Launched 11 years ago, the Initiative is a collaborative outreach effort by the University of Florida/IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants (CAIP) and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)/Invasive Plant Management Section. Working with dozens of teachers throughout the state, more than 70 lessons, activities, and audio-visual presentations have been produced for upper elementary, middle and high school students. Materials correlate to Florida’s Next Generation Sunshine State Standards and Common Core State Standards and support learning skill-based science in a real-world context.
Plant Camp is the first event of its kind to provide such intensive in-service training for Florida teachers on the subject of aquatic and upland invasive plants. Attendees compete for the limited number of spaces available for this popular professional development opportunity, and are selected by a committee of teachers and UF/IFAS CAIP staff, based on evidence of interest and a commitment to sharing what they learn with students and colleagues.
Faculty from the University of Florida, state park biologists, administrators from FWC’s Invasive Plant Management Section, and plant managers from the private sector contribute as presenters and instructors, providing a rare behind-the-scenes look at natural resource management issues in the state of Florida. The goal is to give teachers the inspiration and confidence to share their new knowledge with students and colleagues upon return to the classroom.