1. Current and Future Invasive Plants

Note: This list is ranked, approximately, from greatest to least threat in Wisconsin.
[If underlined, click to see factsheet for that species.]

• Worst Invasives. Species currently causing the greatest problems in Wisconsin forests.
  • Common and glossy buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica and Frangula alnus)
  • Eurasian bush honeysuckles (Lonicera tatarica, L. morrowii, L. x bella)
  • Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata)
  • Reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea)
• Widespread Invasives. Plants found in forests in much of the state.
  • Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)
  • Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum)
  • Multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora)
  • Autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata)
  • Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila)
  • Dame's rocket (Hesperis matronalis)
  • Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii)
  • Spotted knapweed (Centaurea biebersteinii)
  • Leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula)
• Localized Invasives. Plants found only in limited areas of the state.
  • Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus)
  • Norway maple (Acer platanoides)
  • European marsh thistle (Cirsium palustre)
  • Japanese hedge-parsley (Torilis japonica)
  • Japanese hops (Humulus japonicus)
  • Black swallow-wort (Vincetoxicum nigrum)
  • Porcelain berry (Ampelopsis brevipedunculata)
  • Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum)
• Future Threats. Species that could become serious problems in the future. These plants are invasive in other states with similar climatic and ecological zones.
  • Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum)
  • Chinese yam (Dioscorea oppositifolia)
  • Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)
  • Pale Swallow-wort (Vincetoxicum rossicum)
  • Mile-a-minute (Polygonum perfoliatum)
  • Wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius)
  • Wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei)
  • English ivy (Hedera helix)
  • Kudzu (Pueraria lobata)

2. Invasive Plant Inventories

Most states have one or more ongoing projects for inventorying, monitoring or mapping invasive plants. These may be state-sponsored or managed by private organizations and groups, and may cover plants statewide or in a specific area. We encourage the sharing of information among these initiatives to achieve a more complete understanding of invasive plants in each state.

For a listing of all Wisconsin projects, please go to All-States List of Invasive Plants Projects & Resources . It includes projects from all seven states, as well as regional and nationwide initiatives. We invite additions or corrections to this information – please contact WDNR Forestry (Eunice.Padleydnr.state.wi.us)

There are over 25 projects specific to or including Wisconsin. Below are four examples from the list.

• Title: IPAW Working List of Invasive Plants in Wisconsin
  • Contact: Jim Reinartz (jimruwm.edu)
  • Website: http://www.ipaw.org/newsletters/issue4.pdf
  • Geographic area: Wisconsin
  • Species tracked: Invasive plants
  • Description: The Invasive Plants Association of Wisconsin Science Committee has a Working List of invasive plants known to be in Wisconsin. In 2003, IPAW collaborated with the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC) to gather observations from people across the state who were familiar with the impact and ecology of invasive plants. Survey respondents were ranked species on their abundance, competitive ability, rate of spread and feasibility of control. Sixty surveys were collected with a total of 2993 observations of 311 species. Of these, 66 species met the criteria for ecologically invasive.
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• Title: WISFLORA -- Wisconsin State Herbarium website on Wisconsin Vascular Plants
  • Contact: Mark Wetter (mawetterwisc.edu), and Ted Cochrane (tscochrawisc.edu)
  • (608) 262-2792. State Herbarium, UW-Madison, 160 Birge Hall, 430 Lincoln Dr., Madison, WI 53706
  • Website: http://www.botany.wisc.edu/wisflora
  • Geographic area: Wisconsin
  • Species tracked: All vascular plants in the state
  • Description: The Wisconsin State Herbarium’s web-based data system contains information on over 2,100 different species of vascular plants with approximately 5,500 photos and over 2,900 distribution maps. The website is navigated by searching or browsing on a variety of plant attributes including name, habitat, status, county, common name, family, and genera. Actual specimen data may be viewed. Links to other botany sites are also available.
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• Title: National Forest Mapping and Control Project, UFSF
  • Contact: Linda Parker (lrparkerfs.fed.us), (715) 762-5169
  • Forest Ecologist, Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest
  • Website: http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/cnnf/natres/nnis/maps/index.html
  • Geographic area: Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Wisconsin
  • Species tracked: Some aquatic and non-forest invasives are also monitored, but are not listed here.
    • Buckthorns (Rhamnus cathartica & R. frangula)
    • Asiatic honeysuckles (Lonicera tartarica, L. morrowii , and L. x bella)
    • Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata)
    • Spotted knapweed (Centaurea biebersteinii and other Centaurea species)
    • Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii)
    • European marsh thistle (Cirsium palustre)
    • Wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa)
    • Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculata)
    • Siberian pea (Caragana arborescens)
    • Reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea)
    • Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum)
    • Autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata)
    • Common reed (Phragmites australis)
    • Forget-me-not (Myosotis arvensis)
    • Bishop's gout-weed (Aegopodium podagraria)
    • Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)
    • Purple crown vetch (Coronilla varia)
    • Narrow-leaved cattail (Typha angustifolia)
    • Brittlestem hempnettle (Galeopsis tetrahit)
    • Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus)
  • Description: USFS uses an ARC-GIS and Oracle-based information system (TERRA) to map and store species location data. Clickable maps for the various units of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest show locations of species. Site-level inventory protocol is consistent with the North American Weed Managers Association (NAWMA) standards. Inventory and control efforts have been underway since 1997.
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• Title: Platteville Area Invasives Mapping and Control
  • Contact: Tom Hunt (hunttuwplatt.edu), UW-Platteville
  • Geographic area: UW-Platteville area, Grant County, Wisconsin
  • Species tracked: Invasive plant species
  • Description: Hunt coordinates an ongoing mapping and control project at UW-Platteville that concentrates on campus lands but includes extended areas along the Rountree Branch of the Platte River in Grant County. The group also works with other organizations such as the UW-Extension Basin Educators and Trout Unlimited to do extended work in local surroundings.

