Eurasian Water Milfoil has now been found in more than 980 lakes and rivers in Wisconsin.
The invasive species grows in thick, outcompeting native plants.
North Lakeland Discovery Center Woods and Water Director Jamie VandenLangenberg said it’s been especially top of mind for her after it was found in the Manitowish Waters Chain in 2023.
“It's been an ongoing effort since then,” said VandenLangenberg.
While invasive species of all sorts are an ongoing conservation challenge in the Northwoods, VandenLangenberg said there’s also things to celebrate when it comes the woods and waters in the region.
One thing in particular she’s excited about is the Ganawenindiwag project. It’s a collaboration between the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve, GLIFWC, the Lake Superior Research Institute, and UW–Madison Division of Extension’s Natural Resources Institute
“It's a guide of native plants to our Northwoods in our community, and how those plants are not just using ecological knowledge, but traditional knowledge for their ability to help heal and restore the shoreline,” she said. “It's using that traditional knowledge beyond what a lot of us understand, or usually come to know as common knowledge in the ecological world here.”
These topics and more than a dozen others will be discussed at the Woods and Water Conference at the North Lakeland Discovery Center in Manitowish Waters on April 25th.
It’s the second year for the conference.
VandenLangenberg hopes to recreate the success of the first year that had over 100 people in attendance.
“The focus stays the same, and it's to bring all of these landowners and private property owners and lakefront property owners and community members together to have access to and hear what is the latest science, and the knowledge, and what conservation issues are we having, or conservation celebrations are we having in the Northwoods,” said VandenLangenberg. “A lot of times this is happening at a higher level in science than what the people living on the lake either can comprehend or can find the resources to connect to.”
Each presentation is about 10 to 20 minutes each with time for questions. VandenLangenberg said the format worked well last time.
“A lot of people really enjoyed getting to hear all these little bits of information and then finding the resources available for them to go and learn more when they want to,” said VandenLangenberg.
It costs $60 to attend in person and $40 to attend virtually. You can learn more about the speakers and registration on the North Lakeland Discovery Center website.
