The Aquatic Plant Management Society has worked with the University of Florida to create a national version of the Silent Invaders video, relevant to all regions across the U.S. Teachers and environmental learning center instructors from anywhere in the country can now introduce students to the differences among plant types and how some invasive plants are impacting the nation’s waterways, lakes, rivers, wetlands and natural areas.

The Florida Invasive Plant Education Initiative and Curricula provides teachers with aquatic plant related classroom information, lessons, materials, and activities for elementary, middle, and high school levels. The Silent Invaders audio-visual presentation is the core lesson upon which all other activities and lessons are based. The 20-minute presentation provides a basic (and fun) introduction to aquatic and terrestrial plants found in Florida along with the key concepts of aquatic versus terrestrial, and native, non-native and invasive plant species. The National version now expands these concepts with examples from across the country. The lesson ends with positive actions we can all take to help prevent the spread of invasive plants in our own neighborhoods.

Silent Invaders is the keystone lesson for the Invasive Plant Education Initiative; it is recommended that students watch and discuss this presentation before any other part of the curricula. Afterwards, we encourage you to discover other lessons and materials that you can access or adapt to your area to increase awareness of invasive aquatic plants and their management by visiting the Florida Invasive Plant Education Initiative and Curricula.