Save the Date, Budget Now, and Step Into the Role.
Submit an application using the nominee’s information. Your nomination recommendation should be entered in the “Why Would You Like to Attend the Training?” field, including your name and contact information.
The Wild Spotter Invasive Species Ambassador Training Class of 2026 is tentatively set for February 3-5, 2026, at the Lake Guntersville State Park Lodge in Alabama.
The Invasive Species Ambassador Training – is just one of the many components of the nationwide Wild Spotter Program. Those applicants selected for this unique training will experience a fast-paced and fun-filled week learning special skills and techniques for volunteer coordination, recruitment, and retention; increasing community engagement, building partnerships and engaging stakeholders; branding and marketing invasive species programs; and using innovative detection and reporting tools and technologies to find and map invasive species in America’s Wild Places. As a trained Invasive Species Ambassador, you’ll learn from experts in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the U.K. to expand your capacity-building efforts, connect with your community, and collaborate with others who share a passion for invasive species and native biodiversity conservation.
The broader Wild Spotter Program is a nationwide effort that supports Invasives Free USA and is structured to help engage communities and build local capacity to manage aquatic and terrestrial invasive species better and expand the use of citizen science to find and report invasive species in America’s Wild Places—any lands or waters at the local community, regional, state, tribal, or national level, including public lands and private property where management of invasive species is essential.
The invasive species detection aspect of the Wild Spotter Program is achieved through the easy-to-use FREE Wild Spotter Mobile App. Anyone can use the Wild Spotter App—from park rangers and volunteers to nature lovers and everyday citizens enjoying the outdoors—to help identify, map, and report invasive species in real-time.
Continuing support for Invasive Species Ambassadors means you will receive customized, hands-on training and additional resources to help protect your favorite Wild Places. Additionally, thanks to EDDMapS, all data collected using the Wild Spotter App contribute to larger invasive species mapping and management efforts at national, regional, and state levels.
By combining spatial data collection technology with on-the-ground action, the Wild Spotter Program empowers anyone to contribute to the fight against invasive species. Join the training and gain advanced skills, knowledge, and confidence to make a lasting impact in protecting America’s Wild Places for future generations!
To become a Wild Spotter Invasive Species Ambassador, you will need to submit an online application and give a brief explanation of your motivation and interest in serving as an Ambassador. The application window is now open for the Class of 2026, and early notification will occur after Labor Day. You can apply today or nominate an attendee.
The Invasive Species Ambassador Training is a three-day, immersive experience designed to grow leaders in invasive species awareness and management.
📍 Dates: February 2–4, 2027
📍 Location: Lake Guntersville State Park Lodge, Alabama
During this training, you’ll gain hands-on skills to:
Recruit and coordinate volunteers
Build partnerships and engage communities
Strengthen outreach and branding for invasive species programs
Use innovative tools to detect and report invasive species in real time
You’ll learn directly from experts and return home ready to lead efforts in your community.
The Class of 2027 will enjoy a fast-paced, fun-filled week that blends learning, networking, and practical skill-building. Expect:
Expert-led presentations and training sessions
Interactive exercises using the Wild Spotter app and tools
Guidance on volunteer coordination and retention
Opportunities to connect with peers across the country and beyond
This is not an introduction to invasive species basics—it’s advanced leadership training to help you step into the Ambassador role.
What You’ll Learn:
✔️ Volunteer coordination, recruitment & retention
✔️ Community engagement & stakeholder collaboration
✔️ Building partnerships & program branding
✔️ Detection & reporting tools for invasive species
This program is for anyone passionate about conservation and community action, including:
Naturalists, educators, and interpreters
Biologists, scientists, and land managers
Volunteer coordinators and “Friends of” groups
Citizen scientists, students, and outdoor enthusiasts
Weed wranglers, nature clubs, and community organizers
If you’re ready to lead efforts in protecting native biodiversity, this training is for you.
As a trained Ambassador, you’ll:
Gain advanced leadership, outreach, and coordination skills
Build connections with experts and fellow Ambassadors worldwide
Access ongoing support, tools, and resources from Wild Spotter HQ
Contribute directly to invasive species mapping and management at national, regional, and state levels
Inspire others to Explore. Report. Protect. the wild places they love
Wild Spotter is a national citizen science program that empowers anyone—park rangers, volunteers, hikers, students, or community groups—to help track and report invasive species. By participating, you join a movement working to protect wild places and support Invasives Free USA.