3. Funding and Cost Share Programs for Invasive Plant Control

• Financial Help website
• This is a good starting point to find out about financial help in Private Forestry from the Wisconsin DNR. It lists state forest tax laws and cost-share programs.
• Website: http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/forestry/Private/financial
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• Private Landowner Forestry Assistance Program Guide
• This site offers comparisons among the various state assistance programs.
• Website: http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/forestry/Private/financial/costshare.htm
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• Managed Forest Law (MFL)
• Roughly 2,500,000 acres are enrolled in the forest tax programs statewide and around 25,000 landowners participate. Under the MFL, a landowner selects a 25 or 50 year contract period. A forestry plan is developed covering mandatory and recommended practices for the chosen time period. The reward for following the plan is that MFL property taxes average 80% less than regular property taxes. The landowners pay only $.74 or $1.74 per acre annually (depending upon the land's status as open or closed public access, which you select) and a 5% tax on harvested timber. Private landowners with at least 10 acres of land are eligible.
• Website: http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/forestry/ftax/mfl.htm
• Contact: Your local DNR forester. See this website for names and addresses.
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• Forest Stewardship Grants
• Natural resource agencies, organizations, and others interested in promoting stewardship management of private non-industrial forest lands may be eligible to receive funds for approved projects. Grants cover 50 percent of actual eligible costs, and requests are limited to $15,000 per proposal. Projects directed toward one or more of the following are eligible: 1) Providing direct assistance to private forest landowners, 2) Providing information on multi-resource management of forest lands to the general public (especially Wisconsin private forest landowners), 3) Training of resource professionals and service providers who assist private forest landowners in the management of their forest lands, 4) Developing new information and/or training materials on sound forest management. Examples of eligible projects include landowner workshops, management plan writing, field days, training sessions, direct landowner assistance and research. Applications available in November and due January 1.
• Website: http://dnr.wi.gov/org/caer/cfa/Grants/fosteward.html
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• Wisconsin Forest Landowner Grant Program
• Provides $1,250,000 annually for stewardship practices on private land. A wide array of practices are eligible for cost sharing including: management plan development, wetland restoration, tree planting, forest improvement and prairie restoration. Up to 65% of the eligible costs can be refunded to you upon completion of the work. Applications are funded on the basis of priority. Plan development, afforestation, reforestation and timber stand improvement are top priorities while the remaining practices are secondary.
• Deadline: Applications are accepted continuously but processed three times a year - February 1, May 1, August 1.
• Contact: Ask your local DNR forester for details. See this website for names and addresses.
• Application: http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/forestry/Private/financial/wflgpapp.pdf
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• Besadny Conservation Grant Program
• The Wisconsin Natural Resources Foundation, with DNR support, provides grants ranging from $100-$1,000 (with a 1:1 match) for small scale projects which benefit the public, involve management and restoration of Wisconsin natural resources, and/or contribute to knowledge about WI natural resources through education. Private or public organizations or government agencies are eligible.
• Deadline: Proposals due January 15 and funds awarded in March.
• Website: http://www.nrfwis.org/grantOpp/besadny/index.htm
• Contact: Camille Zanoni, NRF Program Director, (608) 266-1430, Camille.Zanonidnr.state.wi.us
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• Wisconsin Forest Stewardship Program
• The primary objective is to encourage private non-industrial forest landowners to consider all resources in the management of their forest lands. The program also encourages landowners to obtain a Forest Stewardship Plan to help meet their management objectives.
• Contact: Ask your local DNR forester for details. See this website for names and addresses.
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• Citizen Based Monitoring Partnership Program
• The purpose of this program is to provide funding and support to initiate or expand citizen-based monitoring programs involved in the monitoring of aquatic and terrestrial plants, animals and their habitats. Eligible activities include training and methods development, field monitoring, and data sharing or conversion. Awards range from $2,500-$7,500 and require a 25% non-DNR match.
