Field Trips and Workshops
The line up of field trip and workshop offerings at UMISC 2022 provides a diversity of exciting learning opportunities for anyone involved with invasive species management. Workshops and field trips will be held in the afternoon on Tuesday, October 25, 2022. Concurrent sessions will be available for conference attendees who do not wish to participate in a field trip.
Are you already registered but would like to add a field trip? Use the direct links below.
Workshops are being offered free of charge. Field trips do require an additional fee.
Read below for field trip and workshop details.
Are you already registered but would like to add a field trip? Use the direct links below.
Workshops are being offered free of charge. Field trips do require an additional fee.
Read below for field trip and workshop details.
Field Trips
Beyond Cherries and Lighthouses: Landscapes of the Door Peninsula
Leaders: Jake Koebernik (WI DNR) and Tina Lee (Door County Land Trust)
Duration: 4.5 hours
Activity Level: Medium
Cost: $50
REGISTER
Door Peninsula is famous for more than scrumptious cherries and beaming lighthouses. You’ll travel northward to explore unique landscapes of the Door Peninsula that were developing long before tourists flocked to this vacation destination. Red Banks Alvar State Natural Area hosts the rare alvar community that occurs on flat limestone or dolomitic bedrock with shallow soils. We’ll explore the State Natural Area and see its distinctive blend of boreal, southern, and prairie species. Then, we’ll travel further up the peninsula to the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Nature Preserve. Located on the shores of Lake Michigan, the Nature Preserve features the beautiful ridge-swale landscape along the shoreline, home to rare and threatened species.
Go With the Flow for Wetland Restoration
Leaders: Shannon Davis-Foust (UW-Oshkosh) and Katie Reed (Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance)
Duration: 4.5 hours
Activity level: Medium
Cost: $50
REGISTER
Enjoy breath-taking views of waterfowl and other wildlife while learning about the "restoration of the restoration" of the 1,200-acre wetland on Lake Butte des Morts at Terrell's Island. The Winnebago Upper River Pool Lakes were once vast wetland with rivers snaking through reed beds. These wetlands were gradually lost due to raising water levels for navigation. For the past 30 years, this area has been managed to restore native wetland habitat, but invasive cattails, Phragmites, and pelicans kept winning. Come learn about the intriguing history of this area and the latest adaptive restoration strategies.
EAB to EFB: Responding to Invasive Species Across Habitats
Leaders: Derek Thorn (FLOW: Florence Langlade Oconto Waterways) and Colleen Matula (WI DNR)
Duration: 4 hours
Activity level: Medium
Cost: $40
REGISTER
The Green Bay West Shores State Wildlife Area is comprised of more than 10 management units across 9,000 acres. Come explore some of the “cherry-picked” units chosen to showcase responses to invasive species challenges, reinforcing the importance of cross-disciplinary action! In 2021, European frogbit (EFB, Hydrocharis morsus-ranae) was discovered in the Wildlife Area. We’ll visit the EFB site and learn about the multi-partner response to this Wisconsin Prohibited species. After drying off our feet, we’ll hike two forested areas where tree mortality from emerald ash borer (EAB, Agrilus planipennis) has spurred a new underplanting project. We’ll learn about the assessment and planning process for responding to ash mortality and plans for future management.
Planting for Pollinators and Adaptive Phragmites Management
Leader: Amy Carrozzino-Lyon (UW-Green Bay) and Bobbie Webster (UW-Green Bay)
Duration: 3 hours
Activity level: Medium
Cost: $40
REGISTER
Public recognition for the need for more pollinator habitat is rising, but pollinator habitat restoration has been happening for a long time! Explore one of UW-Green Bay’s pollinator plantings and learn about their management journey at different sites over time. We’ll tour the newly created 75-acre Wequiock Creek Natural Area just upstream of estuarine wetlands, which includes newly-installed pollinator plantings.
Invasive Phragmites gained a strong foothold in Wisconsin’s Lake Michigan basin by the early 2000s and presents an ongoing challenge to coastal wetland restoration in Lower Green Bay. An interagency partnership including Ducks Unlimited, UW-Green Bay, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and US Fish and Wildlife Service collaborates on Phragmites management and wetland restoration efforts at several Green Bay west shore wetlands. We’ll stop at a publicly accessible site, Ken Euers Nature Area, to highlight recent Phragmites management activities, restoration of native wetland vegetation, including Manoomin (wild rice), and involvement of local community members and students in restoration and outreach. Prepare for a short trail walk. Don’t forget your binoculars to spot migrating waterfowl!
Leaders: Jake Koebernik (WI DNR) and Tina Lee (Door County Land Trust)
Duration: 4.5 hours
Activity Level: Medium
Cost: $50
REGISTER
Door Peninsula is famous for more than scrumptious cherries and beaming lighthouses. You’ll travel northward to explore unique landscapes of the Door Peninsula that were developing long before tourists flocked to this vacation destination. Red Banks Alvar State Natural Area hosts the rare alvar community that occurs on flat limestone or dolomitic bedrock with shallow soils. We’ll explore the State Natural Area and see its distinctive blend of boreal, southern, and prairie species. Then, we’ll travel further up the peninsula to the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Nature Preserve. Located on the shores of Lake Michigan, the Nature Preserve features the beautiful ridge-swale landscape along the shoreline, home to rare and threatened species.
