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Leslie Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut

D. Maurer, LCFPD

C. McGlynn

C. McGlynn

Northeast Illinois Invasive Plant Partnership Annual Report 2012-2013

Clockwise from top right: Clean Boats Crew Site Leader at work; New Invaders lesser celandine, water

lettuce and water hyacinth, and Asian bittersweet

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Northeast Illinois Invasive Plant Partnership Annual Report 2012-2013

Table of Contents

Executive Summary .………………………………………………………………….. 3

Background and Mission …………………………………………………………… 4

Steering Committee…………………………………………….…………….............. 4

Memorandum of Understanding ..……………………………………………… 5

Grants Archive …….……………………………………………………………………. 6

Presentations, Trainings, and Workshops ..……………….……………… 7

Media and General Outreach ……………………………………………………. 11

Education and Outreach Materials Distributed ………………………… 12

Clean Boats Crew .……..………….…………………………………………………… 12

Illinois Hydrilla Task Force ……………………………………………………… 12

New Invaders Watch Program …………………………………………………. 13

Website ………………………………………………………………………………......... 14

Professional Development ……………………………………………………….. 14

Collaborations …………………………………..……………………………………… 14

Community Service ..……………………………………………………………….... 15

Fiscal Summary ….……………………………………………………………………. 16

Future Projects ………………………………………………………………………... 17

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Executive Summary

During our third year the Northeast Illinois Invasive Plant Partnership (NIIPP) has focused

on the continuance and expansion of existing programs and has made much progress

towards its mission of minimizing adverse impacts of invasive plants on native habitats and

biodiversity. This year we have worked to maintain our presence at the regional level

while expanding our network to the national level.

Grants received through USDA-Forest Service, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, Illinois Department of

Natural Resources, and Toyota TogetherGreen Fellowship yielded $128, 821 in funding for NIIPP

coordinator salary, travel, and projects for 2013-2014 that would assist partners with early

detection, prevention, and control of plant invasions

Donation received from the Jimmy F New Foundation to update New Invaders Watch Program

database and herbarium specimen collection and NIIPP Coordinator was contracted by the Lake

County Forest Preserve District to develop eight invasive plant homeowner fact sheets

44 workshops, presentations, exhibits, and training courses reaching 2,217 people focused on

introductory information about NIIPP, New Invaders Watch Program, Invasive Ornamental Plants,

Regionally Established Invaders, Illinois Hydrilla Task Force, and Clean Boats Crew

28 newspaper articles, bulletins, and radio interviews promoted partner and public awareness of

NIIPP activities

So far this year the NIIPP website has had 11,500 unique visitors with peak usage in June (2,329).

This is more than double the number of unique visitors from last year (5,360).

Clean Boats Crew aquatic invasive species outreach and education reached 1,925 boaters,

anglers, and recreational water users in Lake and Cook Counties in Illinois during 12 weekends and

Lake and Porter Counties in Indiana during 4 weekends

Collaborations with 11 organizations and agencies to achieve coordinated control efforts along

ROWs and natural areas boundaries, assist with homeowner education and outreach, and provide

education and outreach about aquatic invasive species

Green industry education and outreach collaboration with the Midwest Invasive Plant Network

has produced a smartphone application and video documenting invasive ornamental plants in

natural areas; organized Invasive Ornamental Plant Symposium and Working Group for Natural

Areas Association Conference

Co-coordination of the Illinois Hydrilla Task Force has completed the first phase of the early

detection/rapid response project – education and outreach

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Background and Mission

The Northeast Illinois Invasive Plant Partnership formally began in 2010 with the hiring of Cathy

McGlynn, NIIPP Coordinator, and the signing of the partnership’s memorandum of understanding.

The partnership has expanded to over 53 organizations in three years and has accomplished a

variety of outreach efforts, on the ground control projects, expansion of the regional early detection

program, and increased partner communication about invasive plants in the region.

