Workshops & Special Sessions

We are excited to offer a wide variety of workshops at UMISC 2024 with exciting learning opportunities for anyone involved with invasive species management. All workshops will be held during one concurrent session time period (1 hour and 40 minutes), with the exception of the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Justice, and Accessibility (EDIJA) workshop, which will be 3 hours, and Crayfish Identification, which will be 2 hours. Please note that workshops are designed to be in-person experiences and will not be livestreamed. 

Register for workshops when you complete your general registration. If you are already registered, but would like to add a field trip, contact [email protected].

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Workshop Descriptions

Applying Principles of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, & Accessibility (DEIJA) to Invasive Species Research, Management, & Engagement
Tuesday November 12th
1pm-4pm
Gadfly Statton, University of Toronto
This workshop will introduce participants to the concepts of DEIJA and why DEIJA is important, specifically in invasive species contexts, so that community engagement efforts can be more effective, and folks doing this important work can feel safe and supported. Participants will also be introduced to concepts such as implicit bias, systemic barriers, and microaggressions. Participants will be asked to share their experiences with successful DEIJA initiatives they have been part of, biases and assumptions they would like help with overcoming, and help co-develop plans to disrupt harmful assumptions when they encounter them. At the culmination of the workshop, participants will be asked to co-produce a commitment to DEIJA principles, with specific goals and objectives they would like to achieve in the short and long term. This document will be shared with the conference organizing agencies as well, to provide valuable insights into the specific DEIJA-focused goals and preferences of attendees.
Cost: $25.00


Identification of Native and Exotic Aquatic Plants of the Upper Midwest
Wednesday November 13th
8am - 9:40am
Paul Skawinski, Extension Lakes Educator of the Wisconsin Citizen Lake Monitoring Network at UW-Stevens Point, Aquatic Botany instructor at UWSP and the author and photographer of "Aquatic Plants of the Upper Midwest: a photographic field guide to our underwater forests"; Michelle Nault, Lakes and Rivers Section Chief for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Donna Perleberg, Research Scientist and Aquatic Plant Ecologist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; Courtney Schirmers, Aquatic Botanist with the Minnesota Biological Survey.
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. In this workshop, participants will learn the biology and identification of native and exotic aquatic plants of the Upper Midwest region. The instructors will use a combination of laminated teaching specimens and fresh plants (as available) to teach participants how to identify common native species as well as many non-native species. No prior knowledge of aquatic plant identification is necessary.
Cost: $25.00



Woody Invasive Plants Special Session
Wednesday November 13th
8:00 am - 11:40 am
This half-day session will feature presenters from across the Midwest and provide a comprehensive overview to woody invasive plant management including developing a management plan, physical and chemical control options, restoration strategies, and case studies that review lessons learned, and treatment cost comparisons. 
Cost: Free to attend, no registration required 
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Bringing Inclusivity to Terrestrial Plant Common Names
Wednesday November 13th
10am-11:40am
Angela Gupta, University of Minnesota Extension and Katie Grzesiak, Terrestrial Invasive Species Coordinator with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Efforts have been made recently to change the common names of invasive species to increase inclusivity (e.g., “Asian” carp are now “invasive” carp, “gypsy” moths are now “spongy” moths, etc.). For terrestrial plants, there is no governing body to lead the charge in addressing potentially offensive or exclusionary monikers. As such, each state has been left to its own authority to adapt names as they see fit. A group of University of Minnesota educators and researchers created guiding principles that can be used to help make decisions about which common names to use in Extension programs. This has provided a great baseline of where to start for other organizations and states. It has been recognized that better collaboration and communication between the states is needed as name changes are adopted. This session will provide information about a new multi-state working group to directly examine common names of terrestrial plants and develop alternatives as applicable. A panel discussion will be included to promote coordination between agencies.
Cost: Free to attend, no registration required
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Harnessing the Power of AI Programs for Conservation
Wednesday November 13th
1:20 pm - 3pm
Jason Granberg, Invasive Species Specialist with Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
In today’s dynamic tech landscape, harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) is vital for scientific and conservation communities. This workshop equips scientists and conservationists with Large Language Models (LLM) knowledge and tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Perplexity, scite_). Whether you are a seasoned researcher or new to AI, you will gain insights, tools, and strategies to advance conservation and research. Bring laptops or devices for an interactive experience.
Cost: Free to attend, registration is required



Identification of Midwest Invasive and Potentially Invasive Crayfish Species 
Thursday November 14th 
​8am-10am
Roger F. Thoma, Midwest Biodiversity Institute
This workshop will focus on the identification, habitat preferences, and current known range of invasive crayfishes in the Upper Midwest. Additional potential invaders will also be discussed. Preserved material will be examined.
​Cost: $25.00


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Invasive Crayfish Collaborative Workshop
Thursday November 14th
10:20am - 12:00pm
Natalia Szklaruk, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, Invasive Crayfish Collaborative
Invasive crayfish pose a significant threat to aquatic ecosystems, biodiversity, and local economies, and necessitate a coordinated and interdisciplinary approach to effectively prevent their spread. The Invasive Crayfish Collaborative is hosting this workshop to discuss collaboration across states, provinces, and tribal nations on crayfish research, management, and policy. The workshop will cater to the needs of research, land management, industry, and policy stakeholders involved in crayfish management through a series of presentations from speakers with diverse backgrounds and through engaging activities that will provide a platform for stakeholders to share their experiences, perspectives, and expertise. By the end of the workshop, participants will have developed actionable plans for interjurisdictional collaboration and will have identified key priorities, resources, and opportunities for collective action.
Cost: Free to attend, no registration required