• Deadline: December 1
• Website: http://atriweb.info/cbm/Partnership/index.cfm
• Contact: Rori Paloski, Wisconsin DNR, Rori.Paloskidnr.state.wi.us , (608) 264-6040
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• Wisconsin Landowner Incentive Program (LIP)
• The Landowner Incentive Program provides grants to help private landowners (individual and group owners) manage and restore habitat for at-risk (rare) species on their land. More than 85% of Wisconsin's land is privately owned and approximately 90% of at-risk species have populations on private land. The program provides up to 75% of the project cost for eligible projects and provides technical assistance to landowners. LIP is funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and administered by the Wisconsin DNR. Eligible projects include, but are not limited to, conducting prescribed burns, restoring native vegetation, and removing invasive and woody species to benefit at-risk species. Projects must occur in one of the priority ecosystems, which in 2006 were Prairie & Savanna Habitat, and the Northern Lake Michigan Ecological Landscape. See website for current priorities and for species considered rare (state or federal endangered, threatened or species of special concern)
• Website: http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/er/WLIP
• Federal LIP Information: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/FederalAid/programs/lip.htm
• Contact: Jennifer Bardeen, Wisconsin DNR - Bureau of Endangered Resources
• 101 S. Webster St., Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707, (608) 266-8736, Jennifer.Bardeendnr.state.wi.us
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• Urban Forestry Assistance Grants
• The purpose of the program is to fund projects that improve a community's capacity to manage its trees – and control of invasives can be part of that process. Forestry plans, educational activities, and plant removal are among the eligible project activities. The applicant may be a city, village, town, county, tribal government, or 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Joint applications are encouraged. This is a 50-50 cost-share program. Upon project completion and approval, the sponsor requests reimbursement for 50 percent of eligible costs up to the approved amount of the grant award. Nonprofit organizations may ask for half of their total grant as an advance at the time of award, but otherwise grants are not provided up front. Awards range from $1,000 to $25,000. Deadline for applications is early October.
• Website: http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/Forestry/UF/grants
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• Turkey Stamp-Funded Projects
• Proposals must address the goals and objectives of developing, managing, preserving, restoring and maintaining the wild turkey population in the state. First priority for the stamp revenue is placed upon projects for managing the turkey population and administering hunting seasons. Other priorities emphasize wild turkey management on a landscape scale. Habitat requirement priorities for turkeys include: natural habitat management (examples include: post-sale non-commercial cuts to encourage oak, grassland management, prescribed burning, seeding of logging access trails/decking areas/utility rights-of-way, and similar practices designed to encourage existing oak and other habitats important to turkeys), habitat development (including food plots to provide forage during the winter, and artificial regeneration to include planting of shrubs, grasses, oak, small plots of pine or spruce), and information and education (including sponsoring seminars and educational events related to turkey management and hunting).
• Eligibility: Wildlife biologists, technicians, non-profit conservation partners, state property managers, and foresters.
• Deadline: March 15 every two years (next deadline 2007)
• Contact: Andrea Mezera, Assistant Upland Wildlife Ecologist, Wisconsin DNR, (608) 261-8458, Andrea.Mezeradnr.state.wi.us
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• Pheasant Stamp-Funded Projects
• Revenues from pheasant stamp sales are used to develop, manage, preserve, restore and maintain the wild pheasant population in the state. Acceptable habitat practices include grassland development, grassland or wetland maintenance on private lands (e.g., brushing and burning), development & maintenance of grasslands cost-shared w/ cooperating non-profit groups, winter cover improvements, predator habitat management, and food plot development on public lands.
• Eligibility: Wildlife biologists, technicians, non-profit conservation partners, state property managers, and foresters.
• Deadline: March 15, every two years (next deadline 2007)
• Contact: Andrea Mezera, Assistant Upland Wildlife Ecologist, Wisconsin DNR, (608) 261-8458, Andrea.Mezeradnr.state.wi.us

