Students will learn that the critical first step in the development of a weed or invasive plant management program is a strong and complete understanding of several principles and fundamentals of weed science. Topics covered are weed biology, weed ecology, herbicide modes-of-action, and herbicide timings, which are the fundamental building blocks of developing an invasive plant management strategy. This class is Part 1 of a 4-part series towards earning UMass Extension's Invasive Plant Management Certification. Designed for landscapers, grounds managers, DPW employees, and others employed to do invasive plant management.