West Michigan Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (WMCISMA)

Invasive Species Strike Team

The West Michigan Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (WMCISMA) is a partnership of groups and individuals working together to address invasive species in Allegan, Ottawa, Muskegon, Oceana, Kent, Montcalm, and Newaygo Counties. Ottawa Conservation District houses an Invasive Plant Strike Team that operates seasonally from May through October. WMCISMA also has strike teams that operate out of the Muskegon Conservation District and Kent Conservation District offices.  WMCISMA serves the West Michigan community by providing information, identification, and management of high-threat invasive species. The goal of this work is to prioritize early detection and rapid response of invaders to prevent widespread establishment. In addition to our Invasive Species Strike Team, Ottawa Conservation District also houses the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Crew for WMCISMA.

Looking for more information about Hemlock Woolly Adelgid? Click Here.

The Invasive Species Strike Team is primarily funded by grants from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the United States Forest Service, and the Environmental Protection Agency. These grants allow the crew to provide survey, treatment, and monitoring services for several specific invasive species. Some of these species include:

Four treatment technicians stand next to each other along a riverbank.
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A green vine with long, heart shaped leaves growing on a tree trunk.

(James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org)

Cinnamon vine (Dioscorea oppositifolia)

A yellow flower with five petals and fringed edges. It is growing out of a plant in a waterbody, and there is a bug in the flower cup.

(Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org)

Yellow floating-heart (Nymphoides peltata)

A bright yellow flower with five petals.

(Juan Campá, MGAP, Bugwood.org)

Invasive water-primrose (Ludwigia spp.)

A bright yellow flower with 8 narrowly oblong petals. This species may have up to 12 petals.

(David L. Clement, University of Maryland, Bugwood.org)

Lesser celandine (Ficaria verna)

Because grant funding varies year-to-year, our Strike Team also relies on landowner investment to sustain management efforts. The crew offers services to remove invasive species that are not covered by these grants. This service is expected to be paid for in full by the landowner. Some examples of these invasive species are listed below:

A shrub with green, broad leaves that come to an abrupt point. The center stalk has many small green-white flowers.

(Jan Samanek, Phytosanitary Administration, Bugwood.org)

Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia japonica)

A vine with simple, green leaves. The leaves are glossy and fine toothed around the edges. Near the stem of the vine are many small greenish-yellow flowers with five petals.

(Richard Gardner, Bugwood.org)

Invasive Bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus)

A spiny shrub with alternating leaves. The leaves are oval to spoon shaped and red to purple in color. There are clusters of small yellow flowers with six petals growing along the stalks.

(Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org)

Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii)

A shrub with long leaves that are green on the top and silvery on the bottom. There are bunches of cream colored flowers with four petals.

(Chris Evans, University of Illinois, Bugwood.org)

Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata)

An invasive species is a non-native species that causes economic, environmental, or human harm. Invasive species are a serious threat to ecosystem biodiversity. They are known to outcompete native plants for resources and have the potential to monopolize an area if not controlled. The Ottawa Conservation District encourages landowners to contact us for assistance in identifying and/or managing unwanted invasive species. For more information on invasive species, visit michigan.gov/invasives

Please contact our staff for more information about our invasive species services:

Murielle Garbarino, West Michigan CISMA Coordinator
616-414-2055, murielle.garbarino@macd.org

Brendan Canavan, Invasive Species Specialist

616-414-2638, brendan.canavan@macd.org