Dear Friend,

The Speakers Bureau Committee of the Mid-Atlantic Exotic Pest Plant Council, Inc. (MA-EPPC) is pleased to make available the outreach presentation "Invasive Exotic Plants in the Mid-Atlantic Region".

This presentation is intended to educate, inform and equip individuals about the issue of invasive exotic plants and the threat that they pose to natural areas of the Mid-Atlantic region. It is our hope that individuals, such as you, will use this as a tool to inform groups, organizations, agencies, and other individuals throughout our region about the growing threat of invasive exotic plants.

It is our intent to make this presentation available in Powerpoint format, as well as slide format. We have developed several supplemental files that will assist you in using this presentation. The following is information that will be helpful in orienting you to the presentation and to the supplemental files contained on this CD or in the slide presentation:

• The Powerpoint presentation is designed to be modified for individual use. For example, the presentation currently includes 13 species that are problematic throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. If desired, one could add additional species for a particular locality. Please note: Photo credit has been included on photos used in the presentation. If you are manipulating the Powerpoint presentation in any way by adding pictures, please be careful to include photo credit for each picture.

• Accompanying text – this Word file provides a text description (script) for each slide. It is intended to provide a guideline for what could be communicated during a presentation. Individual users should feel free to include additional information or expand upon any topics so desired.

• Species descriptions – this Word file is a supplement to the accompanying text file and includes a lengthy description for each of the thirteen species included in the presentation. The intent is not to suggest that all information be conveyed during a presentation, but that users take and present whatever information is deemed appropriate for their audience.

• State Noxious Weed lists – this Powerpoint file includes 1-2 slides for each state in the Mid-Atlantic region with Noxious Weed legislation. Pennsylvania’s Noxious Weed information is currently included in the Powerpoint. Users from other states will need to substitute their state’s information for PA’s.

• Since this tool is a product of the MA-EPPC we have included one or two slides that focus on our efforts. As a user of this presentation, we consider you an ambassador of the organization and someone contributing to our speaker’s bureau efforts. Thank you for your efforts in educating our public about this serious natural area issue and for making them aware of one of the organizations in their region that is working to address this issue.

The complete presentation is available here, as a .zip file.  (Filesize approximately 12 megs.) This .zip file contains five separate files, including this letter  which is the file named Read_Me_First.doc.

For further information about the presentation, how to use it, how to get additional copies, or for more information on MA-EPPC, please contact Lisa Smith at wildflower@laurelweb.net.

Sincerely,

MA-EPPC Speakers Bureau Committee