Fall 2022 - Volume 12, Number 3

Upper Midwest Invasive Species Conference

Meeting Challenges, Facing the Future...Together!

Don’t miss this exciting event!
Join us at the KI Convention Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin
Tuesday, October 25 - Thursday, October 27, 2022

umisc 2022

The Upper Midwest Invasive Species Conference (UMISC) is a biennial conference that addresses all taxa of invasive species. In 2022, UMISC will celebrate 14 years of connecting the invasive species management, research, and policy community.

The goal of UMISC is to strengthen management of invasive species, especially prevention, control, and containment. There have been great strides in invasive species research, prevention, and management, but much work still must be done. The conference provides numerous opportunities to network with professionals, land managers, researchers, nonprofits, and others.

UMISC is co-hosted by Invasive Plants Association of Wisconsin, Midwest Invasive Plant Network, and Minnesota Invasive Species Advisory Council.

This is a hybrid conference with both in-person and online attendance options.

Don’t delay

REGISTER TODAY!

Annual Garlic Mustard Pull-A-Thon

Meet the 2022 trophy-winners!

2022 garlic mustard trophy winners The champion Cedar Lakes Conservation Foundation Garlic Mustard Pull-A-Thon Team members proudly displaying their 2022 trophy.

Our Garlic Mustard Pull-A-Thon is an annual fundraiser event, where we encourage folks throughout southeastern Wisconsin to protect the woodlands of their neighborhoods by pulling this invasive plant. Our 2022 goal was to collectively pull 20,000 pounds and raise essential funds for the fight against invasive species. We fell a little short of our goal again this year, but we hope that is due to a reduction of garlic mustard populations in our region as a result of Pull-A-Thon efforts over the past decade!

This season, 327 dedicated residents formed 10 volunteer teams which helped to raise funds and awareness while controlling 12,069 pounds (over 6 tons) of garlic mustard and dame's rocket in our natural areas. Volunteers recruited friends, family and colleagues to sponsor their pulling efforts. This is a fun way to make a real difference in the protection of the wild areas that we love.

$1,475 in pledged contributions was also collectively raised by team members and shared between SEWISC and the event partners. These funds will be used for adult and youth invasive species education, prevention and control in southeastern Wisconsin.

The Cedar Lakes Conservation Foundation Team pulled themselves to the top of the 2022 Garlic Mustard Pull-A-Thon competition. Led by Abby Brostrom, the team enlisted 45 volunteers and recruited $475 in donations while pulling 2,535 pounds of our target plants throughout a 30-acre management area.

Jean Weedman, Team Leader of our 2021 Champion Eagle Nature Trail Team, graciously passed the traveling Garlic Mustard Pull-A-Thon trophy to Cedar Lakes Conservation Foundation Team Leader, Abby Brostrom, during a ceremony officiated by SEWISC Board President, John Lunz in early August. The trophy will be proudly displayed by Cedar Lakes Conservation Foundation throughout the year.

Many thanks to all of you who got outdoors, pulled garlic mustard and dame’s rocket, told your neighbors about these invasive plants, and reported your progress as part of the 2022 event. And thank you to all who donated to your favorite 2022 Team! Remember, it's never to early to start planning for next year's Pull-A-Thon competition - JOIN US!

Abby Brostrom proudly accepts the traveling Garlic Mustard Pull-A-Thon trophy from Jean Weedman on August 2, 2022.

2022 Invader Crusader Awards

Congratulations to our Southeastern Wisconsin Recipient

Recipients of the 2022 Wisconsin Invader Crusader Awards with their plaques at the awards ceremony.

The 2022 Invader Crusader Awards were presented to eight extraordinary recipients on June 7 at the Schmeeckle Reserve on the campus of UW-Stevens Point. These awards are an annual recognition by the Wisconsin Invasive Species Council for exceptional dedication to fighting invasive plants and animals.

We are happy to share that Friends of Lapham Peak Unit, Kettle Moraine State Forest, Inc. was selected as a winner in the Professional Group Category. The Friends of Lapham Peak provide opportunities for volunteers year-round to control and manage a wide variety of invasives from the property. In 2021, they burned more than 15,000 cubic feet of brush, restored prairies and raised funds for continued stewardship. Their activities have helped rare insects and monarch butterflies and provided opportunities for many regional students.

