The Eastern Invasives Learning Network (EIN) brings together staff from The Nature Conservancy and its partners from across eastern North America to focus on invasive species issues and to formulate effective solutions. Network participants use the adaptive management approach to develop and implement comprehensive invasive species plans by using the "enhanced 5S conservation framework": identify conservation targets, goals and threats; develop and implement strategies; measure target and threat status and the effectiveness of strategies; and evaluate and adapt conservation goals and strategies. The EIN made its debut in 2001, and is now The Nature Conservancy's only learning network directed and self-maintained by its participants!

Statement of Purpose & Network Objectives
The Eastern Invasives Network provides a forum and ongoing support for the implementation of invasive species threat abatement strategies across conservation areas of various spatial scales.

Specifically, the network objectives are to:
1. Share lessons-learned from case studies,
2. Export tools, best practices and key strategies to landscape-scale practitioners,
3. Foster communication between network participants, and
4. Develop multi-scale strategies to effectively abate the invasive species threat over the long-term.

Contact Information/Network Coordinators
While the first four meetings of the EIN were coordinated by core staff of the Invasive Species Initiative, the EIN is now self-maintained by its participants. This is extremely exciting! The EIN Shared Leadership Team is:
Gwynn Crichton (TNC-VA),
John Graham (TNC-DE),
Dave Gumbart (TNC-CT),
Bob Nelson (TNC-FL),
Hilary Oles (TNC-NY),
Joe Scalf (TNC-VA),
Kris Serbesoff-King (TNC-FL),
Jess Toro (TNC-MA),
Mandy Tu (TNC-GIST).
Troy Weldy (TNC-NY).

For more information about the EIN, future workshops, or how to join, contact Mandy Tu. All upcoming workshops will be announced on the GIST e-mail listserve. To receive this moderated listserve, sign-up here. For information about networks after 6 March, contact John Randall (jrandall(at)tnc.org)

Workshops
Information about the EIN Workshops #1-7.

Participating site information
More than twenty-eight conservation areas have participated in the Eastern Invasives Management Network. Here you can find detailed information about many of these conservation areas, including general descriptions and management tools (e.g., conceptual ecological models). Participants of the EIN have included numerous project sites for The Nature Conservancy and many private and public partners such as IPANE, NPS, DRIPP, DOD, DNR, and land trusts.

Additional network resources
Web sites and documents related to, produced by, or supporting the Eastern Invasives Network.