Southeastern Wisconsin Invasive Species Consortium, Inc.

SEWISC

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Join the Competition!

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spring news1Our Garlic Mustard Pull-A-Thon is an annual fundraiser. Young people and adults throughout Southeastern Wisconsin work to protect the woodlands of their neighborhoods by forming teams to pull this invasive plant.

Since the Pull-A-Thon began 11 years ago, teams have collectively pulled nearly 93 tons of garlic mustard and dame’s rocket! Each year, our goal is to collectively pull 20,000 pounds and raise funds to fight invasive species.

The pull-a-thon is a competition, a fundraiser, and a way for people to join together to have a positive impact on their environment. Our natural areas need your help to avoid the damage that invasives cause!

Each spring Pull-A-Thon Teams are forming throughout Southeastern Wisconsin. A trophy and bragging rights will be awarded to the team that pulls the most garlic mustard/dame’s rocket and pulls in the most donations by June 30.

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Help raise funds for environmental education and a sustainable invasives program at the same time that you reduce garlic mustard seed production!

Click here to get started

Why Are We Pulling?

Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata) is an invasive plant that’s taking over our woodlands. It crowds out our native wildflowers and endangers forests by preventing tree seedlings from growing. To make matters worse, none of our native insects or wildlife eat it!

Dame’s Rocket (Hesperis matronalis), another invasive member of the mustard family, can be pulled and bagged along with garlic mustard during the competition, giving each team extra pounds we call a Rocket Boost!

 Order an official  Pull-A-Thon T-shirt and start pulling today! 

 

Be on the Lookout for Garlic Mustard Aphids

Thank you to everyone who is on the lookout for garlic mustard aphids this season. According to EDDMaps, there have been over 100 reports from 12 states since this effort began last year. A breakdown of these reports can be found below. We encourage you to continue monitoring through the summer. Holden Forests and Gardens has created a new ID card that can help you, or your volunteers, with identification and reporting. Please review the INSTRUCTIONS on how to report your observations.

  • Total reports = 103
  • Total positive reports = 68
  • Total negative reports (garlic mustard present, but no aphid) = 35
  • Total states with positive reports = 12 : Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Virginia and Connecticut

We encourage you to report both positive and negative sightings (a negative sighting occurs when garlic mustard is present, but there are no aphids).

Report your sightings to EDDMapS. If you have any questions, please contact Rebecah Troutman at

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Invasive Species Management Sign

SEWISC Sign Salutes Individual Efforts

Even the smallest of efforts can make a big difference toward reducing the impact of invasive species.  Urban landowners as well as those who own and 2019SEWISCsign start colorqrmanage larger acreages can now encourage good stewardship and backyard conservation practices by posting these signs.

Whether you have rural acreage, a suburban yard, or a city lot, you can help protect the environment by controlling invasive species and promoting that stewardship practice to others.

The high-quality 9x12 inch aluminum signs are available for only $20.00 each or two for $35.00 (price includes shipping and handling).  Want to order more than two?  Contact us at:  for a price quote.

To order just download, complete, print and send a SEWISC Sign Order Form with your payment.  Supplies are limited!