EwA Invasive Species GIS Volunteer

About Earthwise Aware (EwA)

Earthwise Aware is a nonprofit all-volunteer organization dedicated to ecological literacy, cocreated participatory science, and conservation ethics. EwA connects communities to nature through science and stewardship, helping people become informed guardians of the ecosystems they share.

Overview

EwA is seeking a GIS volunteer with ecology knowledge to help our EwA GIS leader volunteer map and analyze invasive species and habitat data across local conservation areas. The volunteer will contribute to EwA’s participatory science program by creating and maintaining GIS datasets, producing visualizations of habitat fragmentation and the spread of invasive species, and ensuring the quality of ecological data to support evidence-based conservation.

What You’ll Do

• Curate, clean, and validate field-collected spatial data.
• Conduct spatial and temporal analyses using QGIS or similar GIS software.
• Develop base maps, presentation maps, and story maps that communicate results to partners and the public.
• Help maintain EwA’s GIS database integrity.
• Collaborate with EwA’s GIS data analyst and field teams.
• Join occasional field sessions to better understand the data context.

What You Bring

• Familiarity with QGIS, ArcGIS, or comparable GIS tools.
• Strong data management skills and attention to detail.
• Insight into ecology and conservation data narratives, or environmental science.
• Experience with Excel or Google Sheets.
• Knowledge of R, Python, SQL, or statistics is a plus.
• Curiosity, reliability, and a collaborative spirit.

Time Commitment

A few hours per week on a flexible schedule. Remote participation is possible. Consistency is encouraged to support ongoing projects.

Project Context

You will contribute to the EwAInvasive Flora Patrolproject, which documents and analyzes invasive plant distributions across sites such as the Middlesex Fells Reservation. These visualizations help identify invasive species hotspots, guide mitigation priorities, and strengthen collaborations with partners, including the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and the Friends of the Middlesex Fells Reservation.

Impact

Your contributions will directly support data-driven conservation and ecological restoration. You will help produce maps and analyses that empower local communities and agencies to act effectively against invasive species threats. Volunteers who demonstrate strong commitment and make meaningful contributions to our work are acknowledged as co-authors in EwA publications and reports.

How to Get Involved

To learn more about our work, explore our Biodiversity and Climate Participatory Science Story Map. If you feel that EwA’s mission aligns with your ecological goals, we invite you to apply to this listing. Learn more about EwA, visit www.earthwiseaware.org