the PAIS project. In short, this group of stakeholders are those who are negatively impacted by invasive species in the region. It should be noted thatthe service area of the University of West Alabama is in a socioeconomically challenged region of the state, with a large percentage of minority residents and land-owners. Over the three years of Project PAIS, this audience was accessed through by a variety of methods. These included a) "formal" town halls, in which the PAIS team secured a venue and invited community residents to attend and learn about the PAIS project. The largest share of these events took place during the initial two years of the project, as our ability to conduct such events was dramatically affected during Year 3 by the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, PAIS participated in two meetings of the local chapter of the Alabama Treasured Forests Association, and presented information on our program. One meeting, held on campus, was attended by approximately 50 area stakeholders. Another meeting, held on 9/26/19, included field site visits and was attended by approximately 40 area landowners. In addition, PAIS sponsored and participated in the Sumter County meeting of the National Wild Turkey Federation and presented information about the project. This meeting was attended by approximately 100 guests. PAIS sponsored an information table at the Sucarnoochee Folklife Festival in April of 2019 and distributed information about the program. That event was attended by approximately 200 people. b. In April of 2019, PAIS PI John McCall appeared on a regional radio show ("The Land Show") and discussed the PAIS project. This radio show reaches a large audience in the West Alabama region. c. In January of 2020, PAIS reached out to the Soil & Water Conservation District in Bibb County, Alabama regarding the possibility of possible interactions through the PAIS project. A group from UWA including representative of the PAIS project attended a meeting of the Soil & Water supervisors and presented information about PAIS. d. The PAIS project published newspaper ads in the local newspaper, distributed flyers in area post offices and businesses, and routinely posted details about the project on our social media outlets. As evidenced by feedback, these efforts were highly effective in reaching our target audience of area landowners, and others who take advantage of natural resources in the region. Changes/Problems:The final year of Project PAIS was severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Plans for a second Invasive Species Symposium were tabled during the Spring of 2020. In addition, alterations were made to the way in which interns interacted with landowners and other stakeholders to minimze face-to-face contact. For a period of time during the Spring and Summer of 2020, interns were not allowed to travel to sites together. At all times they were required to wear personal protective equipment. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?As part of Partners Against Invasive Species, the University of West Alabama has offered provided internship experience for 15 undergraduate student interns. These interns completed safety training, and completed training in the identification and management of a variety of invasive species. They then worked in the field, under the supervision of PAIS employees, in assisting area stakeholders in invasive species management. This consisted of the identification of cogon grass (Imperata cylindrica) infestations, and the treatment of such infestations with herbicide. Interns also assisted in the monitoring of feral swine infestations by the installation and monitoring of wireless game cameras. When feral swine issues were deemed sufficient, interns assisted landowners in setting up remotely operated feral pig traps. The landowners would then operate the traps and deal with the infestation. On completion, interns would disassemble the trap and establish it in a new location. Most of these interns remain in programs in conservation or animal biology. Two have moved on to graduate study on wildlife or forestry. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results have been dissemianted by a variety of techniques. Four town hall meetings were held, and the PAIS team made presentations at many other local events (Wild Turkey Federation meetings, Treasure Forest meetings, etc.). In addition, PI McCall presented on the project at the International Wild Pig Conference in June of 2020. In 2018, we hosted a symposium on the campus of the University of West Alabama which brought together subject matter experts from around the state and the nation. This group included many of the key leaders of state, federal, and NGO conservation organizatoins in the effort to control invasive species, notably cogon grass and feral swine. Individuals involved included the commissioner of the Alabama Department of Agriculture and the director of the Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division of hte Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. A publication describing Project PAIS is currently in development. We are copying the report from our external evaluator here: What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Over the course of the project, PAIS Goal 1 - PAIS established a primary goal of increasing stakeholder awareness related to the issue of invasive species. We feel that we have had great success on this front, accomplished largely during the first two years of the program. During that time, UWA hosted a number of town hall meetings and other gatherings, at which we shared informationa regarding the PAIS program and the serious issue of invasive species. In 2019, the University of West Alabama hosted a symposium on invasive species which welcomed over 100 participants. During the final year of the project, our outreach efforts were severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic which rendered it impossible to welcome visitors in person. Goals 2 and 3 - PAIS sought to provide assistance to regional landowners in the control and management of invasive species, and has been successful in doing so. Awareness of the issue of invasive species has increased dramatically in the region, largely through the success of the PAIS program. The success of PAIS also played a major role in Sumter County, Alabama, being able to participate in the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program, which will provide significantly more support in controlling these harmful invasives. Over the course of the program, PAIS provided extension, outreach services, and education on new techniques to over 250 landowners in the region. In addition, PAIS interns treated 958 cogon grass patches, totaling almost 5 million square feet (108 acres). Fifty-two separate landowners were assisted with feral swine trapping, resulting in 139 trap deployments and the removal of 1024 feral swine. Goal 4 - PAIS sought to enhance career opportunitities for students in conservation biology programs, and we feel that we have been quite successful in that goal. Over the three years of the project, PAIS employed a total of 15interns who have worked over 3800hours in outreach for area stakeholders. The interns have gained tremendous benefits in developing their careers. Goal 5 - the final goal of Project PAIS was the establishment of a region center of expertise dedicated toward research and management of invasive flora and fauna. We feel that this has been area of particularly noteworthy success, as we have recently established the West Alabama Center for Conservation and Agriculture (WACCA) on the campus of the University of West Alabama. WACCA currently serves as the hub of operations for the efforts of the Sumter County, AL efforts for the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program. The establishment of the FSECPP in Sumter County resulted largely through the prior successes of the PAIS program. In addition, WACCA will be the center of operations for PAIS 2.0 (Partners for Agricultural Innovation and Sustainabilty), a newly funded USDA/NIFA project which will build on the success of Partners Against Invasive Species and broaden our outreach to area stakeholders, both geographically and thematically.