Our Mission

NIIPP intends to work toward the prevention and control of new plant invasions, control and manage

current invasions, support informed management decisions, and raise public awareness concerning

the threat posed by invasive plants. Our goal is to minimize the adverse impacts invasive plants have

on our open lands and water in northeast Illinois, especially on native habitats and their native plants

and wildlife.

Executive Committee:

Chair, Debbie Maurer, Lake County Forest Preserve

District

Vice-Chair, Jeff Mengler, Hey & Associates

Vice-Chair, Karen Tharp, The Nature Conservancy

Steering Committee:

Trish Beckjord, Midwest Groundcovers, LLC

Dan Larkin, Chicago Botanic Garden

John Legge, Illinois Department of Natural Resources,

Coastal Management Program

Coordinator:

Cathy McGlynn

Former Steering Committee Members

Vice-Chair, Eric Ulaszek, USFS Midewin National

Tallgrass Prairie

Becky Collings, The Field Museum

Dan Spencer, Forest Preserve District of Cook County

Kurt Dreisilker, Morton Arboretum

Rebecca Grill, Park District of Highland Park

Kathy Paap, Lake County Health Department

Delane Strohmeyer, USDA-Forest Service, Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

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Memorandum of Understanding: 48 signatory partners and 4 non-signatory partners (Chicago DOE is no longer

in operation)

Signatory Partners:

1. Algonquin Township Road District

2. Alliance for the Great Lakes

3. Atrium

4. Boone County Conservation District

5. Campton Township

6. Cantigny

7. Cardno Entrix

8. Chicago Botanic Garden

9. Chicago Park District

10. Chicago Wilderness

11. Fermilab Natural Areas

12. Forest Preserve District of Cook County

13. Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

14. Forest Preserve District of Will County

15. Fox River Ecosystem Partnership

16. Frankfort Square Park District

17. Friends of the Forest Preserve

18. Friends of the Indian Boundary Prairies

19. Hey & Associates

20. Illinois Department of Natural Resources

21. Illinois Department of Transportation R 1

22. Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant

23. Indian Creek Watershed Project

24. Integrated Lakes Management

25. Joliet Park District

26. Kendall County FPD

27. Lake County Health Department

28. Lake County DOT

29. Lake County FPD

30. Land Conservancy of McHenry County

31. Lake Forest Openlands Association

32. McHenry County Conservation District

33. McHenry County SWCD

34. MWRD of Greater Chicago

35. Midwest Groundcovers, LLC

36. Morton Arboretum

37. Openlands

38. Park District of Highland Park

39. Pizzo and Associates

40. Tallgrass Restoration

41. The Field Museum

42. The Nature Conservancy -Illinois

43. Upland Design

44. USDA-FS Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

45. Village of Algonquin

46. Village of Glenview

47. Village of Lincolnshire

48. Winnebago County FPD

Non-Signatory Partners:

1. Bradburne, Briller & Johnson Environmental

Consultants and Engineers

2. GRAEF

3. North Cook County SWCD

4. Southeastern Wisconsin Invasive Species

Consortium

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Grants Archive

Funded:

1. USDA-FS GLRI Grant additional funds 2012-2013, $30,000

2. USDA-FS additional funds 2013-2014, $23,253

3. USDA-FS GLRI additional funds 2013-2014, $28.000

4. Donnelley Foundation Grant (percentage of funds used in collaboration with MIPN, CBG,

DOE, TNC) “Outreach on Invasive Plants in Horticulture” 2011-2013, $56,000

5. USFWS GLRI Grant to IDNR Aquatic Nuisance Species Program (percentage of funds used

for collaboration for Clean Boats Crew and the statewide Hydrilla Management Plan) 2012-

2014, $1,000,000

6. Jimmy F New Foundation for New Invaders Watch Program, $2,000

7. Whole Foods Dime-at-a-Time Program, $4,371

8. Toyota TogetherGreen Fellowship, $10,000

Not funded:

1. Illinois Wildlife Preservation Fund large grant proposal

2. State and Private Forestry FY 2013 Northeastern Area Competitive Allocation Single-State

Project Proposal

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Presentations, Trainings, and Workshops

