Invasive Plants Association of Wisconsin

              

               The program I have chosen is one that is run through the Invasive Plans Association of Wisconsin or IPAW. First off it is important to know a little bit about this association. IPAW was founded in Eau Claire in 2001. It was started with a few citizens concerned with the problem of invasive plant species in and entering Wisconsin and quickly gained popularity. It is now a very big program that works in the fight against invasive species. People from all over Wisconsin associate themselves with this group. 

                The group has it’s own bylaws listed on their site for it’s members. The group essentially looks for people who are interested in helping protect our state from the negative consequences of invasive plant species. This group does have board members and presidents in charge of them that help promote and keep the program running smoothly. Their members are there to promote and find funding for their fight against invasive. You can find the bylaws in the “About Us” tab in the “Governance” option at ipaw.org. IPAW relies on donations and fundraisers to keep their program running. IPAW is currently working with the herbarium at UW-Madison and the DNR on the Wisconsin Invasive Plant Reporting and Prevention Project. This project is made in hopes of eradicating certain species in Wisconsin and is funded by a grant from the EPA.

                IPAW looks to educate citizens on the dangers of invasive plants in Wisconsin and they work in close connection with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.. They provide information on invasive plant species so that people can identify and recognize them. But IPAW is not just looking to help people understand invasive plant species, they are looking to find solutions. Solutions from IPAW include ways in which to treat these invasive species. They offer manuals and educational resources to help teach people how to best manage invasive plant species.  Including removal and use of herbicides. They encourage people to come together and even offer funding and grants for groups interested in the removal of invasive that need help in doing so.

Garlic Mustard

                But what is even more interesting is they offer bounties for the reporting of prohibited invasive plant species in Wisconsin. A bounty is a reward/incentive for people who help in the cause. The bounty system works in correlation with the Early Detection Rapid Response to halt or even eradicate invasive plant species in Wisconsin with the plants listed as “prohibited” by the DNR. The prohibited plants are listed and covered by the WI DNR NR 40 rule. These plants are the kind that are not yet established in the area and can cause great harm to our land. The bounty program with IPAW encourages people to look for and report such invasive species in return for a reward. For even having a photograph of these prohibited species a person can ear $25 and if you can obtain the specimen you will earn $50. Sort of like how in the wild-west you could get money for turning in a bad guy “dead or alive” but in this case, the bad guys are the invasive plant species!

Sources:

ipaw.org

http://ipaw.org/TheSolution/Prevention/EDRR/InvasivePlantBounty.aspx

http://ipaw.org/TheSolution/Planning/FundingOpportunities.aspx

http://ipaw.org/TheSolution/Prevention/EDRR.aspx

Beaver Island

By Nick Durham

Blog Post 3

This blog post will cover the Beaver Island Association Endangered & Invasive Species Management Initiative, which is an example of network governance. Beaver Island is located in Lake Michigan between the upper and lower Michigan peninsulas. It contains the city of St. James as well as a number of smaller surrounding islands.
The Beaver Island Association itself is a non-state actor that is dedicated to preserving the natural beauty of Beaver Island, fostering sensible economic policies that ensure preservation of the environment and promoting environmental conservation. Its conservation activities include proposing environmental policies, collaborating with tribes/NGO's/government agencies/schools, sponsoring conservation education programs, performing beach and campground cleanups, and assisting with forest fire prevention. The Beaver Island Association acts as a key member in a network of governance for the Beaver Island region.

Beaver Island Association’s Endangered & Invasive Species Management Initiative is a network approach to tackling the problem of invasive species. Its four stated goals are the education of property owners and visitors, taking an inventory of all endangered and high threat invasive species on the island, recruiting a so-called Early Detection Rapid Response force to treat infestations, and the rehabilitation of natural areas through the eradication of invasive species. Beaver Island Association has been working in direct partnership with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the Michigan Natural Features Inventory, the Nature Conservancy, and the LittleTraverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians on the initiative.

Phragmites are common invasive reeds.

