Invasive Species Removal and Ecosystem Restoration
Activity - Outdoors
Grades6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12Biology, Civics
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Provided by EarthEcho International
What it is
- This guide helps students and teachers organize a hands-on event to remove invasive species from a local area to reduce their impact on the watershed.
- The resource includes tips for a successful event, considerations before organizing an event, a checklist for the event, and data collection sheets.
Teaching tips
Positives
- Having this real-life experience of making a difference in their local area will inspire and empower students to continue to do similar work.
- The option to submit collected data to be part of a larger, global conservation effort is a great way to foster a sense of global connection in students.
Prerequisites
- Teachers will need permissions from school administration, public works, and property owners, as well as adult volunteers to assist with the event.
Differentiation & Implementation
- Teachers can begin this project with a lesson or research project on invasive species in their students' local area. This student lab provides a wide variety of resources for researching invasive species generally, though some of the information is Maine-specific.
- To increase community connections and introduce students to career options, teachers can invite a local park ranger or other spokesperson to talk with students about invasive species in the area.
- Before starting the removal project, it may benefit students to have practice with species identification. Teachers may want to take students out to practice identifying the target species. After practicing, students can demonstrate their understanding by creating an identification guide that also includes safety precautions.
- This project can be used as a way to support students in taking action that contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 6, Clean Water and Sanitation, and SDG 15, Life on Land.
From the scientist review
This resource explores why invasive species are a problem and how they impact the environments they invade, with a focus on how they impact freshwater. The resource then provides information about how to organize and run an event to remove an invasive species locally, which shows students how they can help the environment around them. The information presented is accurate, and this resource is recommended for teaching.
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