[MAIPC] Invasive Management on Public Land

Wed Jan 26 07:29:35 PST 2022

Sometimes volunteers are certified applicators. I have found that many
organizations in Hawaii, Maryland etc. have a small number of such
volunteers to apply chemicals. 

From: MAIPC <maipc-bounces at lists.maipc.org> On Behalf Of Greenberg, Patricia
Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2022 9:53 AM
To: Gover, Art <aeg2 at psu.edu>; Nicole Hersch <nicole at nrvrc.org>
Cc: MAIPC Listserve <maipc at lists.maipc.org>
Subject: Re: [MAIPC] Invasive Management on Public Land

Hi Nicole,

In Fairfax County Park Authority, we do not allow volunteers to apply
chemicals on parkland. Though many of our dedicated volunteers have asked if
they could. We have Certified Techs on staff and have to have a Certified
Applicator to supervise the techs. We hold the Forest Pest certification-
Category 2. 

We have about 65 or so dedicated Invasive Management Area Volunteer Site
Leaders. We have a list of 90 but some are paused due to covid precautions.
Site Leaders go through a training process including a PowerPoint
presentation, background checks, on-site visits for plant identification
training, and have to do online training through our Volunteer Management
System like PPE or blood borne pathogens safety training. We provide the
site leader tools when they set up workdays, which we post on our webpage. I
have attached an example of a site plan that our IMA Site Leaders used to
have to fill out yearly. A couple of the original volunteers still like to
update their site plans. Now a days, by signing up on our online volunteer
management system, they are basically signing off. I also attached our
sign-up sheet and the scout project agreement which any scout needs to fill
out prior to implementing an Eagle Scout project on parkland. 

Staff help at volunteer sites by doing the chemical application where its
cut stump treatments or a little spraying of celandine and other plants that
volunteers cannot manage manually. I have also hired a contractor to
follow-up on sites after volunteers have brought down the invasives and
removed the debris. It makes it a lot cheaper. 

I wonder if the Blue Ridge PRISM might be a source of volunteers for the
community? 

I hope this is helpful,

Patricia Pearl Greenberg
Ecologist II

Invasive Management Area (IMA) Program Manager

Natural Resource Branch

Fairfax County Park Authority

Office: 703-324-8673

Fax: 703-324-3996

 <mailto:patricia.greenberg at fairfaxcounty.gov>
patricia.greenberg at fairfaxcounty.gov

(She/Her/Hers)

ISA Certified Arborist, MA-6067A

ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualified

 <https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/invasive-management-area> 

From: MAIPC <maipc-bounces at lists.maipc.org
<mailto:maipc-bounces at lists.maipc.org> > On Behalf Of Gover, Art
Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2022 4:57 PM
To: Nicole Hersch <nicole at nrvrc.org <mailto:nicole at nrvrc.org> >
Cc: MAIPC Listserve <maipc at lists.maipc.org <mailto:maipc at lists.maipc.org> >
Subject: Re: [MAIPC] Invasive Management on Public Land

Hi, Nicole. 

I think your question #2 will be state-specific.

I can offer my understanding of PA.

Terminology:

Certified Applicator: someone who has passed the state exam for a particular
application category (PA has 26), and works for a Pesticide Business as a
public or commercial applicator. A Pesticide Business is necessary to obtain
the required liability insurance.

If by "volunteer" you mean a non-credentialed applicator, then they can only
apply under the direct (present, in communication) supervision of a
certified applicator licensed in the relevant category. In PA, the work
you're describing would likely be Category 10 (Rights-of-way, Non-crop) (or
Category 5 - Forest Pest Management, or Category 23 - Parks and Schools).

In PA, if a municipality wanted a volunteer corps of applicators, they would
either need their own applicator (and business license and insurance) to
supervise (and train), or have a commercial applicator (with their own
business license and insurance) supervise (and train) them. Someone involved
has to be certified and liable. 

If the municipality has a business license, they could register applicator
technicians, trained in a specific curriculum by their certified applicator.
These registered applicator technicians can work autonomously.

It's a lot of work. I think there's a good chance an experienced commercial
applicator could do the envisioned work on a for-hire basis fairly quickly
and for less expense (figuring training, admin, etc) than engaging
volunteers.

Be well.

Art Gover

Fruittown Land Stewardship Services

On Jan 18, 2022, at 12:32, Nicole Hersch <nicole at nrvrc.org
<mailto:nicole at nrvrc.org> > wrote:

Hi All,  

I have a couple of questions that I am looking for some advice on. First a
little background. 

One of the Towns in my region has acknowledged that invasive species are a
huge problem, but they haven't done anything about it to date and aren't
exactly sure where to start--it seems daunting to say the least (not to
mention Town staff is already at capacity-with no resident experts on
payroll). 

The main idea on the table is that a small area is chosen as a demonstration
site for invasive removal and potentially native planting, to be executed by
community groups who have a capacity for on-going efforts. Long-term
maintenance of the site is of concern. The Town has been burned by a lot of
short-term projects which create additional long-term work for staff. 

1. Does anyone have volunteer groups complete an MOU when performing
long-term invasive management on public land? If so, would you be willing to
share it?

2. Has anyone used volunteers as certified applicators on public land? If
so, could you tell me about that? 

Any thoughts on this topic in general are greatly appreciated! 

Thanks,

Nicole 

-- 

Nicole Hersch, ASLA 

Regional Planner II/Community Designer

<https://docs.google.com/uc?export=download&id=1QiqvsPd1jTVj4gKSHT35CtL98HcA
lFPv&revid=0B-eFJd959WWEY09LL2ZpczdWUGl4M1QrZXlqbDZJTUZoeWhzPQ> 

New River Valley Regional Commission

p: (540) 639-9313 

6580 Valley Center Drive, Suite 124

Radford, Virginia 24141

nrvrc.org
<https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnrvrc.org%
2F&data=04%7C01%7CPatricia.greenberg%40fairfaxcounty.gov%7C9400a53332224826d
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