UMISC Field Trips
Our 2026 field trip offerings provide a variety of exciting learning opportunities for anyone involved with invasive species management. Field trips will be held in the afternoon on Tuesday, October 6th. Workshops and select concurrent sessions will also be available at this time for conference attendees who do not wish to participate in a field trip.
Register for field trips when you complete your general registration.
- Review the UMISC Field Trip Liability Waiver prior to registering. You will be asked to agree to these terms when you register for your trip.
- Remember to practice invasive species prevention! Start your field trip with clean boots and gear, stay on trails, and brush off or rinse off dirt, seeds, and plant material before leaving a site. Learn more.
- In order to be prepared for a variety of weather conditions, we highly recommend dressing in layers, as well as bringing rain gear and sturdy footwear for all outdoor field trips. To help meet your expectations, we have done our best to predict the activity level of each trip in the descriptions below.
Field Trip Descriptions
USGS Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
|
The Science of Monitoring in La Crosse
Trip Leader: Brad Morris, US Geological Survey Tour the U.S. Geological Survey's Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center focused on aquatic invasives and learn about state-of-the-art research, prevention and management activities. The Center is the science leader of the Long-Term Resource Monitoring (LTRM) element of the U S Army Corps of Engineers' Upper Mississippi River Restoration Program. LTRM is the nation's largest river monitoring program with six remote state-operated field stations along the river. The tour of UMESC will be held indoors and outdoors (dependent on weather) and will involve a moderate amount of walking on flat concert and grass. Indoor spaces are wheelchair accessible with an elevator. Departure Time: 12:30 PM Duration: 2.5 hours Activity level: Easy Cost: $45.00 |
Lock and Dam 5, photo courtesy of US Army Corps of Engineers
|
Invasive Carp Deterrent Project - Lock and Dam 5
Trip Leader: Carli Wagner, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Visit Lock and Dam 5 in Minnesota City, MN, for a technical tour of Lock and Dam 5 and overview of Minnesota Department of Natural Resource’s (MN DNR) ongoing Outdoor Heritage Fund project 'Protecting Upper Mississippi from Invasive Carp.' Learn about plans for design and installation of a selective invasive carp deterrent at this location, and other measures MN DNR has identified to support future effectiveness of the deterrent. If field conditions allow, a demonstration of acoustic fish tagging will be held to show how MN DNR is monitoring fish movement as part of this project. Tour will be held outside and include a moderate amount of walking on concrete, grass, metal grate and some uneven surfaces. Participants should dress for the weather and must wear close-toed shoes. Departure Time: 12:30 PM Duration: 4 hours Activity level: Easy Cost: $45.00 |
Genoa National Fish Hatchery, photo courtesy of Scenic Concepts, Inc.
|
Hatch a Plan in Genoa
Trip Leader: Meredith Thomsen, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Genoa National Fish Hatchery and learn about recovering federally endangered aquatic species such as freshwater mussels, restoring threatened fish species such as lake sturgeon and providing conservation and fisheries support to tribal and state conservation agencies. The station is unique due to its location and its many different rearing units and water temperatures. This makes raising many different species of aquatic animals more feasible. In fact, the station raises more than 15 species of fish and 15 species of mussels along with one dragonfly and one salamander species! On our return to La Crosse, we will stop at the Stoddard Boat Landing to learn from Dr. Greg Sandland (University of Wisconsin La Crosse) about invasive faucet snails and associated waterfowl pathogens they carry. The tour will be indoors and outdoors with a moderate amount of walking on flat concrete, grass, and gravel surfaces. Indoor spaces are wheelchair accessible and there is an elevator. Departure Time: 12:30 PM Duration: 3.5 hours Activity Level: Easy Cost: $45.00 |
|
This is Real McCoy
Trip Leader: Jessica Salesman, Fort McCoy Directorate of Public Works Learn about the unique challenges of managing invasive species on a military installation. Fort McCoy manages more than 40 invasive plant species using an integrated pest management approach. Learn about use of biological controls, herbicide choice, and other integrated management techniques to minimize the spread of invasive species in a unique but heavily used barrens habitat. Glossy buckthorn, honeysuckle, leafy spurge, and spotted knapweed will be discussed as well as data collection and management practices. Trip will include 2-3 bus stops with a moderate amount of walking on flat grass, dirt, or gravel surfaces. Departure Time: 12:00 PM Duration: 5 hours Activity Level: Easy Cost: $45.00 |
|
Hough Through the Blufflands
Trip Leader Patrick Wilson, Friends of the Blufflands Explore the beautiful forested Blufflands of La Crosse’s driftless area for invasive species. Friends of the Blufflands maintain natural communities by managing invaders such as buckthorn, honeysuckle, round leaf bittersweet, barberry and others across 1,200 acres including rare remnant bluff prairies. Hike includes visiting oak savanna and restored prairies during a 2.5-3-mile round trip walk on dirt trails with 400’ elevation change. This field trip is being generously sponsored by Corteva Agriscience. Departure Time: 12:30 PM Duration: 3.5 hours Activity level: Hard Cost: Free, but registration is required. Capacity is 30 attendees. |
Goat grazing, photo courtesy of Vern Klingbeil, Green Man Acres
|
Goats on the Go!