The Wild Spotter Mobile App is a free, easy-to-use tool for identifying, mapping, and reporting invasive species in real time. Each report feeds into EDDMapS, creating the first nationwide inventory of invasive species across both public and private lands. This growing database strengthens local capacity, engages communities, and informs conservation efforts at local, state, tribal, and national levels.
The Invasive Species Ambassador Training is a three-day, immersive experience designed to grow leaders in invasive species awareness and management.
📍 Dates: February 2–4, 2027
📍 Location: Lake Guntersville State Park Lodge, Alabama
During this training, you’ll gain hands-on skills to:
Recruit and coordinate volunteers
Build partnerships and engage communities
Strengthen outreach and branding for invasive species programs
Use innovative tools to detect and report invasive species in real time
You’ll learn directly from experts and return home ready to lead efforts in your community.
The Class of 2027 will enjoy a fast-paced, fun-filled week that blends learning, networking, and practical skill-building. Expect:
Expert-led presentations and training sessions
Interactive exercises using the Wild Spotter app and tools
Guidance on volunteer coordination and retention
Opportunities to connect with peers across the country and beyond
This is not an introduction to invasive species basics—it’s advanced leadership training to help you step into the Ambassador role.
What You’ll Learn:
✔️ Volunteer coordination, recruitment & retention
✔️ Community engagement & stakeholder collaboration
✔️ Building partnerships & program branding
✔️ Detection & reporting tools for invasive species
This program is for anyone passionate about conservation and community action, including:
Naturalists, educators, and interpreters
Biologists, scientists, and land managers
Volunteer coordinators and “Friends of” groups
Citizen scientists, students, and outdoor enthusiasts
Weed wranglers, nature clubs, and community organizers
If you’re ready to lead efforts in protecting native biodiversity, this training is for you.
As a trained Ambassador, you’ll:
Gain advanced leadership, outreach, and coordination skills
Build connections with experts and fellow Ambassadors worldwide
Access ongoing support, tools, and resources from Wild Spotter HQ
Contribute directly to invasive species mapping and management at national, regional, and state levels
Inspire others to Explore. Report. Protect. the wild places they love
Wild Spotter is a national citizen science program that empowers anyone—park rangers, volunteers, hikers, students, or community groups—to help track and report invasive species. By participating, you join a movement working to protect wild places and support Invasives Free USA.
The Wild Spotter Mobile App is a free, easy-to-use tool for identifying, mapping, and reporting invasive species in real time. Each report feeds into EDDMapS, creating the first nationwide inventory of invasive species across both public and private lands. This growing database strengthens local capacity, engages communities, and informs conservation efforts at local, state, tribal, and national levels.
"The goal of the Invasive Species Ambassador training is to energize people and affect change at the ground level."
Anyone involved in managing or stewarding land where invasive species are a concern is encouraged to apply. This can include volunteers, landowners, or land managers working at local, regional, state, tribal, or national levels—on both public and private lands.
No. The training focuses on leadership, outreach, and community engagement—not invasive species identification or management techniques. Wild Spotter is a citizen science campaign built to empower communities to detect and report invasive species.
Strategies for effectively communicating invasive species awareness to the public
How to integrate Wild Spotter into your Wild Place
Collaboration skills to work across groups and stakeholders
Tools to lead community-based management efforts
Travel grants are not available at this time.
Wild Spotter is focused exclusively on invasive species reporting—keeping it simple and confidence-building for users.
All reports go through a verification process using EDDMapS, ensuring managers don’t need to verify reports themselves.
Managers can create custom species lists for their Wild Place so participants only report species that matter most locally.
Wild Spotter provides built-in support. The app’s Species Information section works like a field guide, with photos and details to help users in the field. Unlike some AI-driven tools that may misidentify species, every Wild Spotter report is reviewed by expert verifiers.
Land managers face overwhelming responsibilities. Wild Spotter was designed to provide the “boots on the ground” needed for regular monitoring. Volunteers and visitors act as the eyes and ears, reporting invasive species hot spots so managers can focus efforts efficiently and detect new species early.
Attendance in the Training is limited, and priority will be given to front-line operators and program staff at the local community and unit levels. Acceptance notifications will be sent in late fall. Please email questions or requests for information to debby.monfort@uga.edu.