1. September 27, 2012 co-host, Joint NIIPP-Chicago Wilderness Natural Resource Management

Team Meeting (attendance = 64)

2. October 8, 2012 Invasive Ornamental Plants, Aurora Garden Club (attendance=30)

3. October 22, 2012 Volunteer Stewardship Network Meeting, Nachusa Grasslands (attendance = 20

people)

4. October 24, 2012 Illinois Hydrilla Task Force Steering Committee meeting, Chicago Botanic

Garden

5. October 24, 2012 The Road to Invasion, Transportation, Trees, and Vegetation Workshop, IDOT,

Schaumburg, IL (attendance = 15 people)

6. October 30, 2012 Hydrilla Early Detection/Rapid Response Plan for Illinois, Upper Midwest

Invasive Species Conference, LaCrosse, WI (attendance = 30 people)

7. October 31, 2012 Invasive Ornamental Plant Education and Outreach for Green Industry, Upper

Midwest Invasive Species Conference, LaCrosse, WI (attendance = 20 people)

8. November 15, 2012, Exhibit table and student mentoring, Chicago Wilderness Congress, Chicago,

IL (attendance = 150 people)

9. November 20, 2012, Introduction to NIIPP and invasive plant issues, Guest lecturer, Restoration

Ecology Class, College of Lake County, Waukegan, IL (attendance = 5 people)

10. January 16-17, 2013, Booth with MIPN at Mid-Am Trade Show, Chicago, IL (40 interactions)

11. January 29, 2013, IL Hydrilla Task Force, Education and Outreach/Rapid Response Team

subcommittee meetings, Lake County Health Department, Libertyville, IL

12. February 2, 2013, “Invasive Ornamental Plants” presentation, Wild Things Conference, Chicago,

IL (attendance = 30 people)

13. February 2, 2013, NIIPP exhibit table, Wild Things Conference, Chicago, IL (attendance = 200

people)

14. February 27, 2013, participant in NW Indiana Invasives Round Table, Gary, IN

15. March 7, 2013, participant in Chicago Wilderness Natural Resource Team Meeting, Chicago, IL

16. March 9-17, 2013, shared booth with Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant for gardener education and

outreach, Chicago Flower & Garden Show, Chicago, IL (807 interactions)

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17. March 18, 2013, “Hydrilla Early Detection/Rapid Response Plan” presentation, Illinois Invasive

Plant Species Council, Springfield, IL (attendance = 20 people)

18. March 20, 2013, “Common Invaders and New Invaders Watch Program” Training, Green Corps

Calumet-Chicago, Center for Green Technology, Chicago, IL (attendance = 34 people)

19. March 26, 2013, “First Detector Program: Invasive Plants in North and Central Illinois”

presentation, 1st Detector Program, University of Illinois Extension, LeMont, IL (attendance = 45

people)

20. April 4, 2013, presentation, “AIS Education and Outreach,” Illinois Lakes Management

Association Conference, Bloomington, IL (attendance = 15 people)

21. April 4-5, 2013, exhibit table (shared with IISG), Illinois Lakes Management Association

Conference, Bloomington, IL (30 interactions)

22. April 7, 2013, presentation, “New Invaders Watch Program,” Plants of Concern Workshop,

FPDCC Volunteer Resource Center, Chicago, IL (attendance = 23 people)

23. April 13, 2013, presentation, “New Invaders Watch Program,” Plants of Concern Workshop,

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, Wilmington, IL (attendance = 30 people)

24. April 16, 2013, presentation, “AIS Education and Outreach,” Northeast Illinois University,

Chicago, IL (attendance = 12 students)

25. April 23, 2013, presentation, “From Pipe Dream to Reality: A Case Study of a CWMA,”

Cooperative Weed Management Area Workshop, National Conservation Training Center,

Shepherdstown, WV (attendance = 15 people)

