On:
In: 2025, AIS, aquatic invasive species, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, garlic mustard, invasive, invasive plants, Melinda Myers, Outreach and Education

Original story: Melinda Myers Invasive plants can escape the boundaries of our landscape, moving into natural spaces and waterways. They outcompete and displace native plants, degrading natural habitats, increasing the risk of soil erosion, negatively impacting water quality, and so much more. Invasive plants, like this garlic mustard, outcompete and displace native plants, [...]

The post Plan Ahead: Know What to Do to Limit Invasive Plants this Spring appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2025/04/21/plan-ahead-know-what-to-do-to-limit-invasive-plants-this-spring/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=plan-ahead-know-what-to-do-to-limit-invasive-plants-this-spring

Chris Acy

On:
In: aquatic invasive species, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, ID, invasive plants, invasive species, management, Melinda Myers, spring

Spring Is A Perfect Time to Double-Check What Plants You're Growing As spring arrives in the Fox-Wolf watershed, our backyard plants start to emerge from their winter naps. Now is the perfect time to verify what plants you have growing in your own backyard. But don't take it from us! Horticulturist Melinda Myers will [...]

The post Plants Starting to Emerge! Know What’s In Your Backyard? appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2025/03/20/plants-starting-to-emerge-know-whats-in-your-backyard/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=plants-starting-to-emerge-know-whats-in-your-backyard

Chris Acy

On:
In: aquatic invasive species, Fox-Wolf Basin, Garden, gardeners, gardening, invasive plants, landscape plants, Melinda Myers, Outreach and Education

Gardeners Create Beautiful Landscapes Free of Invasive Plants

Original Story: Melina Myers

We are finding more and more people are interested in learning about invasive plants and you have an important role in sharing the information they need. This year with the support of the UW-Madison Extension Aquatic Invasive Outreach and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, we were able to connect with over 1,100 people in the two webinars they sponsored. To me, this indicates a significant interest in making a difference as it relates to managing invasive plants in our environment. For those of you who were able to attend, we appreciate you taking the time and your efforts to share your knowledge and passion on this subject.

If you missed the webinars, the recordings are still available to watch. Here is the link to the Helping Gardeners Create a Landscape Free of Invasive Plants webinar (enter Passcode: C4UKDz!y) and download the handout. Please share this information with other influencers in your group and other organizations that may be interested in learning more.

The second webinar recording Create a Beautiful Landscape Free of Invasive Plants is housed on the Milwaukee Public Library YouTube Channel and you can download the handout. This is geared toward the general public, so please feel free to share this with anyone who wants to learn more on this subject. You can also find links to both webinars and handouts on www.MelindaMyers.com by going to the On Demand Webinars page.

This increase in interest in invasive species provides us with an opportunity to reach new gardeners and those who are unfamiliar with this problem. Many of you, like me, have been talking about invasive species for years but as you know, like any subject, it may be new to people reaching out to you for gardening and environmental information.

A recent survey showed many new and young gardeners are shopping for plants online. Although regulations for the sale, purchase, and possession of invasive species are in place, some online sellers are not aware, up-to-date, or concerned with following existing state and federal regulations. Just because the plant can be purchased does not mean it is allowed in Wisconsin. We have an opportunity to help gardeners make informed purchases to avoid creating problems in their landscapes and our natural spaces and waterways here in Wisconsin. Encourage them to visit the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources website before placing their online plant order.

When you meet with gardeners and discover any invasive plants in their landscape, start by making a connection. Keep in mind that many gardeners are not aware the plant is a problem. Let them know why management is important and how to properly dispose of the invasive plant.

Do the same when enjoying the outdoors. Watch for and report any invasive plant infestations you spot in public green spaces and natural areas to the Wisconsin DNR by emailing invasive.species@wisconsin.gov. Visit https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Invasives/report.html where you’ll find tips for documenting and reporting as well as links to other resources.

Thanks for all you do and together we can make a difference!

