Use Invasive Vegetation Management

In this topic, you will learn how to use the solution by assuming the role of a user and performing the following workflows.

Note:

Use your organization's data to follow these workflows.

Record treatments in the field

Recording treatments in the field ensures that invasive vegetation management activities are captured accurately and consistently as work is performed. Tracking treated areas by location sharing or manually drawing allows technicians to document where their work occurred and details associated with it. Updating the status of target areas in the field helps communicate progress. Collecting invasive species observation points provides important information needed to monitor species presence.

Note:

Your interface may vary depending on the type of mobile device that you use.

Track a treated area with location sharing

Location sharing is ideal for invasive vegetation management because it provides an accurate, hands-free method for tracking treated areas. Collecting accurate acreage allows for improved monitoring, reporting, and decision-making.

In this workflow you will assume the role of a technician and track a treated area with location sharing.

1. Download ArcGIS Field Maps onto your mobile device.
2. Open ArcGIS Field Maps and sign in to your ArcGIS organization.
3. Tap Invasive Vegetation Field Map to open it.

   A notice about location alerts appears. Enabling location alerts means that you will receive a notification when you enter or exit a Target Area boundary.

4. Turn on Location alerts and tap to accept or allow location sharing, as necessary.

   A map opens with the Target Areas to-do list.

5. If necessary, swipe up to open the to-do list.
6. Optionally, filter the list by tapping the filter button.
7. Tap a target area from the list to open details.

   Note:

   You can also open details by tapping a target area feature on the map.

The action buttons at the top of the details panel allow you to perform work and interact with the feature. You may have to scroll and click More to see all buttons. The following table describes the actions that you should familiarize yourself with:

Button	Action
Start tracking	Starts location sharing. This method is recommended when performing continuous work.
Stop tracking	Stops location sharing. The tracks will be uploaded to the track view layer and will be added to the treated areas after the Invasive Vegetation Tracks Pipeline runs.
Add details	Adds a related record to the target area to store treatment details. Only one details record per target area should be submitted each day. Crews working in the same target area will aggregate their details into one record. The related record stores treatment details until the Invasive Vegetation Tracks Pipeline runs and adds the details to the treated area.
Draw treated area	Enables manual drawing of a treated area on the map and entry of treatment details as part of the feature.
In progress	Updates the status of the target area to In Progress. Tap this button when work within the target area begins.
Complete	Updates the status of the Target Area to Completed. Tap this button when all work within the target area concludes for the year or season. Target areas with a Completed status will be filtered out of the map by default.

8. When ready to begin work, tap Start tracking.
9. In the location sharing pop-up, tap OK.

   When location sharing is turned on, a tracking icon appears in the location banner next to the GPS accuracy. Learn more about location sharing.

   If working as part of a crew, all crew members should start tracking to document their work locations.

10. Conduct field work.

    Tracking persists even if your phone is locked and the app is not active.

11. Optionally, click the Layers button and turn on My tracks to see your tracks in real time.
12. After completing field work, tap Stop tracking.
13. Tap Add details to document treatment details.

    Adding details is an essential step because it records herbicide, species, crew, and weather information that will be included when the tracks are converted into treated areas.

    If you are working in a crew, one crew member should submit aggregated totals for the group. If multiple Treatment Details records are submitted on the same day for the same Target Area, duplicate Treated Areas will be generated in the Invasive Vegetation Tracks Pipeline.

14. Enter treatment details and tap Submit.

Draw treated area manually

Location sharing is not always an appropriate method for documenting treated areas, particularly when work is not continuous or when location data does not accurately represent the treated area. This situation commonly occurs during activities such as prescribed burns or mechanical treatments. In these cases, the treated area must be drawn manually.

In this workflow, you will manually draw a treated area.

1. Tap a target area from the to-do list to open it.
2. Tap More, and then tap Draw treated area.
3. Tap Treated Areas, then draw the area you treated on the map.
4. Complete the form.