Trip Leader: Vern Klingbeil, Green Man Acres For years, efforts have been underway to understand how best to integrate goat browsing into long-term, multi-step restoration processes. Goats have been shown to effectively “knockback” or maintenance tool . Learn how goats can help protect and preserve our natural environment using goats and targeted grazing to manage invasive and nuisance vegetation. Trip includes three stops with short walks including varied terrain with an uphill walk on a paved driveway, mostly flat lawn areas, grassy restoration sites, with some small hills and slight inclines. Departure Time: 12:00 PM Duration: 4.5 hours Activity Level: Easy Cost: $45.00 |
Hunter's Point Savanna, Goose Island
|
Prairie Island to Goose Island and Back Again
Trip Leader: Andy Meier, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - St. Paul District Goose Island, just south of La Crosse and home to Goose Island County Park, is a popular recreation destination for many looking for easy access to the Mississippi River. However, what many don't know is that Goose Island was once known as Prairie Island. Extensive farming on the island through the early 1900s, followed by the planting of black locust, pines, and invasions of common and glossy buckthorn, honeysuckles, Japanese barberry and reed canary grass, resulted in extreme degradation of habitat quality on this island. In the early 2000s, efforts began to reduce dominance of black locust allowing transition to more desirable species. Continued efforts in the 2010s-2020s focused on control of buckthorn, honeysuckle and Japanese barberry along with restoration of oak savanna, oak woodland, lowland forest and prairie across nearly 300 acres of the island. Learn about the history of the island, controls for woody invasives and reed canary grass, and how institutional change can have interesting impacts on management goals. Tour will be held outdoors on relatively level terrain with multiple stops for walks of <¼ mile each. Walking will generally be on maintained, mowed trails (not paved), though a small amount of walking into unmaintained areas. Bathroom access will be limited. Departure Time: 12:00 PM Duration: 4 hours Activity Level: Easy Cost: $45.00 |
Berg Prairie, Photo courtesy of the Wisconsin DNR
|
Coule-est Invasives
Trip Leaders: Paul Napierela and Carter Hellenbrand, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Jennifer Larson, USDA Forest Service Learn about all things Japanese stilt grass and then visit the beautiful Coulee Experiment State Forest in La Crosse County. The field trip will showcase a Japanese stilt grass control success story highlighting early detection, treatment and monitoring efforts. This Forest covers approximately 3,000 acres with the coule-est mix of upland oak forests, experimental tree plantings, open fields on ridgetops, rock outcroppings and several small “goat prairies” on steep topography. Unfortunately, there are several species of invasive plants including buckthorn, multiflora rose, Japanese barberry and non-native honeysuckles. Explore Berg Prairie and Billy Goat Ridge State Natural Area located within the Forest which features a mosaic of dry-mesic forest, open oak woodland, and dry prairie openings on the rugged ridge and coulee terrain of Wisconsin's Driftless Area. Located along a ridge top and steep south-facing slope, Berg Prairie is the forest's largest dry prairie with the coule-est remnant species including little bluestem, side-oats grama, prairie dropseed, yellow coneflower, silky aster, whorled milkweed, wild bergamot, prairie dropseed and Indian grass. This experience begins with presentations at the La Crosse Center followed by a trip to two outdoor stops with a moderate amount of walking on flat gravel roads or dirt trails. Classroom portion begins: 12:30 PM Bus departs 1:30 PM Total Duration: 4.5 hours Activity Level: Moderate Cost: $45.00 |
La Crosse Marsh. Photo courtesy of John Sullivan
|
Friends of the Marsh March
Trip Leader: John Sullivan, retired Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources The La Crosse River Marsh has been threatened by highway expansion and exposed to decades of lead input from trap shooting but remains a thousand-acre oasis of wildness in the heart of the city. Come learn from representatives of the Friends of the Marsh community organization about the history of the site, formation and activities of the Friends organization, and ongoing efforts to manage invasive plants. Walk about a mile on dirt and gravel pathways to see problem plant species and related control efforts targeting Japanese knotweed, Phragmites, buckthorn, reed canary grass, and purple loosestrife. Sightings of other plants, birds, and wildlife are likely. Departure Time: 12:30 PM Duration: 3 hours Activity Level: Easy Cost: $45.00 |