Lurking invasives, a big dig and a little irony: Save the dates for these upcoming NotMISpecies webinars

Plans for the April 30 NotMISpecies webinar on tree health and climate change have hit a snag – actually, thousands of snags. The session’s presenters are among the many Michigan Department of Natural Resources staff members working to clear tree debris and assess forest damage following the devastating, unseasonal ice storm in northern Michigan. The session has been rescheduled for Aug. 27. All registrations for April have been transferred to the new date.

The monthly, hourlong webinar series will be back on track in May, providing information on invasive species programs, current research and emerging issues in the state and the Great Lakes region. Question and answer sessions and links to resources help attendees get the most out of each presentation.

Aquatic detectives

Often, invasive aquatic plants exist unseen, lurking and spreading below the waterline until they’ve grown into a major problem. Fortunately, a trained eye can find these invaders before they wreak havoc. That’s where the MiCorps Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program’s Exotic Aquatic Plant Watch comes in! Join Erick Elgin and Jo Latimore from Michigan State University Extension for “What Lies Beneath: Detecting Invasive Plants in Michigan Lakes” (9 a.m. Wednesday, May 28). The duo will reveal the training and tools available to help volunteers detect and track these underwater invaders. Hear firsthand from dedicated volunteers who have made surprising discoveries in the lakes they cherish. Whether you’re a seasoned lake steward or just getting started, this webinar will inspire you to take a closer look beneath the surface!

Can you dig it?

Hydrilla is known as one of the most difficult aquatic invasive plants to control. When it was found for the first time in Michigan in September 2023, the Michigan Invasive Species Program chose to take decisive action to eradicate it. Join project lead Billy Keiper of the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy’s Water Resources Division for “Digging in: Michigan’s Unconventional Response to Hydrilla” (9 a.m. Wednesday, June 25). Keiper will walk through the response effort from detection to the recent excavation of two private ponds. Learn about the why and how behind this extraordinary effort and the deliberation, planning and cooperation that made it possible.

Hitting the spot

Invasive spotted lanternfly, first detected in Pennsylvania in 2014, is now present in at least 18 eastern U.S. states. In Michigan, localized spotted lanternfly infestations in four southeastern counties are expected to build and spread, especially in areas where invasive tree of heaven, the insect’s preferred host, occurs. In “Spotting the Spotted Lanternfly: What to Know and What You Can Do” (9 a.m. Tuesday, July 29), Deborah McCullough, professor of forest entomology at Michigan State University, will cover spotted lanternfly’s life stages, tree of heaven identification and spotted lanternfly’s impacts on trees and people. Options for managing spotted lanternfly, if or when it arrives in your neighborhood, will be included.

Trees at risk

(Rescheduled from April 30)

Invasive insects and diseases, including hemlock woolly adelgid, beech bark disease and beech leaf disease, are taking a toll on Michigan’s forests. As if this weren’t enough, the changing climate is further stressing trees and may lead to greater impacts by both invasive and native insects and diseases. Join forest entomologist Erin Biggs and forest pathologist Simeon Wright of the DNR for “They’ll Need that Hug: How Climate Change is Increasing Native and Invasive Threats to Michigan’s Trees” (9 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 27). The duo will explain emerging issues, how they are being addressed, and which may have the biggest effect on Michigan’s forests and urban landscapes.

Recorded versions of all previous webinars are available on the NotMISpecies webpage.

Michigan’s Invasive Species Program, a collaborative effort of the departments of Natural Resources; Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy; and Agriculture and Rural Development, coordinates and supports invasive species initiatives across the state and provides support through the Michigan Invasive Species Grant Program.

Note to editors: Accompanying photos are available below for download. Caption information follows.

Rake toss: Michigan State University Extension’s Jo Latimore brings in a rake full of aquatic plants for analysis.

Spotted lanternfly: An adult invasive spotted lanternfly rests on the trunk of an invasive tree of heaven, its favorite host plant.

State awards $3.6 million for invasive species prevention and control

The state of Michigan today announced that 32 projects will share $3.6 million in funding through the Michigan Invasive Species Grant Program for efforts that address the prevention, detection, eradication and control of aquatic (water-based) and terrestrial (land-based) invasive species.

