As part of the video, I share a bit about my background with invasive species and the secrets as to why the Academy is so popular with kids. I also talk about my experiences training young invasive hunters and bringing my Academy to the United States Botanic Gardens in Washington, D.C., and to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas.
Thank you Action for Nature for your International Young Eco-Hero Award! I will put it to great use to help educate kids of all ages learn about invasive species.
My family proudly supports the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. I first visited the Wildflower Center when I was four years old, and I’ve loved our Texas wildflowers and native ecosystems ever since.
Thanks, Wildflower Center, for featuring my exploits as Commander Ben, The Invasive Hunter, on your Passion for Nature video page.
I’m recovering from surgery from an old sparring injury, but I’ll be back in action again soon, so watch out invasive species!
Young naturalists train to be invasive hunters during last year’s Nature Nights at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Nature Nights starts this Thursday, June 13, at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center from 6 to 9 p.m. The event is free and has great activities for the entire family. Get to know the difference between a root and shoot at this Thursday’s event, focusing on the power of plants.
And I have great news to share! I’m bringing back my Invasive Hunter Academy to this Thursday’s Nature Nights, so be sure to stop by and say “Hi!”, get to know some common invasive species in Central Texas, and train to become an Invasive Hunter. It’s lots of fun for kids of all ages!
Commander Ben having fun with young Invasive Species Hunters last year at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Get a free ticket for the special auditorium presentation
If you enjoyed Nature Nights during previous summers, there’s also something new happening at this year’s Nature Nights. The first 250 people who attend Nature Nights will receive a free ticket at the admissions table for the special auditorium presentation.
So in addition to enjoying all the display tables and activities (and the Invasive Hunter Academy!), be sure to get your ticket so you can get admitted into the auditorium for the special presentation that’s part of each Nature Nights event.
Summer 2013 Nature Nights at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
My sketchbook of the top 24 invasive plant species in Austin, Texas
As the Invasive Hunter, I always have to keep my skills sharp, so on a Saturday in May, I attended an invasive species workshop at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. This workshop was designed especially for citizen scientists who are working with the city of Austin as part of the Austin Invasive Plants Management Plan.
The city of Austin and the Invaders of Texas Program teamed up to train local volunteers how to identify and monitor invasive plants. Citizen scientists who volunteer with this program get to work side by side with city staff to develop a map of where invasive plant species are located, and the city of Austin will use this map to determine how to best treat or remove the invaders.
Learning up close how to identify invasive plants
Ms. Jessica Wilson, Wildland Conservation education manager with the city of Austin, welcomed us to the workshop, and Ms. Jessica Strickland, Invasive Species Program Manager with the Wildflower Center, gave a great talk about invasive species in Texas and those around Austin, the Invaders of Texas Program, and how to report sightings of invasive species online and through the TX Invaders mobile app.
Top 24 invasive plant species in the city of Austin
We learned about the top 24 invasive plant species in Austin from samples in the Wildflower Center’s library, and got to know them better by being able to see them, feel their leaves and other identifying features, and sketch samples of them to help us remember them when we’re out in the field.
A sample of kudzu, a nasty invasive species
The top 24 invasive plants in Austin cover herbaceous, woody, vines, and aquatic species and include my nemesis, the Giant Reed (Arundo donax)!
We practiced identifying sample invasive plants in a field outside of the Wildflower Center
Besides polishing up my knowledge about invasive plants, I also got to spend some time with other citizen scientists (excuse me, future invasive hunters!) and staff from the city of Austin who were a lot of fun.
Commander Ben and Austin invasive species volunteers getting ready for action
The workshop I attended was part of a series of volunteer workshops that the city of Austin and the Wildflower Center have been holding during the spring of this year.
Here is a great video all about the day created by the City of Austin:
Their goal is to train 180 citizen scientists who are willing to volunteer time during the summer monitoring season. The next Invasive Species Identification and Monitoring workshop is coming up this weekend, June 8 and 9. Don’t miss out because this is the last workshop for the season!
Commander Ben Featured in Wildflower Center magazine
The Summer 2013 issue of Wildflower, the printed magazine for the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, features my exploits as Commander Ben in my battles against invasive species.
Many thanks to Ms. to Saralee Tiede, Communications Director for the Wildflower Center, for interviewing me!
Commander Ben & Ms. Saralee Tiede at The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Being interviewed by Ms. Tiede for the Wildflower article was so much fun. When we arrived at the Wildflower Center’s offices, Ms. Tiede took my Mom and me upstairs to a beautiful conference room. For about an hour, Ms. Tiede asked me all sorts of questions about how I got interested in science, and specifically invasive species, as well as questions about how I got started making videos and blogging. She said that one of her favorite videos was Tea Time with English Ivy. Seems like so many people like that one!
After the interview, Ms. Tiede treated us to a delicious lunch at the Wildflower Cafe where we were surprised by Dr. Damon Waitt, Senior Director and Botanist for the Wildflower Center, who joined us for lunch. It was great to see Dr. Waitt again and talk about invasive species. Next, I topped off my lunch with a fantastic cookie which Ms. Tiede assured me was “the best”. And she was right!
Thanks again to Ms. Tiede for the great interview and making me feel like a celebrity for the day!
My name is Commander Ben and I'm the Invasive Hunter. I educate kids of all ages - and all learning styles - about invasive species, science, and dyslexia.
Commander Ben 