Participants in the Weed Spotters Network come from diverse sectors of the community but share a common interest in weeds for either scientific, economic or environmental reasons. Once trained, Weed Spotters send specimens of potential, new and emerging weeds and accompanying data to the Queensland Herbarium for identification, data-basing and mapping. Data they collect leads to a better understanding of new weed incursions in Queensland and tracks how far and how quickly weeds are spreading. This information is crucial for developing early response strategies for new weeds, and for the ongoing control and containment of established weeds.