HealthyWoods: A New Mobile App Tool to Guide Landowners in Forest Health Assessment and Invasive Species Management

We propose developing a new mobile app tool, HealthyWoods. that guides landowners in assessing and managing their woodlands, meeting the RREA priority issue of invasive species. Invasive species present major economic and ecological challenges for landowners trying to develop and maintain healthy and productive woodlands. This is especially true for newer landowners who are not engaged in ongoing Extension programs and are largely unfamiliar with invasive threats, management options, and available resources. To meet this need, we propose a new approach to Extension program delivery about invasive species, a HealthyWoods. tool expansion of the TreeSnap citizen science mobile app. This will build on the success of TreeSnap and guide users in a woodland health assessment process, providing photo and video-based educational information to assist landowners in assessing their woodlands for invasive species and other health threats. Users will receive a personalized report based on this assessment with tailored recommendations depending on landowner goals and location. In addition, there will be a user-friendly mechanism for sharing this report with local Extension specialists and other relevant professionals to continue the conversation about woodland health outside of the tool. Landowners will have access to information about their woodlands via the app and website but the website will also allow Extension agents to view reports from their area and prioritize common issues in the development of outreach programming. By working with a team of Extension specialists across the eastern United States, HealthyWoods. will be relevant for a broad range of landowners, with different goals and in different regions. This tool will provide an innovative resource for Extension professionals nationally to better engage new audiences about invasive species and improve forest health.