LISMA August 2026 Newsletter
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| Dear Readers,
The Lakeshore Invasive Species Management Area (LISMA) is a broad-based coalition that promotes efficient and effective management of invasive plant and animal species throughout the four county region of Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Calumet, and Fond du Lac counties.
In 2023, Glacierland RC&D received funding through the USDA’s Forest Service to serve as the LISMA’s administrative coordinator. This grant cycle ended on August 15, 2026. |
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| Due to significant funding changes, Glacierland RC&D was not able to secure costs to continue coordinating this position.
One of LISMA’s goals during this grant period included creating “Treatment 101” videos on 8 common invasive species found across Eastern Wisconsin. These species included: Bush Honeysuckle, Common Buckthorn, Garlic mustard, Japanese barberry, Japanese knotweed, Phragmites, Purple loosestrife and Wild parsnip. These videos have been uploaded to Glacierland RC&D’s youtube page which can be found by clicking here: Invasive Species Treatment 101 Video Series. |
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| We encourage all of you to share this series with your local communities. To see a full list of LISMA goals accomplished, scroll further down to have a look.
Thank you so much for being a part of the Lakeshore Invasive Species Management Area community for the past three years. I have had a great time working with all member organizations and sharing updates with you as we completed our regional work to help prevent the further spread of invasive species. |
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| LISMA would not have been possible without the help of all member organizations listed below. If you have any questions or know of any funding opportunities to continue LISMA’s work, please contact Valerie O’Connor at valerie@glacierlandrcd.org. |
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- Raised public awareness about invasive species in the LISMA region by hosting educational workshops and publishing quarterly newsletters for our subscribers.
- Prevented the introduction and spread of invasive species through early detection and rapid response.
- Trained and taught over 25 college students how to identify and manage invasive species through our Summer Invasive Species Management Internship.
- Completed over 462 acres of invasive Phragmites re-treatments in LISMA region.
- Addressed known populations of invasive species utilizing Integrated Invasive Species Management methods where appropriate.
- Enhanced collaboration among all stakeholders involved with LISMA.
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| Glacierland RC&D served as the host for the LISMA Facebook Page and posted all relevant LISMA events, updates, posts and newsletters from the Glacierland Facebook Page.
To stay updated on Glacierland RC&D’s future invasive species projects, please like and follow Glacierland RC&D on Facebook. |
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| The LISMA held a Phragmites DIY Field Day on Thursday, July 23rd. The event was hosted at the Manitowoc County Soil, Water and Conservation Department Director, Dave Wetenkamp’s private residence in Manitowoc County. A total of 34 people were in attendance with audience members including private landowners, partner organizations, contractors and students all with |
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one goal in mind: what are best methods used for controlling invasive Phragmites and how can we manage it on our own property?
The event began with a comparative identification presentation between native and non-native Phragmites led by Melissa Curran, an Environmental Scientist/Botanist from Stantec. The audience had the opportunity to see both specimens up close to learn key differences. The event then moved into the technical presentation where Michael Barger, an Ecological Restoration Project Coordinator with Stantec showed the audience how to properly and safely mix chemicals and use equipment. After discussions with the audience members, Michael performed a live demonstration of control using a backpack sprayer.
The field day then transitioned into the final portion of the event where all audience members took a walk through Dave’s property while he talked about restoration methods he implemented to increase native populations after removal of phragmites.
We received positive feedback from audience members appreciating both the educational and technical presentations. If you would like to learn more about phragmites management in Eastern Wisconsin, please contact Lakeshore Natural Resource Partnership’s (LNRP) Program Director, Patricia Scuglik at patricia@lnrp.org or 262-623-8235.
If you are interested in requesting Phragmites treatment on your property, please contact Melissa Curran at Melissa.Curran@stantec.com or 920-841-1072. |
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Aquatic Invasive Species Snapshot Day
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| On Saturday, August 8th, Glacierland RC&D hosted Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Snapshot Day in Kewaunee County. Snapshot Day is a statewide, one-day event connecting volunteers, water lovers, and local conservation groups in a search for AIS. On this day, volunteers will learn how to identify target AIS and follow search protocols. They then visit multiple waterbodies throughout the county to monitor and potentially observe new AIS to be reported to the DNR for future management plans. This year, 5 locations were monitored in Manitowoc County including: Krohns Lake, East Alaska Lake, West Alaska Lake, and two separate locations along the Kewaunee River.