4. State Weed Laws

• Invasive Species Department and Council Responsibilities (23.22 WI Stats) - Gives the responsibility to the DNR to establish a statewide program to control invasive species. This includes developing a system of classifying invasive species under the program, conducting studies relating to issues of controlling invasive species, and establishing cost-sharing programs for invasive species control. The Wisconsin Council on Invasive Species has the responsibility of making recommendations to the department.
• Noxious Weed Law (66.047 WI Stats) - Requires landowners statewide to control three common weeds, Canada thistle (Cirsium arvensis), leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) and field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) for which control is difficult and eradication is rarely feasible. At the local level counties and municipalities can add other species to their local noxious weed list. The law does not provide any authority, funding or staffing to any state agency to implement it. (1975)
• Nuisance Weed Law (23.235 WI Stats) - Wisconsin nuisance weeds are purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) and multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora). Nuisance weeds may not be sold, distributed, planted, or cultivated. (1987).
• Agriculture and Vegetable Seeds (94.38 WI Stats) - As part of a more extensive law, "prohibited and restricted" noxious weed seeds are listed. "Prohibited noxious weed seeds" include the seeds of field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis), leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula), Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) and quack grass (Agropyron repens)."Restricted noxious weed seeds" include the seeds of dodder (Cuscuta spp.), wild mustard (Sinapis arvensis), Indian mustard (Brassica juncea), buckhorn (Plantago lanceolata), ox-eye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare), perennial sow thistle (Sonchus arvensis), wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum), yellow rocket (Barbarea vulgaris), wild oats (Avena fatua), giant foxtail (Setaria faberi), hoary alyssum (Berteroa incana), downy brome (Bromus tectorum) and white cockle (Silene alba). The amount of noxious weed seeds that can be found in any seed lot is limited. A surcharge on seeds currently pays for the inspection of seed lots by the Wisconsin Crop Improvement Association. (1975)
• County (59.70) and Town (60.238) - Counties and towns may appropriate funds for the control of weeds and other pests.
• Cutting Aquatic Nuisance Weeds (30.125) - Requires persons who cut aquatic weeds in navigable waters to remove them from the water. (1979)
• Control of Aquatic Nuisance Weeds (30.1255) - "Aquatic nuisance species" is defined and DNR is required to periodically submit reports to the legislature on the impacts of aquatic nuisance species, potential control strategies and areas and activities needing technical or financial assistance. The first report was due in 1994 and was limited to zebra mussels. (1991)
• Aquatic Plant Management and Protection - The 2001-03 Budget Bill grants rule-making authority to the DNR to designate aquatic "nuisance plants," protect native aquatic plants, and control aquatic plants that cause nuisances. It prohibits the launching of any watercraft, trailer or equipment with any aquatic plant attached to its exterior surface, requires posting of publicly owned boat landings and grants rule-making authority to DNR for managing aquatic plants in waters of the state. It also directs the DNR to implement a statewide program for education, research, control and containment of nuisance plants and for aquatic plant protection.

5. Links to State Forestry and Invasive Plant Groups

• Forestry
• Wisconsin DNR Forestry Homepage
• Wisconsin DNR Private Landowner Forestry Assistance Program Guide
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• Invasive Plants
• Invasive Species Page, Wisconsin DNR
• Invasive Plants of the Future, Wisconsin DNR
• University of Wisconsin Stevens Point Herbarium
• Wisconsin State Herbarium
• Invasive Plants Association of Wisconsin (IPAW): Has a working list of plants that are invasive in the state and gives information on invaded habitats
• U.W. Green Bay Invasive Plants of Wisconsin
• List of publications, references, and resources on invasive plants (Wisconsin DNR)
• Invasive Plants Association of Wisconsin (IPAW) Has a working list of plants that are invasive in the state and gives information on the invaded habitats
• Link for literature, references, and resources on invasive plants in Wisconsin

6. Contacts

• Forestry
• DNR Foresters by County
• Private and Cooperating Foresters in Wisconsin
• Forestry Assistance locator (can locate foresters by county)
• Email address to ask questions pertaining to forestry Forestry.Webmaildnr.state.wi.us
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• Invasive Plants
• Kelly Kearns, Plant Conservation Program Manager, WI DNR, Kelly.Kearnsdnr.wi.state.us (608) 267-5066
• Eunice Padley, Forest Ecologist, WI DNR, Eunice.Padleydnr.state.wi.us (608) 261-6459
• Colleen Matula, Forest Ecologist, WI DNR, Colleen.Matuladnr.state.wi.us (715) 358-9208