Publications
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Project PAIS website. Now renamed to reflect expanded scope of Project PAIS.
https://www.uwa.edu/academics/collegeofnaturalsciencesandmathematics/aboutthecollege/communityoutreach/partnersagainstinvasivespecies
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Project PAIS. Presentation at 2020 International Wild Pig Conference
ABSTRACT
John McCall, Chris Spencer, Luke Clark, Garren Granec - University of West Alabama
Project PAIS, Partners Against Invasive Species, is a collaborative effort between The University of West Alabama (UWA), a regional Non-Land Grant College of Agriculture (NLGCA), and the Sumter County Soil and Water Conservation District (SCSWCD), a unit of the Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Committee. PAIS is targeted at providing education on invasive species and outreach activities to farmers, ranchers, and foresters in the west Alabama region. Project PAIS also has the additional benefit of growing the student enrollment in agricultural sciences at UWA. A primary function of PAIS is education and control efforts related to feral swine in the West Alabama Black Belt region. For feral swine management, PAIS monitors game cameras on baited sites where stakeholders have reported feral swine activity. When significant activity is verified, the PAIS team deploys one of a variety of remotely operated traps. The traps are operated by stakeholders, who are responsible for the removal of captured feral swine. Since beginning operations in spring of 2018, Project PAIS has assisted almost fifty landowners and removed over 700 feral swine.
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Progress 04/01/19 to 03/31/20
Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences include: 1. Stakeholders (landowners, hunting clubs, those with leases, etc., and other community members) in the region of west Alabama surrounding the University of West Alabama. This is the audience to be addressed in Primary Objectives 1, 2, and 3 of the Partners Against Invasive Species project. In short, this group of stakeholders are those who are negatively impacted by invasive species in the region. I will note that the service area of the University of West Alabama is in a socioeconomically challenged region of the state, with a large percentage of minority residents and land-owners. This audience has been reached through: a. A number of local meetings (town halls). PAIS participated in two meetings of the local chapter of the Alabama Treasured Forests Association, and presented information on our program. One meeting, held on campus, was attended by approximately 50 area stakeholders. Another meeting, held on 9/26/19, included field site visits andwas attended by approximately 40 area landowners. In addition, PAIS sponsored and participated in the Sumter County meeting of the National Wild Turkey Federation and presented information about the project. This meeting was attended by approximately 100 guests. PAIS sponsored an information table at the Sucarnoochee Folklife Festival in April of 2019 and distributed information about the program. That event was attended by approximately 200 people. b. In April of 2019, PAIS PI John McCall appeared on a regional radio show ("The Land Show") and discussed the PAIS project. This radio show reaches a large audience in the West Alabama region. c. In January of 2020, PAIS reached out to the Soil & Water Conservation District in Bibb County, Alabama regarding the possibility of possible interactions through the PAIS project. A group from UWA including representative of the PAIS project attended a meeting of the Soil & Water supervisors and presented information about PAIS. d. The PAIS project published newspaper ads in the local newspaper, distributed flyers in area post offices and businesses, and routinely posted details about the project on our social media outlets. As evidenced by feedback, these efforts were highly effective in reaching our target audience of area landowners, and others who take advantage of natural resources in the region. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?As detailed above, the project has provided extensive opportunities for training and development for the interns involved in invasive species control. University classes have been developed to train these interns, and the work-related experience that they have gained in working with landowners and other stakeholders has been invaluable. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?As noted above, results have been disseminated through social media, newspaper articles, radio broadcasts, and other media. A presentation scheduled for hte 2020 Feral Wild Pig Conference was postponed due to COVID-19, however a virtual presentation is scheduled for May 26, 2020. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Work will continue as scheduled during the next reporting period. We plan to step up our cooperation with USDA and APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) as a result of their efforts in our region as part of the Feral Swine Eradication Control Pilot. We do not wish to duplicate their efforts in feral swine control. As a result, the PAIS project will focus on areas outside the APHIS target area. The development of a regional center of expertise will continue. We expect to have that center fully established by the end of the next reporting period. We will continue efforts on cogongrass control. As those requests begin to decline, we will dedicate intern time toward other invasive plant species. If the public health situation allows, we will reschedule our PAIS Invasive Species Symposium (cancelled as a result of the pandemic) at a time later this year.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