   Note:

   Some fields are automatically populated.

5. Tap Submit.

Update target area status

After work has started or concluded for a target area, the status can be updated.

In this workflow, you will update the target area status.

1. Tap a target area on the map or in the to-do list.
2. Tap More, and then tap In progress or Complete.
If a target area will be revisited throughout the year, keep the status as In progress. When the target area is completely finished for the year or season, change the status to Complete. Completed target areas will be filtered out of the map by default.

Reset a completed target area

A target area may need to be revisited after it has been completed. This may occur if there is an unplanned treatment activity or possibly a new invasive species observation in the area. If a previously completed target area needs to be revisited, it can be reset.

In this workflow, you will reset a target area status.

1. Tap the Filter button in the to-do list.
2. Tap Completed Areas.
3. Click a completed target area.
4. Click In progress.

   The status updates and the options to start or stop tracking and add details reappear.

Collect observations

Field observations are important to monitor emerging species, scout new areas, and notify operations staff of any important findings in the field.

In this workflow, you will record a field observation.

1. Tap Add .
2. Under Observations, tap an observation type.

   A point is added at your current location.

3. Optionally, reposition the point by moving the map and tap Update point.
4. Complete the form.
5. Optionally, tap Take photo to include a photo.
6. Tap Submit.

Create target areas and treated areas

Creating target areas allows organizations to plan, prioritize, and communicate where invasive vegetation management work is needed by defining work boundaries, assigning tasks, and sharing priorities with field crews. New target areas can be created to identify locations that require treatment based on observations, projects, boundaries, or other planning inputs. Existing target areas can be duplicated to support repeat management efforts over time. As work is completed, treated areas are created to document where work occurred, the treatment methods used, and other important details.

Create a new target area

Target areas are used to identify locations that require some type of invasive vegetation management work. Target areas can be created from species observations, jurisdictional boundaries, focused projects or grants, and other methods used to generate intended work areas. Target areas are also used as tasks to communicate work locations, priorities, and details with technicians in the field.

In this workflow, you will assume the role of an operations staff member who needs to create a new target area.

1. In a browser, sign in to your ArcGIS organization and browse to the Invasive Vegetation Operations Center app.
2. From the item page, click View.
3. Click Treatment Area Manager.
4. If necessary, click the Create and Edit tab.
5. Under Create features, select a target area feature template.
6. Draw the new target area on the map.
7. If necessary, click a vertex on the target area to reposition.
8. Complete the form.

   Note:

   Required fields are marked with an asterisk.

9. Click Create.
10. After you finish adding target areas, click the Back button at the top of the Create features pane to return to the Editor pane.

Duplicate existing target areas

Sometimes, duplicating existing target areas is more efficient than creating new ones. For example, you can create planned target areas based on incomplete areas from the previous year or to support repeat management efforts over time.

In this workflow, you will assume the role of an operations staff member who needs to duplicate existing target areas.

1. If necessary, open the Invasive Vegetation Operations Center app, click Treatment Area Manager, and click the Create and Edit tab.
2. Click an existing feature in the map.

   The Edit features panel opens

3. Click the Copy button at the top right.
4. Click the Paste button .
5. Optionally, drag the copied area to a new location on the map.
6. To copy an area into the same layer, click Paste. To copy into a different layer, click Paste (choose template), select a layer, then click Next.
7. Update the form.
8. Click Paste.
9. If necessary, click the Back button at the top of the Create features pane to return to the Editor pane.

Create a new treated area

Treated areas document the locations and details of completed invasive vegetation management work. They are typically created in the field by technicians who perform the treatment. In some cases, operations staff create treated areas after work is completed, such as following a prescribed burn or volunteer event. You can also duplicate target areas into the TreatedAreas layer for treatments that cover an entire target area.

In this workflow, you will assume the role of an operations staff member who needs to create a new treated area in the office.

