The Harvard Forest Schoolyard Ecology Program provides teachers and students with the opportunity and materials to participate in regionally focused ecological studies under the guidance of a mentor scientist working on a similar study. The Harvard Forest is part of a national network of ecological research sites known as the Long Term Ecological Research Network (LTER). The study protocols it offers are inquiry-based and incorporate science education best practices. This article describes how this program was utilized to embark fifth graders on a hunt for an invasive species while conducting authentic research. (Contains 1 figure and 4 online resources.)