General CISMA Discussion Latest Topics

New Hydrilla Species?

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 13:45:42 +0000

I just read this article saying that a new Hydrilla species had been discovered in Massachusetts in 2023. Given we have just seen Hydrilla for the first time in Michigan, I thought I would post the article here to share. If anyone knows more about this, maybe add to this thread.

https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2023/12/new-species-of-hydrilla-found-in-middle-pond-of-congamond-lakes.html

Shore Management Consultant: PENTWATER LAKE IMPROVEMENT BOARD

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 15:25:20 +0000

The Pentwater Lake Improvement Board is seeking proposals from qualified shore management consultant/s to assist the board with the improving of the health of the lake and in developing any inland lake habitat to provide reasonable access and recreational use while still preserving the ecological integrity and protection of the natural resources or Public Trust.

The Lake Board intends to contract with a lake management consultant that possess the appropriate skills, experience, resources and reputation to provide assistance to the Board relating to the developing and managing of our lake habitat.

Shore Management Consultant RFP September 1 2023 .pdf

Using AI to Make quality social media content quickly.

Fri, 26 May 2023 19:10:11 +0000

Hi all, just wanted to share some success I've had recently. I'm really bad about making social media posts, partially (but not entirely) because it takes a while to write and edit the text for the post. Earlier today I decided to see if ChatGPT could do it for me. turns out it can. It required some minimal editing, and you should always fact check AI generated content, but it was a great way to get a post out quickly so I could move on to other tasks.

Benefits of Organic Weed Management in the Muskegon Community

Fri, 09 Sep 2022 13:36:18 +0000

When it comes to weed management, organic methods are often better for the environment and the community. Unlike chemical herbicides, organic weed killers are not harmful to humans or animals. They also break down quickly in the environment, reducing the risk of contamination.

BaM Body and Mind Dispensary

Project Organization Tools?

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 12:59:14 +0000

Hi fellow CISMA Coordinators!

As I am settling into the role of coordinator, I am finding that there are many, many moving parts to keep track of! I can see how it could become easy to get lost in the weeds (pun intended) very quickly if I do not have a system in place for gathering my thoughts and organizing my projects! Rather than spending hours on google trying to find the best solution, I thought I would check the collective for wisdom. Do you have a go-to project organization tool/visualization/ or template that helps you keep track of your projects and activities at a glance?

Sincerely,

Stephanie Hoyle

Power Brush Cutter?

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 20:48:24 +0000

Hi Everyone,

I got a grant to purchase a brush cutter for doing woody invasives removal. I wanted to see what others have and if they are happy with them. These are the ones I am looking at.

https://www.stihlusa.com/products/trimmers-and-brushcutters/professional-trimmers/

https://www.stihlusa.com/products/trimmers-and-brushcutters/brushcutters-and-clearing-saws/

Where to get more materials for booths

Fri, 10 Dec 2021 20:44:32 +0000

Hi all,

I have a little booklet made by the DEQ (from 2018 when they were still called the DEQ) called "Michigan Citizens' guide to invasive plant disposal" ( <-link to PDF)

It's been pretty popular at booths, so I'm running low. I can't seem to find a way to order more online, anyone have ideas where I could pick up a box of these?

Training for Drain Commissions

Thu, 18 Nov 2021 21:46:38 +0000

Hi All,

I'm putting together a training for one of my drain commissions and their contractors on invasive species and what they can do. I'm trying to put together a list of the invasive species that most affect county drains.

so far my list is: Phragmites, Narrow leaf cattail, and Japanese knotweed.

The criteria I'm generally thinking about are: increased erosion, potential to spread via waterways, and potential to clog up the drains / impact their function.

I was wondering if anyone had thoughts on other invasive species that may be good to teach them about, or other ways that IS can impact county drains. Any input is appreciated.

Contribute to state-wide training materials for farmer's market managers

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 19:15:00 +0000

I posted previously that in 2020 we did a training for farmer's market managers in collaboration with MDARD. I am now working with MIFMA, the state's professional organization for farmer's market managers to get the word out to the entire state about invasive species that might show up at farmer's markets. If you have any interest on collaborating to develop some of these materials please let me know! I'll be setting up a virtual time to meet soon.

