Southeastern Wisconsin Invasive Species Consortium, Inc.

SEWISC

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2023 Garlic Mustard Pull-A-Thon

Raise funds for your local group by pulling invasive plants

It’s time to get outside to pull together and raise funds during our annual Garlic Mustard Pull-A-Thon. Now in its eleventh year, the event encourages folks across southeastern Wisconsin to protect their local woodlands by pulling this invasive plant. More people are participating each year, so spread the word and join us to help stop the spread of garlic mustard!

This is a terrific opportunity to raise funds for your own organization as well as our regional efforts to fight invasive species. You can form a team, join a team and donate to your favorite team. Our 2023 goal is to reach a multi-year milestone of 100 TONS pulled! We are only 14,347 pounds short of that achievement. Our teams have fun together while protecting natural areas from invasive plant damage. Securing pledges is easy; sponsors can donate directly through our website. Pullers are encouraged to ask friends, family and others to support their efforts in caring for the land.

The pull-a-thon is also a competition, so the team that rises to the top by June 30, 2023 will earn bragging rights and take home the legendary traveling trophy. Half of all proceeds go to participating organizations that raise funds, and half go to SEWISC. All funds will be used for invasive species education, prevention and control in southeastern Wisconsin. Contributions are tax-deductible.

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Here are our Annual Pull-A-Thon objectives (yea, let’s DO THIS!):

  • Promote repeated control and proper disposal of garlic mustard and dame’s rocket in our parks and natural areas.
  • Promote public awareness of invasive species issues.
  • Share control methods and best management practices with landowners and managers and strengthen local volunteer efforts.
  • Raise educational funds for SEWISC and our partner organizations.

Visit 2023 Garlic Mustard Pull-A-Thon for more information.

Join Volunteer Opportunities in Your Neighborhood

Check out our web-based workday calendar!

Let’s get outside again this spring with friends, family and co-workers and help to improve our neighborhood natural areas! You can find opportunities on our web-based Volunteer Workday calendar. Easily view the calendar by choosing Volunteer Calendar under the Volunteer tab on our website home page and selecting any of the eight counties located in our region. Click on a posted event to access additional workday details such as location, time and contact information. Join the opportunities in your neighborhood!

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If your organization would like to advertise an event on the calendar, simply click Work Days Event Submission Form under the Volunteer tab on our website home page.  Make sure you include: 1) the name of your event, 2) date and time, 3) location with address, and 4) contact information. SEWISC Staff and volunteers will receive your event submission and post the information to our calendar as soon as possible.

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Invasive Plant Management Workshops

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Many people in southeastern Wisconsin work to control exotic invasive plants in our natural areas. During 2023, SEWISC will team with Johnson’s Nursery, Inc.TM and Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin to offer our Invasive Plant Management Workshops. Take this class to ensure that you are using the most appropriate, efficient, up-to-date, and least environmentally damaging methods in your control efforts.

This is a hands-on, bring-your-own lunch class, limited to 20 students to provide excellent instruction. After an introduction to the general ecology of the five functional groups of invasive plants (shrubs, perennial forbs, clonal perennials, grasses, and annuals/biennials), we discuss, demonstrate, and practice all applicable control methods (chemical and non-chemical) for these five plant types.

Workshop topics include:

  • Identification of our common and relatively new invaders
  • Planning and strategy for an effective control program
  • Use of hand tools and herbicide application methods
  • Herbicide concentrations, mixing, and safety
  • Restoration strategies for badly infested sites
  • Native planting suggestions for continued restoration
  • Record keeping
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Spring/Summer Workshop
Saturday, June 3, 2023
9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Ellwood H. May Environmental Park (Maywood)
3615 Mueller Rd, Sheboygan, WI 53083
Instructor: Dr. James Reinartz

Workshop fee: $60.00

Workshop class size is limited and classes fill fast, so mark your calendar!

Registration for the June 3 workshop will open on May 1, 2022.

Can’t make the June workshop? Save the date for our Fall class on Saturday, September 9 at:

Kenosha County Center  19600 75th Street, Bristol, WI 53140

SEWISC Sign Salutes Individual Efforts

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Even modest efforts can make a substantial 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.

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. 

Order now and post on your property to kick off your 2023 management season!

SEWISC Board of Directors

2023 brought the sad departure of valued Director, Julia Robson, who served on the Board for a total of 9 years. First elected as a Student Board Member in 2012, Julia’s professional expertise and leadership quickly placed her on the Board Executive Committee. After a brief sabbatical from 2016-2017, Julia was recruited and re-elected in 2018, resuming her Board leadership role along with her commitment and passion for the SEWISC mission. Julia continues acting as our social media volunteer and we are grateful for her service!

Join us in welcoming our newest Director, Danielle Bell, who joined our Board in January and will serve an initial three-year term. Danielle’s passion for the outdoors started as a small child exploring the natural world with her parents. This love and excitement grew with her through college where she received a BS in Conservation and Environmental Sciences and a BS in Architectural Design.

Danielle has worked in the green industry for 10 years with multiple landscape companies to manage properties composed of a variety of native habitats. Watching the delicate and unique interactions between native flora and fauna strengthened her passion for the natural world and led her to start her company with the focus of reintroducing native plants into the landscape fabric of our cities and suburbs. Danielle enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and daughter hiking and camping throughout our beautiful state.

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Thank You to Our New 2023 Generous Sponsors!

We would like to thank our new 2023 Sponsors who support the mission of SEWISC by providing generous financial assistance

Rapid Response Sponsor:

Johnson’s Nursery, Inc.

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Early Detection Sponsors:

Native Niche, LLC

Resource Environmental Solutions, LLC

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SEWISC offers several SPONSORSHIP levels and benefits.

Select one that is right for you!

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Join Johnson’s Nursery, Inc,  Native Niche, LLC and Resource Environmental Solutions, LLC in their support of SEWISC, the only regional organization dedicated to invasive species prevention, education, management, and control in Southeastern Wisconsin.

Manage Invasive Species With Style

Check out the SEWISC Store

Kick off your 2023 invasive species management season with some flair while helping your team pull garlic mustard and dames rocket or cutting and treating buckthorn on your property. Choose from many fun adult and youth t-shirt sizes and colors. Don’t forget to add a SEWISC coffee mug to your shopping cart!

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