To date, over $40 million has been awarded to support 301 projects undertaken by units of government, nonprofit organizations and institutions.

The program – cooperatively implemented by the Michigan departments of Agriculture and Rural Development; Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy; and Natural Resources – has four key objectives:

• Preventing the introduction of new invasive species.
• Strengthening the statewide invasive species early detection and response network.
• Limiting the spread of recently confirmed invasive species.
• Managing and controlling widespread, established invasive species.

Projects funded this year

Grant funds will support several early detection and response efforts for several watch list invasive species – those that pose an immediate or potential threat to Michigan’s economy, environment or human health and either have never been confirmed in the wild in Michigan or have a limited known distribution:

Surveying and treating hemlock woolly adelgid on the northern edge of the infestation in Antrim, Charlevoix and Emmet counties along the Lake Michigan shoreline. Conducting surveys for hemlock woolly adelgid along the southern coastal areas of the Upper Peninsula. Using environmental DNA monitoring to detect hemlock woolly adelgid in high-priority areas and to better identify and predict the insect’s spread. Conducting survey and treatment of mile-a-minute weed infestations in Calhoun County. Tracking the progress of beech leaf disease symptoms to determine survival rates and possible resistant strains of American beech.

Funding also will support efforts to prevent the spread of invasive species:

• Improving the effectiveness of Eurasian watermilfoil chemical treatments by genetically screening milfoil populations to determine their response to commonly used and emerging herbicides.
• Building a network to enhance information about, prevention and monitoring of, and response to aquatic invasive species in northern Michigan lakes.
• Sustaining the Go Beyond Beauty program, which raises awareness of high-priority ornamental invasive species in trade, as it expands regional hubs in several cooperative invasive species management areas across the state.
• Continuing support for the Clean Boats, Clean Waters program, including its grant program and mobile boat wash crew, to educate boaters and anglers on invasive species prevention actions they can take.
• Supporting continued public reporting of invasive species detections and a growing library of identification resources and training opportunities through the Midwest Invasive Species Information Network, housed at Michigan State University.

Support in every Michigan county

This year’s grants also support 22 regional cooperative invasive species management areas, the network of partnership organizations working to manage and control invasive species, actively serving all 83 counties in the state. Each CISMA is eligible for $70,000 in annual support to provide education and technical assistance to landowners and up to $40,000 for tailored outreach and survey and treatment of high-priority invasive species. Grants to CISMAs represent nearly $1.8 million in this cycle ‒ approximately half of all MISGP awards.

Program progress

The program was initiated in 2014, when the state Legislature designated annual funding to address invasive species, with $3.6 million earmarked for grants. This support substantially enhanced Michigan’s Invasive Species Program for aquatic organisms, supported a formal program for terrestrial species and initiated the Michigan Invasive Species Grant Program.

Because of this program:

• More than 678,000 acres of land and water have been surveyed for invasive species.
• More than 56,000 acres have been treated for invasive terrestrial and aquatic plants.
• Through direct contact, including face-to-face interactions at boat washes, workshops, trainings and other events, 486,000 people have been reached with information about invasive species.
• An additional 49 million contacts were achieved through grantees’ indirect outreach efforts, including mail, newspapers, social media and handouts.

Over $8 million requested

The program began accepting grant applications for this funding cycle in September 2024. A total of 52 applications were received, requesting approximately $8.9 million in support.

The full list of grant recipients, project descriptions and award amounts is available on the Michigan Invasive Species Grant Program website at Michigan.gov/MISGP.

Michigan’s Invasive Species Program is cooperatively implemented by the Michigan departments of Agriculture and Rural Development; Environment, Great Lakes and Energy; and Natural Resources.

Note to editors: Accompanying photos are available below for download. Caption information follows.

• Sampling: DNR Forest Health Specialist Simeon Wright takes samples and photos of trees affected by beech leaf disease.
• Wash: A portable boat wash operating at Lake Ovid in Clinton County.