Billboards/Marketing

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 19:48:57 +0000

If anyone would be available to guide me on how the SB-CISMA could get the ball rolling on posting billboards, I would appreciate it! I have a very large area and would like to advertise. PCG/AIS Boater/DMF/CDD included! Thank you!

Outreach calendar on selected common and watch list invasive species

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 18:47:35 +0000

The Southeast Michigan/Saginaw Bay CISMA coordinators got together to create a calendar for focusing outreach efforts on 1-2 species each month. Our goal with this is to make a larger impact on social media and through other outreach by focusing on fewer species that we really want the public to keep an eye out for. Our hope is that if people see content on the same species from several different places, it will make more of an impact than just one CISMA posting about it. In addition, we are gathering links etc. on these species, as well as our field/survey knowledge, so that other coordinators don't have to separately gather these resources. If anyone wants more details, let me know! We'll let you know how it goes!

Recruiting before grant funds start

Tue, 05 Jan 2021 18:28:12 +0000

Hello all, I am wondering how others have addressed putting out job postings before receiving funds. We have applied for a GLRI grant which would consist of summer help and want to be able to start as soon as we receive the award. Therefore, I want to start the hiring process before hand and was hoping for some insight on how people have approached this. Thanks!

Decon Stations/Tools for Bicycles

Tue, 03 Mar 2020 18:28:14 +0000

We have a mountain bike trail at the Ingham CD and would like to put in a decon area that will be well suited for these bike trail users. Has anyone seen or installed something like this? I'm thinking brushes on cables for a start, but wondering if there are other good ideas out there. Thanks

Book/website recommendations for native plants

Wed, 22 Jan 2020 15:52:47 +0000

Hello, I am working on building up my library of books to have at events or to use in the office. I am wondering what native plant/tree books people have loved using? I can often say if a plant is invasive, but it is nice to be able to tell someone if it is native as well, or be able to recommend some native plants. Any suggestions are appreciated, even if they are online resources. Thanks!

T-shirt sales

Mon, 20 Jan 2020 21:42:35 +0000

Hello! I have had the idea thrown around about selling shirts to the public for our CISMA. Has anyone done this? If so, what has your success been and what are some tips that I should know. Thanks!

Steering Committee Structure/Protocol

Tue, 17 Sep 2019 12:57:06 +0000

Hello all, I am working on setting up a protocol for determining who should be on the CISMA Steering Committee. Currently my Steering Committee has been made up of whoever is interested in the CISMA, which is great. However, as our partners continue to grow I am trying to determine the best way to decide who should be on the Steering Committee and the process of "electing" them to be on it. My current thoughts on structure are up to 15 people, with at least one representative from each county, and a variety of partner types (road commissions, conservancy, etc...). But how do you determine these people. Any thoughts you have and information on how your CISMA is structured would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Access...Did anyone else have the same idea?

Fri, 01 Nov 2019 16:40:26 +0000

Hi,

I am with WePIC and handle a lot of the pesticide and reporting data in Excell. Excell was ok for a while but now with so many years of data and so many sites, I am thinking Access is the way to go. I took a class on it in college and have a basic knowledge of the program, but I have only ever used it for mailing lists. I started today attempting to create an Access Database that can keep track of all of my sites, each treatment, and hopefully calculate automatically how much herbicide was used, based off of the total volume of spray mix applied and the percentage of the active ingredient in each herbicide we use, and also rate per acre. I am currently crafting the drop downs for types of treatment and herbicide active ingredients. Needless to say, I am feeling a little out of my league, and wondering if someone else thought about using Access rather than Excell as we have been doing for seven years. Did someone else craft an Acess database for this task? Are you willing to share? Any tip's ect.... Plus tips on crafting the formulas for the pesticide stuff, normally I use a calculator....