Annual Educational Symposium

Native Plant Competitors for Exotic Invasives: "Get Creative-Go Native!

Annual Educational Symposium 2022 Brochure441.94 KB

November 9, 2022
1:00 - 4:00 pm

Havenwoods State Forest
Environmental Awareness Center

6141 N. Hopkins Street
Milwaukee WI 53209

Celebrate our recent accomplishments and learn about our plans for 2023 and beyond. This year’s speakers will also discuss strategies for controlling invasive plants and replacing them with native species. This informative symposium is free and open to the public.

Our Annual Sweat Equity Award will also be presented during the Symposium. The award honors outstanding southeast Wisconsin citizens and organizations for their significant contributions to prevent, control or eradicate invasive species that harm our region’s lands, waters, and wetlands. Please consider nominating adults and/or youth with whom you work or those from your community. Sweat Equity Award nomination forms are accepted through October 12.

Contact: to sponsor the 2022 Symposium and/or to exhibit at this event!

SEWISC Student Program

2022 fieldwork research experience

This summer, SEWISC helped to place twelve University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Department of Geography students into fieldwork research experiences with five mentors throughout Southeastern Wisconsin.

Schlitz Audubon Land Manager, Drew Shuster mentored Richard John, Lucille Little, Jacob Loving and Hannah Ritger who mapped the location and size of invasive species clusters and worked as a team to hand-pull, bag and remove invasive plants. The students also mapped location and condition of prairie crayfish burrows, evaluating distribution of burrows and their proximity to wetlands, soil units, and management stands. The students used their geodatabase to guide and document volunteer stewardship control efforts.

klaudia with robel pole

Mequon Nature Preserve had the pleasure of hosting two students, Klaudia Rixman (pictured left) and Devin Conway. The students used a monitoring device known as a Robel Pole to measure vegetation of two different height classes. Measurements and photo documentation were collected at over 200 points across the Preserve and the data will help Ecological Restoration Manager, Nick Gall and his colleagues measure the success of returning agricultural fields back to mesic hardwood forests. The students also mapped new tree and shrub plantings, bluebird nest box locations, milkweed populations, and invasive species throughout the preserve.

Assisting Kate Nelson from the UW-Milwaukee Office of Sustainability, Lily Norvold completed a mapping survey of various invasive plant species on campus property, including garlic mustard.

Under the mentorship of Ann Wollner, student Aaron Denhartigh (pictured below right) surveyed visitors to Milwaukee County's Lake Park for the nonprofit Lake Park Friends. The goal was to learn more about how many park visitors knew about Lake Park Friends or participated in any of the organization’s activities. The survey also gathered information regarding how far someone traveled, how often they visit the park, and suggestions for park improvements.

Matt Smith, Land Manager at Riveredge Nature Center, is grateful to students Cheyenne Hughes, Livia Klechefski, Christian Luster and Ryan Polasky who surveyed 177 acres of upland forest, wet forest, and Milwaukee River habitat for herbaceous invasive species. The students captured specific information important to the long term control and management of those exotic species and each population was physically marked to facilitate follow-up treatments. The students also recorded data on Wisconsin State Threatened plant species.

We would like to thank Drew, Nick, Kate, Ann and Matt for volunteering to mentor these students and for offering educational opportunities during the summer through which the students mastered new skills while honing talents gained through their University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee coursework.

Thank You To Our Most Recent 2022 Generous Sponsor!

We would like to thank our newest Early Detection Sponsor, Stantec who supports the mission of SEWISC by providing generous financial assistance.

SEWISC offers several Annual SPONSORSHIP levels and benefits. Select one that is right for you!

Please join Stantec in their support of SEWISC.

We are the only regional organization dedicated to invasive species prevention, education, management, and control in Southeastern Wisconsin

Stewardship Sign

Salutes your 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 manage 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 (especially your adjacent neighbors!).

The high-quality 9x12 inch aluminum signs are available for only $20.00 each, or two for $35.00 (price includes shipping and handling).

To order just download, complete and send a SEWISC Sign Order Form with your payment.