Invasive Species

Summary of Work

Our Invasive Species program has surveyed and inventoried approximately 3,500 acres of Tribal land. The invasive species found on Tribal properties are as follows: black locust, Norway maples, autumn olive, Bell's honeysuckle, Morrow's honeysuckle, common buckthorn, glossy buckthorn, Japanese barberry, multiflora rose, privet, Dame's rocket, narrow leaved cat-tail, purple loosestrife, Eurasian phragmites, reed canary grass, spotted knapweed, bull thistle, Canada thistle, yellow sweet clover, white sweet clover, and European frogbit. Phragmites and European frogbit have been identified as being two of the biggest threats to our native plants on Tribal lands. Our Natural Resources team has chemically treated phragmites on Tribal lands in Isabella, Arenac and Iosco counties. In the past, the Natural Resources team has partnered with Bay County as part of a MDNR GLRI Invasive Species Grant to treat Phragmites and our Saginaw Bay CISMA partners conducting frogbit pulls along the Saginaw Bay.

Current Projects

The Natural Resources team is partnered with the City of East Tawas and Baldwin Township to remove invasive species through DASH that are threatening the Wild Rice beds on Tawas Lake. Diver Assisted Suction Harvesting (DASH) is a chemical free approach to invasive species treatment that doesn't have a negative impact on the habitat allowing native species to thrive. Midwest Invasive Species Information Network (MISIN) trained, certified divers hand remove individual Eurasian Watermilfoil plants from the lake bed. The plants are then sent through a suction hose to the surface onto our custom DASH boat where it is bagged for proper disposal. The Tawas Lake DASH project is BIA GLRI Invasive Species Grant funded.

Natural Resources received funding through BIA GLRI to purchase a mobile boat wash station to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species. Natural Resources Specialists and Technicians setup at local boat launches to provide boat washes to interested individuals at no cost to them. The Natural Resources team partners with local CISMA's to assist in their annual boat wash events. Natural Resource Specialists and Technicians will continue removing frogbit from the Saginaw Bay this summer to help prevent the spread of the invasive species. This frogbit removal project is also funded through a BIA GLRI grant.