BlockBuster Survey Training: Rockland Co.

        This workshop prepares Lower Hudson PRISM volunteers to conduct BlockBuster Survey monitoring. The BlockBuster Survey program detects emerging invasive species introductions and fills data gaps in the Lower Hudson region. The Lower Hudson Valley counties have been divided into 5km by 5km (about 3 x 3 mile) blocks, which volunteers will select to survey.

        BlockBuster Surveyors will be trained to map the current distribution and abundance (or absence) of 38 targeted species, including 27 terrestrial invasive plants such as scotch broom, mile-a-minute weed, black swallow-wort, wineberry, Oriental bittersweet and Japanese barberry.

       This workshop will train surveyors in field identification, GPS data collection and other skills which will help them estimate the extent or absence of targeted invasive species and note new occurrences in their assigned 5km by 5km block.