Illinois Department of Natural Resources Chicago Interns

still smiling after New Invaders Watch Program training

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26. April 24, 2013, presentation, “From Pipe Dream to Reality: A Case Study of a CWMA,”

Cooperative Weed Management Area Workshop, St. Jones Reserve, Dover, DE (attendance = 15

people)

27. April 27, 2013, presentation, “Invasive Ornamental Plants,” Garden Club, Peru, IL (attendance =

1 person)

28. May 4, 2013, exhibit table, Conservation Plainfield Spring Environmental Expo, Plainfield, IL (25

interactions)

29. May 6, 2013, presentation, “AIS Education and Outreach,” DePaul University, Chicago, IL

(attendance = 15 students)

30. May 9, 2013, presentation, “The Road to Invasion,” Illinois Association of County Engineers,

Effingham, IL (attendance = 110 people)

31. May 14, 2013, presentation, “The Northeast Illinois Invasive Plant Partnership,” Calumet

Summit, Miller, IN (attendance = 125 people)

32. May 15, 2013, presentation, “New Invaders Watch Program Forest Plants, “Forest Pests

Workshop, Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL (attendance = 10 people)

33. May 15, 2013, Clean Boats Crew training, Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe, IL (attendance = 7

people)

34. May 18, 2013, Clean Boats Crew training, Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe, IL (attendance = 3

people)

NIIPP Coordinator talks at CWMA Workshop at

National Estuarine Research Reserve, Dover, Delaware

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35. June 1, 2013, exhibit table, World Environment Day, Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe, IL (40

interactions)

36. June 5, 2013, presentation, “Invasive Ornamental Plants,” Bull Valley Garden Club, Crystal Lake,

IL (attendance = 25 people)

37. June 13, 2013, “Common and New Invaders training,” Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Summer Intern Program, Region 2, Bartlett, IL (attendance = 15 students)

38. June 26, 2013, brief update on IL Hydrilla Task Force, Hydrilla Meeting (Appalachian Ohio Weed

Control Partnership), California, KY (attendance = 16 people)

39. July 1, 2013, presentation, “Established Invaders in Our Region,” Darien Garden Club, Darien, IL

(attendance = 50 people)

40. July 9, 2013, presentation, “Introduction to New Invaders”, Volunteer Steward Program, Lake

County Forest Preserve District Headquarters, Libertyville, IL (attendance = 25 people)

41. July 11, 2013, webinar, “From Pipe Dream to Reality: A Case Study of a CWMA,” Mid-Atlantic

Invasive Plant Council (attendance = representatives from 32 states)

42. August 28, 2013, presentation, Invasive Ornamental Plants, Whole Foods, Evanston, IL

(attendance = 5 people)

43. September 7, 2013, Green Table, Glenview Farmer’s Market, Glenview, IL (30 interactions)

44. September 13, 2013, presentation, Resources for Regional Plant Invasion Prevention and Early

Detection/Rapid Response, Getting Ahead of Invasives: Restoration Forum, Morton Arboretum,

Lisle, IL (attendance = 65 people)

An Audubon Society member in Freeport, IL looks over New

Invaders Watch Program herbarium specimens

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Media and General Outreach

1. McGlynn, C.A. Fall 2013. Aquatic Invasive Species Continue to Impact the Great Lakes and Inland

Waterways. Lake Waves: Newsletter of the Illinois Lake Management Association. 27(1)

2. McGlynn, C.A. Spring 2013. Lake Issues: Stop repeating history! Help end accidental

introductions of aquatic invasive species. Cattail Chronicles (Lake County Health Department and

Community Health Center). 22(1)

3. March 3, 2013. Interview on Mike Nowak Radio Show about invasive ornamental plants.

4. Karydes, M. April 2013. The Challenge of Managing Invasive Species. Natural Awakenings.

5. April 2, 2013. City partners with Park District, IDOT to beautify Briergate Business District. City

of Highland Park, IL.

6. Spring 2013. Are you part of the problem? Aquatic hitchhikers targeted. Wonder Lake Master

Property Owners Association Newsletter.