The highest threat terrestrial invasive species on Beaver Island include phragmites (pictured), autumn olive, scotch pine, marsh thistle, spotted knapweed, purple loosestrife, giant hogweed, Japanese knotweed, garlic mustard and black locust.

Sources:

http://www.beaverislandassociation.org/invasives-2/

http://www.beaverislandassociation.org/


Image Sources:

http://www.midwestconnection.org/Harbors/images/region_maps/beaver_island_hb.jpg

http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/phragmites/phragmites-seed-head-late-fall.jpg

Foraging for Invasives

Working restaurants since I was fifteen has instilled an interest in food in me. When I came across Eattheinvaders.org, I found that it was a perfect example of network governance while also hinting at some perspectives of market governance. The site is suggests that to defeat invasive species, both terrestrial and aquatic, we can eat them.

There are a couple different actors that form the network of the site. The editor of the site, Joe Roman, is a  conservation biologist and researcher for Ecological Economics at UVM. Deborah Gregor an author who has published multiple books on foraging. Caitlin Campbell, who comes up with the recipes for the site, and Fred Gates, who designs it.

To make this a little more local they include maps on their site so you would be able to see which ones are in Wisconsin. The site is also very good from an educational standpoint. They show a timeline of when each species was introduced to North America. They also have information on recipes, benefits to eating them, and information on identifying the species safely.

Market approaches that stem off of this from other articles bring up the point of using edible invasive species as a food source. Some approaches for market governance believe that invasive species could cause profit while also reducing the amount of invasive species. Some opponents to this bring up a very good point that making a market for them would create value and would then cause us to not want these invasive species. Some environmentalists have called using invasive species for food “a free weeding service.”

Many chefs and restaurant groups have been working to make invasive species more trendy so they can be put on restaurant’s menus. Mitchell Davis, who is the vice president of James Beard Foundation, has said that invasive species in the past such as dandelion greens are becoming “must have items” in restaurants. Though I am focusing on terrestrial species I do feel it is important to briefly mention that invasive fish  also have had this impact. 

   

Current ways of managing invasive species can be some trouble to the environment. Herbicides that are used to maintain invasive species can be trouble to the environment. Eating the invasive species would prevent these negative side effects.

There is also another side to this situation. Ensia.com wrote an article giving 4 reasons on why eating invasive species could be a bad idea. Some argue that eating invasive species will not put much of a dent into the population of invasive species. Another argument is that creating a market for invasive species will focus more on the financial benefits than the actual removal of the species, making the reason to change from not eating them to get rid of them but to keep them there for a monetary value. Others worry about invasive species becoming a cultural icon like the wild boar in Hawaii. There is already a federal law that prohibits the transport of invasive species. 

I do think there is some merit to eating invasive species if they are already there. I also think it important to listen to the opponents of this method because this is both a complex problem and eating them also brings up new issues. Eattheinvaders.org is a good example of a network educating people and it also got me interested in the market for invasive species.      

-Example of map from site showing where to find certain species. This one being garlic mustard.

Sources:

http://eattheinvaders.org/category/news-reviews/

http://ensia.com/articles/when-conservation-means-killing/

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/10/science/earth/10fish.html?_r=0

http://ensia.com/voices/why-eating-invasive-species-is-a-bad-idea/

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-top-chef-s-recipes-for-eating-invasive-species/

Blog Post 2-Invasive Species Identification, Classification, and Control Rule- Wisconsin Administrative Code Chapter NR40

            One of the most well-known laws against invasive species in Wisconsin is the Invasive Species Identification, Classification, and Control Rule- Wisconsin Administrative Code Chapter NR40. This makes the possession, the transportation, the transferring, and the introduction of invasive species illegal without permission.

            This law breaks down invasive species into different categories, prohibited and restricted. Prohibited species are not allowed at all and have a much more rigid penalty. Prohibited species are likely not yet in the state or are here in very little quantities but have the likelihood of becoming a devastating problem. The control of these types of species is absolutely required. Restricted species can be allowed but only with permission. One may get permission for instance if they are using an invasive to educate others on them and need to set an example. Restricted species are usually those that are already well established in the state. The control of these species is not lawfully required but is certainly encouraged. The law is set in the hopes of getting citizens involved in the fight against invasive species in Wisconsin.

