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Serving 18 counties in the UP and northern Wisconsin
Western Peninsula Invasives Coalition - WePIC, www.wepic.org
Contact: Jen Ricker—[email protected]
Keweenaw Invasive Species Management Area - KISMA,
www.kisma.org
Contact: Meral Jackson—[email protected]
Wild Rivers Invasive Species Coalition -WRISC , www.wrisc.org
Contact: Emily Anderson—[email protected]
Central UP Cooperative Weed Management Area-CUPCWMA,
www.cupcwma.org
Contact: Abbie Debiak—[email protected]
Eastern UP Cooperative Weed Management Area-EUPCWMA,
www.clmcd.org
Contact: Nick Cassel—[email protected]
Upper Peninsula Invasives Council Newsletter
August and September 2014 Edition
http://www.wepic.orgmailto:[email protected]://www.kisma.orgmailto:[email protected]://www.wrisc.orgmailto:[email protected]://www.cupcwma.orgmailto:[email protected]://www.clmcd.orgmailto:[email protected]
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Table Of Contents Pg.2— Japanese knotweed management, Emily
Anderson —WRISC Coordinator
Pg.3— Early Detection Rapid Response Species Alert:
Houndstongue
Pg.4— Featured CWMA and Coordinator: CUPCWMA, Abbie Debiak
Pg.5— Early registration reminder for UMISC
Pg.6— At a glance schedule for UMISC
Pg.7— Calendar of Events
UPIC News, August/September 2014 Pg.2
Before and after shot of Menominee abandoned property with
knotweed.
Knocking back the Knotweed
By Emily Anderson, WRISC Coordinator
WRISC’s rapid response crew has been targeting knotweed stands
that keep popping up in cities and towns in
the area. So far they have cut down knotweed in the cities of
Menominee, Niagara, and Iron Mountain, soon
to tackle Norway as well. After the plants have regrown they
will be sprayed with herbicide.
Homeowners and City Mangers alike have been the most help
throughout this. Several homeowners we’ve
talked to have been trying for years to control the spreading
knotweed, but to no avail, and have been very
happy to finally know the identity of the mystery plant and to
find an organization able to help combat it.
City and public works managers have also been a huge help in
safely disposing of cut stems (which, after
identifying property owners, has been the biggest battle).
Regional partners such as the Dickinson and Me-
nominee Conservation Districts have also helped in identifying
landowners and identifying local contacts.
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Early Detection Rapid Response Species of Concern:
Houndstongue (Cynoglossum officinale)
UPIC News, August/September 2014 Pg.3
Reports have come in from the Wild Rivers Invasive Species
Coalition. An inva-sive plant, houndstongue, is creeping up from
Wisconsin into the UP!
Houndstongue is a biennial or short-lived perennial originating
from western Asia and Eastern Europe. Houndstongue reproduces by
seed only, and was prob-ably introduced to North America as a grain
seed contaminant. Houndstongue invades grasslands, pastures,
shrublands, forestlands, croplands and riparian areas, and is an
effective competitor that readily displaces desirable species,
es-tablishing monocultures and further degrading forage quality in
disturbed habi-tats. This species is particularly well adapted to
invading and dominating forest openings created through logging
activities.
Houndstongue has a number of biological characteristics that
contribute to its invasiveness. Houndstongue seeds are covered with
barbed prickles that have been referred to as “nature’s Velcro”.
These facilitate the effective, widespread dispersal of seeds on
the fur, wool or hides of passing wildlife and livestock, and on
the clothes of humans. The seeds are also relatively large; this
provision of stored energy is a significant competitive advantage
due to high germination rates and seedling establishment. The large
taproot developed in the first year of growth enables houndstongue
to tolerate environmental stress and produce many seeds in the
second year of growth. The low-growing rosettes, impervious to
grazing pressure and mowing, are characterized by large leaves, an
adapta-tion for effective photosynthesis under both high light
intensity conditions in open grasslands and in shaded conditions
under trees and shrubs. The nasty
odor and high levels of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in houndstongue
leaves deter grazing animals, increasing grazing pressure on
neighboring forb and grass species. Economic reasons for managing
this weed include: reduced effective grazing land due to livestock
avoidance of infested areas and lower for-age production through
competition; reduced wildlife habitat; potential poisoning hazard
for horses and cattle consuming hay and processed for-age
contaminated by houndstongue; and reduction in market price of wool
contaminated with houndstongue seeds. Prevention of hound-stongue
invasion and containment of infestations are difficult because of
its adaptation for long-distance transport by domestic and wild
animals. Therefore, early detection and prevention of seed
production are critical to avoiding problematic infestations.
Population increase in all biennial weeds is dependant on seed
production; therefore, management to re-duce houndstongue
populations should target the flowering stage of its life history.
Herbicides applied at the early stages of flowering will pre-vent
seed production and reduce first year rosettes. Mowing during
flow-ering, but before seeds set, may be used to reduce seed
production, but it may not affect populations of rosettes.
