Looked at as part of a continuum, awareness is necessary for people to be exposed to see that something is important. Education is understanding the problem and opportunity sufficiently to solve the problem. Training is learning the skills needed to become personally effective. Together they motivate people to action while equipping them with the tools they need to be successful. A coalition of weed fighters multiplies the effectiveness of the weed management efforts and has a greater chance of weed management success.
Awareness is created by education to persuade key people that there is a problem.
People responsible for supporting or taking part in a weed management program can identify and address undesirable invasive weeds. Education is a learning process about invasive weed impacts to natural resources, wildlife, and the economy provides a framework for prioritization of efforts. People frequently have some experience with common weeds and may have tried to control them, but few know which weeds are noxious. Citizens often believe that noxious weeds are part of the natural ecology of an area, or that they are simply an agricultural problem. Until they recognize the impact of invasive weeds they often fail to assume a responsible role.