            One of the goals of this law is to prevent new invasive species from making their way in to Wisconsin territory. Preventative measures are important in the fight against invasive species. As it is known that invasive species are becoming much more prominent and making their way up this way from the south. The climate change is a bit contributor to the ability of these species making their ways here. The other goal is to control invasive species that are already here. People are held responsible for the species on their private land and if they introduce a species they can be fined. The law also incorporates preventative measures. This includes requiring vehicular owners both land and marine to rid their property of any plant or animal matter it                                                                     has picked up.

            This law was recently updated this year to include more invasive species to look out for. This update also includes the statuses of invasive species located here as the spread of them is constantly changing as the environment does. The law looks into eradicating or at the very least controlling the invasive species populations in Wisconsin. Proper management of invasive species is a very important goal.

            The leading actor of this law would be the Wisconsin Department of Natural resources. They are the ones who helped in revising and implementing the law in place. They are the ones who are allowed on to lands for surveying the invasive species and also punishing those who don’t abide by it. The DNR provides plenty of information on the invasive species they are targeting and what to look out for. They also provide the education and rules so that people don’t break this law. This law applies to all of the land and waterways in Wisconsin. And the great part about it is it is always subject to change and revision as more invasive species come this way and as they spread.

Sources:

 http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/invasives/documents/NR40GuideGeneral.pdf

http://www.agriview.com/briefs/regional/wisconsin-changes-invasive-species-law/article_86b69124-1a93-52c3-aefc-5a23246b7607.html

http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/invasives/classification.html

By Nick Durham

Blog Post 2

This blog post will cover the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Chapter NR 40 Invasive Species Rule. NR 40 dates back to 2001, when the Wisconsin state legislature voted to create a program to control the unending tide of disruptive invasive species. The rule criminalizes the possession, transportation and introduction of explicitly stated invasive species in the state of Wisconsin. The list of prohibited invasive species (which also includes aquatic species) includes the fungus responsible for white nose syndrome in bats, wild boar, feral domestic pigs, parrots and parakeets, and an immense list of invasive plant species.

A map depicting the range of invasive Japanese knotweed by county in Wisconsin. All green counties have confirmed sightings. (source: http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Invasives/images/DistMaps/Polygonum_cuspidatum_259x278.jpg)

 The stated goal of NR 40 is to combat the spread of assorted invasive species throughout Wisconsin. WIDNR has been enforcing NR 40 through the use of a so-called "stepped enforcement" program, which involves public education sessions, voluntary compliance, and also direct enforcement through law enforcement and Department officials. Everyone is required to comply with the rule including businesses and NGO's. Citizens are required to take precautions to prevent the spread of invasive species, most commonly prudently inspecting vehicles and watercraft for the presence of hitchhiking lifeforms and effecting their removal. If an organization or individual is found in violation of NR 40, they will be first asked to take removal measures on their own. If individual action is not taken, the DNR will take action with a warrant and effect control measures, of which the guilty party is responsible for all costs.

Conservation officers make use of trained dogs to detect the presence of zebra mussels and other invasive species hitchhiking on watercraft. (source: http://stmedia.startribune.com/images/5504INVASIVE071114.JPG)

NR 40 differentiates between prohibited and restricted invasive species. Prohibited invasive species are species that have not yet spread into Wisconsin and have the potential to cause environmental/economic harm. Transportation, possession, transference and introduction of prohibited species is outlawed. Restricted species on the other hand are invasive species that already have a heavy presence in Wisconsin and have a low likelihood of being eradicated. Transport, transference and introduction are still tightly controlled, but possession is not illegal with the exception of fish or crayfish. 

Stations like this aid in the enforcement of laws like NR 40. (Source: http://www.nonaiswa.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/July-2010-Plants-Checkpoint-MT-010.jpg)

Sources:

 http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/invasives/classification.html

http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/invasives/documents/NR40GuideGeneral.pdf