1. Collection of 157 stakeholder surveys has allowed us to develop a baseline regarding stakeholder aware of invasive species issues as they relate to agriculture in the region. This data collection has proven to be extremely effective in targeting our eradiation and education efforts. It was also instrumental in allowing us to cooperate with the Sumter County Soil & Water Conservation District in bring some $700,000 dollars of Farm Bill Feral Swine Eradication Program funds to this region of Alabama. 2. While we believe that we have been very successful in raising stakeholder awareness. Interactions between our scientists, our interns, and area landowners indicates to us that landowners are becoming increasingly aware of the invasive species impacting our region, and increasingly adept at spotting them. Our efforts in that area were dealt a blow when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of our second PAIS Invasive Species Symposium, scheduled for March 2020. This event will be rescheduled for a time in Fall of 2020, assuming the the public health situation allows. 3. The PAIS program continued it program of utilizing student interns and collaborating with the Sumter County Soil and Water Conservation District in providing assistance to area landowners in the fight against invasive species. Our primary focus has been on two species: cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica) and feral swine (Sus scrofa), although we have also provided assistance when needed with other problematic invasive plants. In 2019, PAIS provided assistance to 62 area landowners with cogongrass eradication. Our interns applied herbicide to 481 individual cogongrass patches, totaling some 2.5 million square feet (approximately 58 acres). In addition, we made checks on areas that had been previously treated in 2018 to evaluate effectiveness. In addition, PAIS coordinated with the SCSWCD in deploying pig traps on the property of ~30 stakeholders. A total of 62 trapping events resulted in the removal of over 370 feral swine. Efforts were severely impacted by a very wet winter, which resulted in our inability to access many areas. However, the program remains very successful in our assistance efforts. 4. At this point, the PAIS project has provided ~15 student interns with experiential training in invasive species management. This includes classroom instruction in recognition, ecology, and management techniques as well as field experience in control and eradication. it is difficult to determine the degree to which career opportunities for the PAIS interns will be enhanced by their experience in the program. We have anecdotal evidence, however, to suggest that this training will greatly benefit these students in their future careers. The landowners and other stakeholders with whom they have worked are universally positive in their appreciation for the intern's skills. 5. The success of the PAIS program has already had a major impact on the management of invasive flora and fauna in our region, and that impact promises to grow. Duein partto our experience with PAIS, the Sumter County Soil & Water Conservation District was able to attract a significant amount of support through the USDA Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program. The University of West Alabama will receive a sub-award through that project. The result will be the establishment of a center dedicated to the management of invasive flora and fauna in the region. We are currently in the process of hiring a director for that center.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Partners Against Invasive Species: A Collaborative Project to Assist Landowners in West Alabama
This talk was scheduled for the 2020 Wild Pig Conference in Jacksonville, FL. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of this meeting. However, the presentations are to be uploaded for a virtual conference. This presentation is to be recorded on May 26, 2020. NIFA support will be acknowledged.
https://www.nwptf.org/2020-wild-pig-conference-preliminary-agenda/
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
The PAIS project maintains a web page housed on the University of West Alabama site.
https://www.uwa.edu/academics/collegeofnaturalsciencesandmathematics/aboutthecollege/communityoutreach/partnersagainstinvasivespecies
- Type:
Other
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
The 2nd West Alabama Symposium on Invasive Species was scheduled for March of 2020. This event was cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. It will be rescheduled at some time in the future.
