Invasive species are bad for Michigan's economy, environment, and human health.
Invasive species can be animals, plants, fungus or bacteria and are consider invasive when they are introduced to an area where they have historically not been found and outcompete or cause harm to the native habitat, human health or the economy.
Often times invasive species travel due to human system whether on purpose because someone thought it would be good for wildlife, control erosion, or as an ornamental species in a garden. Alternatively, the organism hitches a ride on one of the many shipping routes and settles at points along the way.
Creating awareness before it becomes a problem that is too hard to control is a key objective to organization involved in conservation. If an invasive species is present in a region the next goal becomes containment and population control using chemical, mechanical, or biological methods. In short these methods of control involve a type of pesticide application (chemical), physical removal of the organism (mechanical) or using a natural predator or deterrent (biological). Through education we can also encourage cultural methods for long term control, which can include campaigns such as don’t move firewood, establishing no pruning windows to prevent disease, grazing animals, and weed prevention tools for gardening such as mulching, and weed barriers.
If management options are not taken quickly an invasive species can be become too established for widespread control to be cost-effective. Focus then is turn to private landowners taking on these techniques focusing on their individual parcels and only using major resources to protect sensitive or vital habitats.
Scroll down to see what species we are actively managing in Barry, Calhoun and Kalamazoo Counties.
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Barry-Calhoun-Kalamazoo Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (BCK CISMA) works with partners throughout the tri-county region to educate, survey, prioritize, and treat invasive species. Education and consultations are available for no charge.
Funded by Michigan Invasive Species Grant Program (MISGP)
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EQIP provides financial and technical assistance to plan and implement conservation practices, including brush management, that address natural resource concerns to improve forest health, wildlife habitat, soil, water, and air quality. One of USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS): Farm Bill Programs
Species abundance over time and the likelihood of eradication
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Early Detection Species
These species are either new to the area or have high ecological and/or economical threat and could be treated by the local CISMA. Report any sightings to the BCK CISMA Coordinator or using the Midwest Invasive Species Information Network (MISIN) Reporting Software.
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Mile-A-Minute Weed
This prickly vine can grow 6 inches per day and take over forests and edge habitat. This annual plant is self fertile and doesn’t rely on pollinators. Each individual vine can produce up to 3,500 seeds in a year. Easily identified by its perfect triangle shaped leaves, small barbs on the stem and metallic-blue berries.
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Red Swamp Crayfish
this species although native to Louisiana has been found in Michigan and can prolifically reproduce, predating on native fish and their eggs and increase stream bank erosion with their dense clusters of burrows. Red swamp crayfish can be identified by the red bumps on there claws and space between there carapace plates. They can be bright red or a dark green color.
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Chinese Yam
a fast growing vine that can take over forest edges and stream banks. This species can create a monoculture and chokes out trees. Noted for it’s fiddle shaped leaves and fruit called air potatoes.
PC: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
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Pale and Black Swallowworts
these plants are of concern because they choke out native habitats and are poisonous to many moth and butterfly species such as monarch butterflies. Known for it’s seed pods that resemble milkweed pods and small flowers that are either black-purple or pink-white.
PC: Emma Erler, University of New Hampshire and Rob Routledge, Sault College, Bugwood.org
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Phragmites
Reaching heights of 15 feet tall this plant can grow in dense stands taking over entire bays on lake edges. Easily identified by bushy seed heads that can be seen through winter. This plant has a rhizome root system and can take many years to kill.
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Knotweed Species
Three species are found in Michigan, but they all have stems that are bamboo-like with segmented hallow shoots. Giant heart shaped leaves and wispy white flowers. Knotweed is capable of growing through asphalt and home foundations. This plant has a rhizome root system and can take many years to kill.
This plant can regrow from an inch of live tissue and should not be mowed.
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Flowering Rush
is a type of aquatic grass with long triangle blades and clusters of pink flowers. This plant enjoys slow moving water and is know to clog ditches and disrupt fish spawning habitat.
PC: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
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Giant Hogweed
Once full grown it is hard to miss the Giant Hogweed on average reaching a height of 14 feet with oversize leaves and large cluster of tiny white flowers, similar to Queen Anne’s lace.
This plant is hazardous to human skin and should not be touched without protection.
PC: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
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Blue Lyme Grass
is known to inhabit beaches and dunes preferring sandy soils. This plant is characteristically blue in color compared to other dune grasses.
Also known as Sand Ryegrass
PC: Nisa Karimi, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Bugwood.org
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Parrot Feather
an aquatic emergent plant with dense leaf whorls, each leaf the shape of a feather, tiny white flowers at the base of each leaf. This can fill ponds and lakes making it impossible for wildlife and recreation.
PC: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
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Water Lettuce
a free floating rosette of light green thick leaves with feathery roots extending deep into the water. This plant can crowd out ponds preventing sunlight from entering water, affecting the oxygen levels for organisms below.
PC: Troy Evans, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Bugwood.org