7. Abderholden, F. June 14, 2013. Area lakes could be threatened by noxious weeds. Lake County

News Sun.

8. McGlynn, C.A. June 21, 2013. When it comes to aquatic invasive species prevention is key.

Patch.com

9. June 25, 2013. More than just fish on the list of aquatic invasive species to watch out for. Illinois-

Indiana Sea Grant Lakeside Views

10. Peach, D. July 2, 2013. Hooked on Fishing: Invasive Plants: A Threat to Good Fishing. Evanston

Round Table.

11. McGlynn, C.A. July 2, 2013. When it comes to aquatic invasive species prevention is key.

TribLocal.

12. McGlynn, C.A. July 5, 2013. Hydrilla: For this aquatic superweed prevention and early detection

are essential. TribLocal.

13. July 7, 2013. Interview on Mike Nowak Radio Show regarding Hydrilla.

14. Bott, C. July 12, 2013. Photo Friday: Hydrilla Hunting! Great Lakes Echo.

15. July 2013. Join the search for a superweed. Bull Creek- Bull’s Brook eNews.

16. July 2013. Join the search for a superweed. National American Lake Management Society Notes.

17. Twelve editions of the monthly NIIPP Bulletin

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Education and Outreach Materials Distributed

Go Green Wilmette

Garden Clubs of Illinois Convention, Downers Grove, IL

Campton Township Prairie Fest

Fermilabs Natural Areas

Green Bay Trail Association

Darien Garden Club

Peru Garden Club

North Park 10th anniversary (Village of Lincolnshire)

Clean Boats Crew

NIIPP Coordinator gave presentations about aquatic invasive species in biology classes at Loyola

University and Northeast Illinois University.

Numbers of people with which our site leaders interacted during the 2013 season-

Lake County, IL: 1013

Cook County, IL: 681

Northwest IN: 266 (month of June)

Total: 1925

Illinois Hydrilla Task Force

Website: www.niipp.net/hydrilla

Email: HydrillaHunt@niipp.net

Education and outreach materials were distributed throughout region and state (> 250 copies of ID

sheets to monitors and biologists). Posters and Hunt! card will continue to be distributed.

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New Invaders Watch Program

Our summer assistant collected more than 50 additional herbarium specimens for use as teaching

tools and helped to update the New Invaders Watch Program (NIWP) database. The NIWP

database currently contains more than 150 reports for 24 species. The status of 97 of these reports

has been updated to reflect control efforts made to eradicate these populations. In 2012-2013 we

received 71 new reports. In spring of 2013, 16 reports of lesser celandine/fig buttercup

(Ranunculus ficaria var. bulbifera) infestations were submitted. Several reports of black

swallowwort (Cynanchum louiseae) were also filed. The first report of pale swallowwort or dog-

strangling vine (Cynanchum rossicum) and the third report of Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium

vimineum) in the region, now in DuPage County, have also been filed. Water hyacinth (Eicchornia

crassipes) and water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) have also arrived in Cook County, but their ability to

overwinter is still in question. NIIPP assisted with the control of stiltgrass in Will County in 2012-

2013 and plans to help with stiltgrass mapping and control in DuPage County in the coming year.

Six new species have been added to the target list: burning bush (Euonymus alatus), butterfly bush

(Buddleja davidii), garden valerian (Valeriana officinalis), Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii),

Lyme grass (Elymus arenarius), and sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera). The Field Museum has

created the species pages for NIWP website.

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Website

The NIIPP website will be getting streamlined and updated in the coming months. The increased

traffic on the website can be attributed in part to the addition of the link to the Illinois Hydrilla Task

Force’s Hydrilla Hunt! website, a national webinar about NIIPP, and the upcoming Invasive

Ornamental Plant Symposium and Working Group (Natural Areas Association Conference field

trip).