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Progress 04/01/18 to 03/31/19
Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences which Partners Against Invasive Species hopes to reach include: 1. Stakeholders in the region surrounding the University of West Alabama. This target audience is addressed in Primary Objectives 1, 2, and 3 of the PAIS Project. Primary stakeholders include property owners whose property may be negatively impacted by the invasive species of concern as well as others who draw benefit from property in the region. These "secondary" beneficiaries would include farmers and ranchers who rent property in the region, as well as hunters and hunting camp owners who benefit from the natural resources. It should be noted the region served by the University of West Alabama is socioeconomically challenged and a large percentage of the population is minority. Members of this target audience were reached by two public town hall meetings which were heavily advertised in public buildings and places of business, as well as through electronic media. Social media was elso employed in our effort to reach this target audience. The 2018 Partners Against Invasive Species Symposium was held on the University of West Alabama campus and attracted over 100 attendees. Surveys were utilized to collect information from the target audience regarding their level of awareness of invasive species and their assessment of the level of impact on the properties that they utilized. Landowners completing surveys were contacted by telephone. 2. A second target audience (addressed in Primary Objective 4 of PAIS) are students in the conservation-related programs at the University of West Alabama. Our goal is to enhance their career opportunities through the provision of training, including hands-on experience, in dealing with invasive species. This target audience was addressed through a number of efforts, including their involvement in the aforementioned town halls, as well as their inclusion in the activities related to the first Partners Against Invasive Species Symposium. In addition, seven students completed an invasive species training class during the Fall Semester of 2018. Three followed up with internship opportunities in the Spring of 2019. Two additional students were employed through the Sumter County Soil and Water District office and have worked closely with landowners, gaining invaluable experience. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The primary training involved in Partners Against Invasive Species lies in the preparation of our student interns. They are trained to collect stakeholder information about invasive species awareness and damage, and to impart information to stakeholders about control methods. In addition, they provide hands-on assistance for stakeholders in invasive species control. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results have been disseminated through town hall meetings, as well as through the 1st Annual West Alabama Symposium on Invasive Species. A web page has been created to allow interaction with the community. Social media efforts have also resulted in the dissemination of the results. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Results from Year 1 will be utilized to make minor adjustments to our method of outreach and data collection. We believe that we have suitable protocols in place for our interactions with stakeholders, and will redouble our efforts to assist in awareness efforts. Town Hall meetings will continue. The internship program will be approximately double in size during Year II. Interns are currently being trained to work with stakeholders.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
1. Approximately 80 stakeholder survey were collected (along with significant anecdotal data) to determine a baseline of stakeholder awareness related to invasive species. Stakeholders in the region have a relatively high knowledge base related to the impact of some species (i.e., feral swine), although understanding of control methods is highly variable. Stakeholder awareness for other invasive species, i.e., cogongrass, is considerably lower. 2. Through town hall meetings and the 1st Annual West Alabama Symposium on Invasive Species, we believe that we have made significant inroads on raising stakeholder awareness regarding invasive species and control methods. We also believe that we have an effective template in place to continue our progress in this area. 3. We have been able to develop a signficant set of resources with which to assist landowners. We have purchased four remotely operated traps for feral swine and developed a protocol through which stakeholders can gain access to traps and be instructed on their use. During Year 1 of the program, we assisted stakeholders in the removal of approximately 400 feral swine. Anecdotal data suggests that, at least in some areas of our outreach area, we have had a significant impact on feral swine populations. We have also been able to procure equipment to assist stakeholders in the control of cogongrass and other invasive plants. Our technicians and interns sprayed ~ 670,000 square feet of cogongrass infestations in Year 1. We produced trained interns to assist in this effort, three of which were employed during Spring of 2019. 4. While we believe that the training that our interns are receiving and their hands-on experience in the field will significantly enhance their career opportunities, it is difficult to assess our accomplishment toward this goal at this early stage in the project. 5. We have created a center on the campus of the University of West Alabama with the specific goal of biodiversity study and invasive species control. We have also become a major contributor to regional discussions regarding the control of invasive species. The 1st Annual West Alabama Symposium on Invasive Species was attended by national experts in the field. We believe that the Partners Against Invasive Species project is playing a role in creating recognition that this represents a regional center of expertise. Again, it is difficult to assess our progress toward this goal at this early stage.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Partners Against Invasive Species, John McCall. 2018. Alabama Association of Conservation Districts Annual Meeting. Auburn, AL.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Overview of invasive fauna in Alabama and the Southeast. John McCall, 2018. 1st Annual West Alabama Symposium on the Management of Invasive Species, Livingston, AL.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Invasive Flora of Alabama, Lee Stanton. 2018. 1st Annual West Alabama Symposium on the Management of Invasive Species. Livingston, AL
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Citizen Science and Invasive Species Management, John McCall. 1st Annual West Alabama Symposium on the Management of Invasive Species. Livingston, AL.
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