1. If necessary, open the Invasive Vegetation Operations Center app, click Treatment Area Manager, and click the Create and Edit tab.
2. Under Create features, select the Treated Areas feature template.
3. Draw the treated area on the map.
4. Complete the form.

   Note:

   Required fields are marked with an asterisk.

5. Click Create.
6. After you finish adding treated areas, click the Back button at the top of the Create features pane to return to the Editor pane.
Treated areas can also be created by duplicating a target area and pasting it into the Treated Areas template.

Manage target areas

As target areas are created and archived over time, effective organization and management become increasingly important. Filtering target areas and treated areas by attributes such as year or status supports clearer visualization before making edits. Designating target areas to specific projects allows organizations to group work by funding source, location, species, or other planning categories. Batch editing target area details streamlines updates to tasks and crew assignments.

Filter data by year

You may want to filter the target areas and treated areas before selection to better visualize treatments and avoid selection errors. Follow the steps below to filter the data in the Treatment Area Manager map before selection:

In this workflow, you will assume the role of an operations staff member who needs to filter treatment data before making edits.

1. If necessary, open the Invasive Vegetation Operations Center app and click Treatment Area Manager.
2. Click the Filter button at the top-right corner of the map.
3. Turn on applicable filters.
4. Choose the year that you want to filter for.

   The map updates to show the areas you filtered for.

   Note:

   You can also filter target areas by status.

Assign target areas to new project

To support planning and prioritization, Invasive Vegetation Management allows you to organize target areas by project. Project names can reflect a specific grant or funding source, a location, or efforts focused on a particular species. Multiple target areas can be designated as the same project. To create a project, you will select the target areas that you want to include and assign a project name.

In this workflow, you will assume the role of an operations staff member who needs to select target areas for new project assignment. Target areas can be selected using either the map or the attribute selector

To select target areas using the map, complete the following steps:
1. If necessary, open the Invasive Vegetation Operations Center app, click Treatment Area Manager, and click the Create and Edit tab.
2. Under Edit features, click the drop-down list and choose Add to selection .
3. Click the Select by rectangle button .
4. Select target areas in the map.
5. In the Filter by layer drop-down, select Target Areas.

To select target areas using the attribute selector, complete the following steps:
1. If necessary, open the Invasive Vegetation Operations Center app and click Treatment Area Manager.
2. Click the Select by Attribute tab.
3. Under Layers, click the Attribute selection button.
4. Set your filters and turn on the Set filters and turn on the toggle switch option.

   The map updates to show the areas you filtered for.

After you have selected all your target areas, you can assign a project name. To assign a project name, complete the following steps:
1. If necessary, click the Create and Edit tab.
2. Confirm the selected target areas.
3. Click Edit.
4. Assign a project name.
5. Click Update.

Batch edit target area assignments and details

Batch editing assignments for target areas is a common workflow for operations staff. For example, you may need to update crew assignments when hiring a contractor for an existing project or reassign technicians after staffing changes. These assignments populate a technician's to-do list in the Invasive Vegetation Field Map.

In this workflow, you will assume the role of an operations staff member who needs to update a batch of target areas with new task assignments and details.

1. If necessary, open the Invasive Vegetation Operations Center app, click Treatment Area Manager, and click the Select by Attribute tab.
2. Click the Attribute selection button.
3. Set your filters to find the target areas that you want to edit, then turn on the toggle switch option.

   The areas that you filtered for are selected on the map.

4. Click the Create and Edit tab.
5. Confirm the selected target areas.
6. Click Edit.
7. Change attributes and assignment details as needed.
8. Click Update.
9. Alternatively, click the small Expand arrow on the right to edit directly in the table.

Manage observations

Technicians submit observations of certain species that they see in the field. Managing observations ensures that field findings are reviewed, validated, and acted on appropriately to support invasive vegetation management efforts. Following review, observations may be escalated for further decision making by a program manager or used to create a new target area.

Review an observation

It is important for operations staff to review observations in order to make treatment decisions, confirm identification, and remediate issues that may be found in the field.

