Garlic Mustard and Spotted Knapweed are two of the most toxic invasive plants threatening the dunes along the shores of Lake Michigan. Both can be eliminated over time if people are willing to get their hands dirty. As Garlic Mustard is now in bloom, there are “Mustard Pulls” underway all along the coast. If you live in or near the dunes or are planning a visit, please consider helping rid the sand of these long and gnarly rooted plants! Spotted Knapweed will show it's pretty but poisonous purple face midsummer. According to Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources, early detection and rapid response are the best ways to manage the spread of the many non-native, rapidly reproducing species threatening the environmental integrity of our dunes. We can help! The Midwest Invasive Species Information Network (MISIN), led by researchers of the Michigan State University Department of Entomology, is building a database of invasive plant sightings. They have created a FREE smartphone app to help people identity invasive species and report the location of these plants. For those of us who do not yet own a smartphone, information can be submitted online at http://www.misin.msu.edu. The app may be downloaded from that site as well as the App Store and Google play. According to Shaun Howard of the Nature Conservancy, comprehensive, accurate data is key to the work of the Michigan Dune Alliance, a coalition of eleven western Michigan organizations focused on developing and implementing a strategic approach to detecting, controlling, and eliminating invasive plants. “Rather than a ready-shoot-aim approach to the plants threatening the world’s largest freshwater dune system, the Dune Alliance developed a threat assessment in 2001,” Shaun recently explained to a group of us at the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. “We don’t have the resources to do everything, so our efforts are focused on surveying, treating, and monitoring the biggest threats in western Michigan’s most beautiful places.” To date, the alliance has removed baby’s-breath from over 900 acres in areas along Sleeping Bear Dunes and Michigan’s Wilderness State Park. They are also focused on eliminating and controlling the spread of phragmites, Japanese knotweed, blue lyme grass (similar in appearance to beach grass), kudzu (found in the southwestern corner of the state), and spotted knapweed. While I have resisted purchasing a smartphone, the MISIN app gives me pause. In the meantime, you will see me wandering the dunes pulling garlic mustard and spotted knapweed and noting the location of the Japanese knotweed, purple loosestrife, and phragmites advancing rapidly along the streets of my community. Feel free to join me! | The Michigan Dune Alliance Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy Leelanau Conservancy Michigan Dept. of Environmental Quality Michigan Dept. of Natural Resources Michigan Invasive Species Coalition Midwest Invasive Species Information Network National Park Service at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Outdoor Discovery Center Macatawa Greenway Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy The Nature Conservancy US Forest Service at Manistee National Forest River City Wild Ones Monday, May 18, 6:30 p.m. Seidman Park in Ada Annual Garden Mustard Fling, Spring Wildflower Walk & Native Plant Exchange For more information, visit http://rivercitywildones.org Gillette Nature Association Gillette Sand Dune Visitor Center Saturday, May 9th, 9:00 a.m. Annual native plant sale, Birds of the Dunes Hike, Nature Art for Children, and Wildflower Walks For more information, visit http://www.gillettenature.org |
3 Comments
Julie Judd
5/5/2015 08:15:45 am
As always, so interesting and informative to read your blog. We all just have to keep pulling!
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Eric Stemle
5/5/2015 08:40:52 am
Flower or weed? Native or invasive? As your brilliant photos remind us, we can't tell by looking, Mary. Thank you for the information on the app--I'll look for something that covers the Rockies. We all do our part in our own little corner, don't we?
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5/6/2015 12:26:10 pm
Thanks for writing about this! Please join us this Friday, 5/8/15 at Noon on Twitter using #talknature. This month's featured topic is #invasives and our expert answering questions will be Dr. Doug Pearsall, @ecoscigeek. Hope to see you tweeting with us!
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