Photo Credit: Chris Acy

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance on our Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance Facebook page or @fox_wolf_watershed_alliance on Instagram! You can also sign-up for email updates at fwwa.org.

The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization that identifies and advocates effective policies and actions that protect, restore, and sustain water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

Reporting invasive species is a first step in containing their spread. Maintaining and restoring our waters and landscapes can reduce the impacts even when we don’t have other management options to an invasive species.

The post Landscape Plants, Gardens and Invasive Species appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2024/08/23/landscape-plants-gardens-and-invasive-species/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=landscape-plants-gardens-and-invasive-species

Chris Acy

On:
In: 2024, AIS, aquatic invasive species, beetles, biocontrol, conservation, Fox-Wolf Basin, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, FWWA, habitat, invasive plants, invasive species, purple loosestrife biocontrol, volunteer opportunity, Volunteer Spotlight, Winnebago, Winnebago Lakes

Volunteer Efforts Raising Beetles Help Reduce Invasive Purple Loosestrife

Mid-summer means long sunny days and memorable weekends on your favorite waters. But it also means the start of the blooming period of the invasive plant purple loosestrife. You might be seeing some of these plants along roadways with bright purple flowers. While a beautiful plant, purple loosestrife makes over 2.5 million seeds each year. Very quickly, these plants can start to dominate landscapes.

Luckily, there is a beetle that only eats purple loosestrife plants. These biological control beetles help to control the size and spread of purple loosestrife plants. To help increase the chances of a large beetle population each year, Fox-Wolf volunteers help to raise beetles away from predators. By the middle of summer, the raised beetles are then brought back into the wild places that are suffering from too many invasive purple loosestrife plants.

Recently, raised beetles were ready to be released! Check out some of the photos below of these beetles in action! Want to raise beetles next year? Learn more on our Volunteer page!

Photo Credit: Chris Acy

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on Twitter! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.

Winnebago Waterways is a Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance program. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization that identifies and advocates effective policies and actions that protect, restore, and sustain water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

Check out the Keepers of the Fox Program at https://fwwa.org/watershed-recovery/lower-fox-recovery/

Reporting invasive species is a first step in containing their spread. Maintaining and restoring our waters and landscapes can reduce the impacts even when we don’t have other management options to an invasive species.

The post Biocontrol Beetles Help Bump Invasive Plant appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2024/07/17/biocontrol-beetles-help-bump-invasive-plant/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=biocontrol-beetles-help-bump-invasive-plant

Chris Acy

On:
In: 2024, AIS, aquatic invasive species, Event - Non-FWWA, In your yard, invasive plants, invasive species, Melinda Myers, Outreach and Education, restoration, webinar

Horticulturist, author, and speaker Melinda Myers will discuss key invasive plants in Wisconsin, share tips on identification, provide ways to control some of the more common problem plants, and suggest alternative plants foSee attached a recent article that Bret Shaw, myself, and other collaborators recently had published in Biological Invasions. Below and attached is some text that helps explain the results of the paper that you can feel free to use in any newsletters you all provide content for. Also attached is factsheet we produced as part of this project a few years ago that covers some of the other recommendations from this project.r your landscape.  We hope you can join Melinda to learn more about this important issue.

Webinar: February 28th, 2024 6:30pm

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on X! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.

Check out the Keepers of the Fox Program at https://fwwa.org/watershed-recovery/lower-fox-recovery/

Winnebago Waterways and Keepers of the Fox are Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance programs. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization working to protect and restore water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

Reporting invasive species is a first step in containing their spread. Maintaining and restoring our waters and landscapes can reduce the impacts even when we don’t have other management options to an invasive species.

The post Free Webinar: Create a Beautiful Landscape Free of Invasive Plants appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2024/02/15/free-webinar-create-a-beautiful-landscape-free-of-invasive-plants/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=free-webinar-create-a-beautiful-landscape-free-of-invasive-plants

Chris Acy