Thank you,

Jen Ricker Feak

My email is IronBaragaCD@gmail.com

Road commission questions

Fri, 01 Nov 2019 12:29:33 +0000

Hello, I am interested in hearing how you have dealt with road commissions. More specifically, what permits do you hold that you allow the road commission to be under as well? Where have you gotten funding to treat right-of-ways? What decontamination practices have you discuss with them/how do you get them to do decon practices? In what ways have you gotten them to not mow invasives/what was their response?

Any information you have on working with road commissions will be helpful. Thank you!

Work submitted to Newspaper/Press Release

Wed, 02 Oct 2019 20:15:36 +0000

I am exploring the option of using newspapers for another realm of outreach. I am curious what people have experienced with it. What types of things have you submitted? Do you feel like it has been beneficial? Do you have an agreement with the newspaper on price or do you pay the normal price for each entry. Any experience you have to give on this topic is appreciated!

CISMAs Working with MAEAP: Suggestions needed

Thu, 26 Sep 2019 16:01:42 +0000

I'm currently working with the MAEAP technicians in my area to prepare a presentation for the MAEAP track at next month's MACD conference on how CISMAs and MAEAP can work together.

How have your programs been complimentary?

What knowledge do you wish MAEAP techs could bring onto the farms the visit?

Which species do you think most impact growers in your area?

Are there ways we could work better together?

I would love to hear any success stories (or get success photos!), as well as any issues that we could work to solve!

Thanks in advance!

CISMA Participation in Local Schools - Classroom Resources

Mon, 23 Sep 2019 14:19:32 +0000

NCCISMA is putting on a workshop for a statewide educators conference. I will be presenting what NCCISMA has done in classrooms, but wanted to also include what resources are available through other CISMAs in Michigan.

Its short notice for my presentation, taking place 9/27/19, but would be interesting to see what everyone is doing with their local schools anyways.

Hoping some of you see this before the 27th though.

Here's what NCCISMA has done in classrooms. I will include more details once we have them typed up.

Manual control workdays - Garlic Mustard Pulls
Invasive species identification walking tours
Native vs. Invasives outdoor active game
MISIN reporting Contest

Website Updates

Wed, 06 Jun 2018 15:33:43 +0000

Hi CISMA coordinators!

I just wanted to take a moment to remind you to review your CISMA page on the MISC website and make sure all the information is up to date! Also, please feel free to upload photographs from last years field season to our Gallery on the forum!

EDRR Plans

Mon, 12 Dec 2016 16:59:44 +0000

Hello all,

I was wondering if anyone would be willing to share some ideas and plans for what works, what doesn't work for your EDRR programs. We're just starting to formulate plans and it'd be great to get some examples or pointers for the Lake St. Clair CISMA so we don't have to reinvent the wheel as well as establish consistent messaging.

Thanks so much!

Mike Sobieski

LCCCISMA

CISMA's Sharing Outreach Materials

Thu, 21 Apr 2016 18:49:12 +0000

Big shout-out to our cohorts in eastern Iowa! The Hawkeye CWMA is fully sharing their invasive species treatment brochures with North Country CISMA. They are allowing us to use their treatment brochures and change them as we need to match our own recommendations (where ours differ from theirs). Also, they are allowing us to remove all reference to their CISMA on the brochures we print, and to "brand" them with our CISMA's logo! What awesome sharers!!

http://www.hawkeyecwma.org/

By the way, the North Country CISMA Steering Committee has decided to adopt this same policy with respect to our printed outreach materials. We recently produced a Quick Reference Field Guide to High Priority Invasive Species that any of you are welcome to use and "re-brand" as your own. I have attached this document here - feel free to redo the front cover to promote your CISMA. Note that we are in the process of completing 2 more pages (bittersweet and buckthorn). These will soon be available for free download from our webpage.

http://www.northcountryinvasives.org/

Quick Reference ID Guide.pdf

Requests for a CISMA/CWMA cookbook

Thu, 10 Dec 2015 18:20:33 +0000

One of the notes I had from our Annual Meeting was to request more input on anything that should be added to the cookbook Katie G. is working on. This is the place for it, post all your ideas!

- What would have been good to know when your CISMA was first forming?

- What have you had to figure out along the way that there should be a template for?

- Anything else?