The North American Invasive Species Management Association’s (NAISMA) Online Invasive Species Management (ISM) Certification Program is designed to provide the education needed for professionals who are managing invasive species and students that are learning to manage invasive species.

ISM courses provide the most current invasive species identification, control, and management techniques and comply with local and federal regulations:

• There are five total courses included in ISM.
• Completion of ISM 110 is required to take upper level courses.
• Courses must be taken in sequence.
• The average time required for each course is approximately 1-2 hours per week
• Upon completion of the five courses, students will receive a Certificate of Invasive Species Management from NAISMA.

Efforts to control invasive species are often piecemeal and under-funded. Compounding the problem is a lack of trained field specialists to lead/assist with control and management efforts. People seeking invasive species management positions usually have training in biology, forestry, agronomy, or related fields – but generally no training or field experience in controlling invasive species.

In response to this need, NAISMA is offering a unique college-level online professional development program to train Invasive Species Specialists. The program provides a comprehensive introduction to all aspects of Invasive Species Management – including strategies and methods for Prevention, Early Detection and Rapid Response, and Control.

New Students! Please note! The NAISMA invasive species management courses are changing.

NAISMA is developing updated, asynchronous invasive species management courses for Winter 2021.

Upon launching in January 2022, you can expect:

• New students will begin with ISM 110 and then advance through upper level courses.
• Because the program will be asynchronous, students can start and stop anytime.
• Students may progress through the courses as fast or as slow as they want.
• Unlimited, rolling registration will support more students and provide on-demand learning opportunities for professionals.
• New students will begin with ISM 110 and then advance through upper level courses.
• NAISMA is committed to supporting students through this changing format.
• New specialized online training programs with professional certifications in 2022 and future years!

Current ISM Students of Dr. Randy Westbrooks

The Spring Semester 2022 will start on Monday, February 7, 2022, and end on Thursday, May 26, 2022. The last date for registering for the Spring Semester will be Wednesday, March 23, 2022, which is the midpoint of Spring Semester 2022. Please email Elizabeth Brown at for the registration link and passcode.