Information for this article was gathered from Ecology and
Management of Houndstongue (Jan 2007) By Jim Jacobs,
NRCS Invasive Species Specialist, Bozeman, Montana and Sharlene
Sing, Assistant Research Professor, Montana State
Universty.
http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_other/rmrs_2007_jacobs_j002.pdf
http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_other/rmrs_2007_jacobs_j002.pdf
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UPIC News, August/September 2014 Pg.4
By Abbie Debiak, CUPCWMA Coordinator
The Central Upper Peninsula Cooperative Weed Management Area
(CUPCWMA) is a partnership of local, state and federal agencies,
tribes,
non-profit associations, private companies, landowners and
interested
citizens who are all working together to provide long-term
protection for
native plant communities by reducing the threat of non-native
invasive
plant species. The CUPCWMA area includes Alger, Marquette, Delta
and
Schoolcraft Counties. CUPCWMA is utilizing the resources and
expertise of
the various partners to develop cooperative strategies to
prevent the
spread of invasive plants across jurisdictional boundaries, and
to work
together to implement control measures once the invasive plants
have
become established. We are coordinating efforts among partners
to edu-
cate the public about these non-native invasive plants, survey
and map
the invasions, promote best management practices for controlling
these
invaders, and provide opportunities for on-the-ground invasive
plant re-
moval and treatment.
Membership in CUPCWMA is free and open to groups, organizations,
or
businesses committed to managing and preventing non-native
invasive
plants in the central Upper Peninsula. Each year we develop an
Annual
Operating Plan to guide or collective efforts within the outline
of our five
year Integrated Weed Management Plan. Current members of
CUPCWMA
include the Alger Conservation District, Borealis Seed Company,
Delta
Conservation District, Hiawatha National Forest, Marquette Board
of Light
and Power, Marquette County Conservation District, Moosewood
Nature
Center, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Seney National
Wildlife Ref-
uge, State of Michigan/Van Riper State Park, Superior Watershed
Partner-
ship, The Forestland Group, The Nature Conservancy, U.P.
Resource Con-
servation and Development Council, and the Yellow Dog Watershed
Preserve.
Abbie Debiak, CUPCWMA coordinator, is responsible for
coordinating the inventory and control of non-native invasive plant
infestations throughout Alger, Marquette, Del-ta and Schoolcraft
counties. She works closely with CUPCWMA partners to organize and
promote volunteer invasive plant removal events and to promote
public aware-ness through community outreach and education. Abbie
received a B.S. in Biology from Northern Michigan University as
well a M.S. in Biology with a focus on avian conserva-tion
genetics. She also instructs several undergraduate biological
laboratories at NMU and was previously employed as a biological
technician for the U.S. Department of Ag-riculture in East Lansing,
MI.
Clay Hidding of the CUPCWMA Weed Crew managing wild parsnip on
Peninsula Point in Delta County.
Abbie Debiak, CUPCWMA Coordinator
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UPIC News, August/September 2014 Pg.5
Only TWO weeks left to sign up and receive the early
registration rates for UMISC! To regis-
ter go to www.umisc2014.org. Don’t miss this chance to learn
from and network with inva-
sive species professionals throughout the Midwest!
The “at a glance” schedule can be seen on the next page...
Save the Date! Fifth Annual Northern Great Lakes Invasive
Species Conference: The Dry, The Wet and The Ugly!
November 4, 2014 at Northern Michigan University
More details about the agenda and speakers will be finalized
soon – put this date on your calendars now!
http://www.umisc2014.org
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UPIC News, August/September 2014 Pg.6
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Calendar Of Events August 2—9:00 (EST) Join KISMA and Stewards
of Bete Grise crews in preventing invasive spotted knap-
weed from invading our pristine coastal dune swale system. We
will be removing invasive plants along the new parking area and
shoreline in preparation for the upcoming dedication on August 17.
Bring a lunch to picnic at the preserve afterward. Please RSVP if
possible so we can determine how many tools we’ll need. Email
[email protected] for more information and to RSVP.
August 6 — 10:00am-12:00am (CST) WRISC Board of directors
meeting in Stephenson, MI. Meeting is
open to the public, and organizations interested in becoming
formal partners are especially encouraged to come. For more
information contact Emily Anderson at [email protected].
August 6 and 7— Come help CUPCWMA plant native pollinator
species at Sandtown in the Hiawatha Na-
tional Forest! For more details and to RSVP, contact Deb LeBlanc
via email at [email protected]. August 9—11:00 (EST) Spotted
knapweed pull and hike at Redwyn’s Dunes with Land Steward Phil
Quenzi. Afterwards, enjoy a picnic (bring your own food) and a
hike on the beach at beautiful Great Sand Bay. For details on what
to bring and how to get there please email [email protected].
August 11—7:00pm(EST) Invasive weed presentation & field
trip at the Curtis Garden Club in Curtis MI.
Contact Nick Cassel at [email protected] August
13—9:00am-2:00pm (CST) WePIC Invasive Control Work Day, call Jen
Ricker at 906-875-3756
for job site info and to RSVP. August 14—6:00pm (CST) All About
Invasives: An invasive plant workshop put on by WRISC at the
Crandon Library in Forest County, WI. For further information
contact Emily Anderson at [email protected].
August 20—11:00am (CST) WePIC general meeting at the Bates
Township Hall in Bates Township. For
more information contact Jen Ricker 906-875 3756. August
20—6:00pm (CST) Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program Training
(Location TBD). Learn how
to test water quality, identify environmental issues on your
lake, and engage lake residents to practice sound lake management.
For more information call 906-875-3756.
August 23—9:00am-2:00pm (CST) WePIC Invasive Control Work Day,
call Jen Ricker at 906-875-3756
for job site info and to RSVP. August 30—11:00am (EST) Repeat of
the August 2nd event, details remain the same. September 21—10:00am
(EST) Join KISMA for the Bete Grise beach clean up and weed pull!
Bring
lunch to enjoy at the beach after we clean up and pull weeds.
For more information and to RSVP, please contact the HKCD office at
906-482-2014 or email [email protected].
UPIC News, August/September 2014 Pg.7
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