Go With the Flow for Wetland Restoration
Leaders: Shannon Davis-Foust (UW-Oshkosh) and Katie Reed (Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance)
Duration: 4.5 hours
Activity level: Medium
Cost: $50
REGISTER
Enjoy breath-taking views of waterfowl and other wildlife while learning about the "restoration of the restoration" of the 1,200-acre wetland on Lake Butte des Morts at Terrell's Island. The Winnebago Upper River Pool Lakes were once vast wetland with rivers snaking through reed beds. These wetlands were gradually lost due to raising water levels for navigation. For the past 30 years, this area has been managed to restore native wetland habitat, but invasive cattails, Phragmites, and pelicans kept winning. Come learn about the intriguing history of this area and the latest adaptive restoration strategies.
EAB to EFB: Responding to Invasive Species Across Habitats
Leaders: Derek Thorn (FLOW: Florence Langlade Oconto Waterways) and Colleen Matula (WI DNR)
Duration: 4 hours
Activity level: Medium
Cost: $40
REGISTER
The Green Bay West Shores State Wildlife Area is comprised of more than 10 management units across 9,000 acres. Come explore some of the “cherry-picked” units chosen to showcase responses to invasive species challenges, reinforcing the importance of cross-disciplinary action! In 2021, European frogbit (EFB, Hydrocharis morsus-ranae) was discovered in the Wildlife Area. We’ll visit the EFB site and learn about the multi-partner response to this Wisconsin Prohibited species. After drying off our feet, we’ll hike two forested areas where tree mortality from emerald ash borer (EAB, Agrilus planipennis) has spurred a new underplanting project. We’ll learn about the assessment and planning process for responding to ash mortality and plans for future management.
Planting for Pollinators and Adaptive Phragmites Management
Leader: Amy Carrozzino-Lyon (UW-Green Bay) and Bobbie Webster (UW-Green Bay)
Duration: 3 hours
Activity level: Medium
Cost: $40
REGISTER
Public recognition for the need for more pollinator habitat is rising, but pollinator habitat restoration has been happening for a long time! Explore one of UW-Green Bay’s pollinator plantings and learn about their management journey at different sites over time. We’ll tour the newly created 75-acre Wequiock Creek Natural Area just upstream of estuarine wetlands, which includes newly-installed pollinator plantings.
Invasive Phragmites gained a strong foothold in Wisconsin’s Lake Michigan basin by the early 2000s and presents an ongoing challenge to coastal wetland restoration in Lower Green Bay. An interagency partnership including Ducks Unlimited, UW-Green Bay, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and US Fish and Wildlife Service collaborates on Phragmites management and wetland restoration efforts at several Green Bay west shore wetlands. We’ll stop at a publicly accessible site, Ken Euers Nature Area, to highlight recent Phragmites management activities, restoration of native wetland vegetation, including Manoomin (wild rice), and involvement of local community members and students in restoration and outreach. Prepare for a short trail walk. Don’t forget your binoculars to spot migrating waterfowl!
Workshops
All Workshops will be held during one concurrent session time period (1 hour and 40 minutes). Pre-conference registration for workshops is required, but there is no cost to attend. Please note that workshops will not be livestreamed.
Identification of Native and Exotic Aquatic Plants of the Upper Midwest - THIS WORKSHOP IS FULL
Paul Skawinski, UW-Extension Lakes Program, Author of Aquatic Plants of the Upper Midwest; Michelle Nault, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Erick Elgin, Michigan State University Extension
The Upper Midwest region is blessed with an amazing diversity of aquatic plants – over 150 species. Knowing what to look for is the key to distinguishing between the members of this important group of plants. Participants will learn through a combination of classroom and hands-on instruction. Many invasive species will be discussed, including how to distinguish them from similar native species.
Japanese Stiltgrass Ecology, Identification, and Management
Chris Evans, University of Illinois; Mary Bartkowiak, Wisconsin DNR
Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum) is an invasive annual grass that continues to aggressively spread throughout the Midwest. While established in Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri, recent discoveries in Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, and Ontario demonstrate this plant's potential to invade the Upper Midwest. This workshop will present information on Japanese stiltgrass to better enable managers to recognize and respond to new infestations. Pressed samples will be on hand.
Identification of Native and Exotic Aquatic Plants of the Upper Midwest - THIS WORKSHOP IS FULL
Paul Skawinski, UW-Extension Lakes Program, Author of Aquatic Plants of the Upper Midwest; Michelle Nault, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Erick Elgin, Michigan State University Extension
The Upper Midwest region is blessed with an amazing diversity of aquatic plants – over 150 species. Knowing what to look for is the key to distinguishing between the members of this important group of plants. Participants will learn through a combination of classroom and hands-on instruction. Many invasive species will be discussed, including how to distinguish them from similar native species.
Japanese Stiltgrass Ecology, Identification, and Management
Chris Evans, University of Illinois; Mary Bartkowiak, Wisconsin DNR
Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum) is an invasive annual grass that continues to aggressively spread throughout the Midwest. While established in Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri, recent discoveries in Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, and Ontario demonstrate this plant's potential to invade the Upper Midwest. This workshop will present information on Japanese stiltgrass to better enable managers to recognize and respond to new infestations. Pressed samples will be on hand.