We are happy to report that volunteers found 0 new AIS within the lakes and rivers monitored this year. This data has been recorded into the statewide database and our partners at University of Wisconsin Madison Division of Extension are working diligently to summarize statewide results.
We’d like to give a shout out to the volunteers that helped with this event and we hope to see you next year! |
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| As we enter the late summer months, you may be noticing blooming Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria).
Purple loosestrife is an Eurasian plant introduced to North America by early settlers for both medicinal and ornamental uses. It is a perrennial plant that can live up to 10 years in the wild while increasingly growing denser each year.
Purple Loosestrife is a serious invader of many types of Wisconsin wetlands, including wet meadows, prairie potholes, river and stream banks, lake shores, tidal and nontidal marshes, and ditches. It can quickly form dense stands that completely dominate the area excluding native vegetation.
Purple loosestrife affects these communities by dominating banks of rivers and steams beating out native sedges and grasses that have deeper root systems that |
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| efficiently control erosion. From late June to September, the flowers bloom from the bottom of the flower spike to the top. Each plant can have up to 50 stems topped with flower spikes. Flowers are closely attached to the stem with five to six pink-rose to purple colored petals making them easily identifiable during bloom. They have long, narrow, lance-shaped leaves, typically 1.25- 4 inches long with smooth (entire) edges. They are arranged oppositely on the stem or in whorls of three, often rotating 90 degrees at each node.
Purple loosestrife is a restricted species on the Wisconsin NR40 list meaning, it is a known non-native species in the state that has fully established itself in many parts of the state. This means that landowners are not required to eradicate this species on their property but are highly encouraged to maintain and control it to reduce further spread. |
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| Control
Mechanical:
Hand pulling can be effective but only for young plants in soft soils. When hand pulling it is esential to dig/pull out the entire root system out of the ground. The best time of year to do this is in June-August before the seed heads are ready for dispersal.
Chemical: Foliar spray is an effective method when removing purple loosestrife. For maximum effectiveness, spray chemical onto the plant as soon as the flowers begin to emerge in July – September. This will significantly reduce seed production.
If you would like to learn more about specific chemical usage or how to combine both chemical and mechanical methods to control, view this Purple loosestrife Management Brochure created by the University of Wisconsin-Extension and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Biological: Biocontrol offers effective and environmentally sound control of purple loosestrife without herbicides. Two “Cella” beetle species (Galerucella calmariensis and G. pusilla) provide highly effective control by feeding on leaves and shoots. They are easy to rear, place where they are needed and will spread to new locations on their own. They successfully decrease the vigor, size and seed output of purple loosestrife, allowing native plants to grow and compete.
If you would like to learn more about the Purple loosestrife Biocontrol Efforst in Wisconsin, click here. |
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Prevention Steps
- The best method of prevention is by controlling any known populations using control options listed above.
- Focus on early detection and prevention measures like removing the entire root system or treating with chemical before seeding.
- DO NOT COMPOST. Collect seeds, removed plants, or dead plants, and place them in a trash bag and dispose of them at a landfill.
- Properly clean boots and equipment used in areas with known populations of Purple loosestrife to prevent further spread.
- Do NOT buy, sell, or plant Wild parsnip in Wisconsin; it is illegal.
Sources: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and University of Wisconsin-Extension |
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| LISMA is a program of Glacierland RC&D. Glacierland RC&D is a nonprofit, grass-roots organization that is committed to wise use and conservation of our natural resources and human resources. We promote sustainability on all levels – environmental, social and economic. This is accomplished by bringing together various agencies, organizations, and people to work on projects addressing issues of sustainability in eastern Wisconsin.
Glacierland RC&D | P.O. Box 126, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538
(920) 465-3006 | Email | Website |
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