In this workflow, you will assume the role of an operations staff member who needs to review observations submitted from the field.

1. In a browser, verify that you are signed in to your ArcGIS organization and browse to the Invasive Vegetation Operations Center app.
2. From the item page, click View.
3. Click Observations Dashboard.
4. Click the Watchlist tab to review watchlist species observations.
5. Click the All Observations tab to review all observations.
6. Click an observation from the list.

   The map zooms to the observation and the observation details display in a panel on the right.

   Tip:

   If there is an image attached to the observation, you can click the image in the details pane to open it in a new tab.

Escalate an observation to the program manager

Some observations may require additional review or decision making from a program manager. For example, a technician might observe an invasive species new to the area.

In this workflow, you will assume the role of an operations staff member who needs to escalate a field observation to the program manager for further review.

Note:

You must have an email client set up on your device to complete this workflow.

To escalate an observation, complete the following steps:

1. If necessary, open the Invasive Vegetation Operations Center app, click Observations Dashboard, and select the observation that you want to escalate.
2. In the observation details panel, click Alert Program Manager.

   An email template opens.

3. Add comments and signature where indicated.
4. Send the email.

Draw a target area around an observation

Rapid response is critical for addressing emerging invasive species before they spread. In some cases, creating a new target area around a field observation supports field review or treatment planning.

In this workflow, you will assume the role of an operations staff member who needs to create a new target area based on a field observation.

1. If necessary, open the Invasive Vegetation Operations Center app, click Observations Dashboard, and select the observation that you want to escalate.
2. In the observation details panel, click Create Target Area.
3. In the Editor panel, select a feature template.
4. Draw the feature on the map.
5. Complete the form.

   Note:

   Required fields are marked with an asterisk.

6. Click Create.
7. After you finish drawing your feature, click the Back button at the top of the Create features pane to return to the Editor pane.

Create summary reports

Invasive vegetation management commonly requires tracking and reporting herbicide use, treated acreage, and other treatment metrics for contracts, environmental compliance, and recordkeeping.

In this workflow, you will assume the role of an operations staff member who needs to compile and summarize treatments for reporting.

1. In a browser, verify that you are signed in to your ArcGIS organization and browse to the Invasive Vegetation Operations Center app.
2. From the item page, click View.
3. Click Summary Reporter.
Optionally, you can filter target areas and treated areas before selection. Filtering will help you better visualize treatments and avoid selection errors.
4. Click the Filter button at the top-right corner of the map.
5. Turn on applicable filters.
6. Choose the year that you want to filter for.

   The map updates to show the areas you filtered for.

   Note:

   You can also filter target areas by status.

After filtering, you will select the target areas you want to summarize from the remaining data.
7. Click the Attribute selection button.
8. Set your selection filters as necessary, then turn on the Set filters and turn on the toggle switch option.

   The areas that you filtered for are selected on the map and the Summary panel updates with information about your selection.

9. If necessary, in the Summary panel, click Treated Areas to expand a list of treated areas by treatment type.
10. Click each treatment type to expand more information about each treatment.
11. Click Mechanical Treatment, Chemical Treatment, Surveys, and Prescribed Burns to see summaries of each treatment type.

    Note:

    The items available in the Summary panel may vary depending on your selection.

12. Click the button at the top of the Summary panel and click Export to PDF.
13. Change the report settings as needed, and then click Export.

Monitor Invasive Vegetation Management program activity

Tracking invasive vegetation treatments over time is essential for evaluating program effectiveness.

In this workflow, you will assume the role of program manager who monitors progress and tracks treatments over time.

1. In a browser, verify that you are signed in to your ArcGIS organization and browse to the Invasive Vegetation Program Dashboard app.
2. From the item page, click Open dashboard.
3. In the header, adjust filters to refine dashboard results.
4. In the elements on the right, click the By year tabs to view crew hours and herbicide use over time.
5. At the bottom of the dashboard, click each tab to see charts for specific treatment methods.