If invasive plants aren’t managed, they can create major issues in the environment. The why and how of forming an organization to address the problem will be presented at the April 10, 2024 Friends of the Black River meeting.
The meeting will be held in The Hub at the Lunda Community Center beginning at 6:30 p.m. The program is free and the public is encouraged to attend.
Two plant specialists with Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources, Erika Segerson-Mueller and Mackenzie Manicki, will present the program about forming Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas (CISMAs).
CISMAs are regional organizations that can be formed in one county or span several counties. Often non-profit groups, those forming the management area organization serve as the “boots on the ground” to work on eradicating invasive species in their regions.
“CISMAs are great local resources for tool shares, outreach events, landowner workdays and invasive species education,” said Segerson-Mueller. “Attend this informative presentation to learn how Jackson County could benefit from forming a CISMA, the steps to starting a local group and what other Wisconsin CISMAs are achieving in their regions.”
Segerson-Mueller is an Invasive Plant Program Specialist on the Forest Health Team in the Division of Forestry for the Wisconsin DNR. She creates outreach and educational materials for invasive plant species and issues, works on invasive plants in the field and with Wisconsin’s Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas (CISMAs).
Mackenzie Manicki is an Invasive Plant Specialist focusing primarily on terrestrial invasive plants in the Bureau of Natural Heritage Conservation of the Wisconsin DNR. Her background is in boots-on-the-ground invasive plant management. She helps coordinate invasive species teams both within the DNR and externally, creates educational outreach materials and presentations and works with non-profit partners such as the CISMAs.
More information about Friends of the Black River and the program is available by emailing info_fbr@yahoo.com or via Message on FBR’s Facebook page.