Professional Development

October 15-16, 2012, Vital Lands Summit, Urbana, IL

September 26, 2013, Where Ecology Meets Economy: A Forum for Green Industry Professionals,

Johnson’s Nursery, Menomonee Falls, WI

Collaborations

NIIPP is worked with Kendall County DOT and IDOT to help develop a Kendall County-wide

invasive plant management plan

NIIPP worked with Kane County FPD and Fermilab Natural Areas on the wild chervil

mapping and control project

NIIPP is working with DuPage County Forest Preserve District, Downers Grove Park

District, the Village of Downers Grove and homeowners to delineate and control a Japanese

knotweed population along St. Joseph’s Creek

NIIPP collaborates with Chicago Botanic Garden and Lake County Health Department to co-

coordinate the IL Hydrilla Task Force

NIIPP collaborated with the Midwest Invasive Plant Network, Champaign County Forest

Preserve District, and the Illinois Invasive Species Campaign to organize and host an

Invasive Ornamental Plant Symposium & Working Group

NIIPP and Indiana Coastal Cooperative Weed Management Area co-presented about CWMAs

at the Calumet Summit 2013

Collaborated with Field Museum and several experts to produce a phenology/treatment

calendar for our region

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Community Service

NIIPP Coordinator serves on Chicago Botanic Garden Invasive Plants Committee that discusses

which species will be removed from collections or put on a watch list at the Chicago Botanic Garden

NIIPP Coordinator serves on the Illinois Invasive Plant Species Council which is currently involved

in developing a risk assessment process for species regulation

NIIPP Coordinator serves on Illinois Invasive Species Awareness Month (ISAM) Committee which

promotes ISAM throughout the region via publications, presentations, and reviews nominations for

annual ISAM awards.

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Fiscal Summary 2013-14 Year Source Amount Operating Expenses Projects funded

2013 IL-IN Sea Grant $15,525 25% Clean Boats Crew

2013 Donnelley Foundation $5,502 9% Green industry outreach

2013 IDNR $45,000 12.5% Illinois Hydrilla EDRR Plan

2013 USDA-Forest Service (GLRI) $26,000 44% New Invaders, etc.

2013 NCIPM $3,550 6.4% Invasive Ornamental Plant Workshop

2013 Lake County FPD $2,000 3.5% Homeowner fact sheets

2013 Jimmy F New Foundation $2,000 PT seasonal assistant New Invaders

2014 IDNR $35,000 12.5% Illinois Hydrilla EDRR Plan

2014 USDA-Forest Service $23,253 30.7% New Invaders, etc.

2014 USDA-Forest Service $28,000 - New Invader targeted control

2014 Boeing Global Citizenship (CW) $1,400 2.5% New Invaders training classes

2014 Toyota TogetherGreen Fellowship $10,000 9% Bilingual outreach

2014 IL-IN Sea Grant $10,182 16.4% Clean Boats Crew

2014 GLISA (Alliance for the Great Lakes) $1,200 2.1% Climate change adaptation plan

2014 additional sources of funding are pending

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Future Projects 2014

Illinois Hydrilla Task Force completion of Rapid Response protocol and plan and

dichotomous key for control of ten additional aquatic invasive plants

Clean Boats Crew aquatic invasive species education and outreach in Lake and Cook

Counties in Illinois and Lake, LaPorte, and Porter Counties in Indiana

Translation of MIPN Landscape Alternatives brochures and several homeowner fact sheets

into Spanish ; three bilingual workshops for Spanish speakers

NIIPP coordinator works in partnership with Alliance for the Great Lakes, The Field

Museum, Great Lakes Integrated Sciences + Assessments, other project partners, and local

technical advisors to help incorporate climate change adaptation strategies into regional

ravine management and restoration policies and practices.

Green Infrastructure planning and implementation in the Des Plaines River Corridor

(Chicago Wilderness): NIIPP coordinator participates in two meetings with community

leaders and decision-makers to provide invasive species identification training and

assistance with invasive plant management and control

iLandscape tradeshow table shared with Illinois- Indiana Sea Grant

Chicago Flower and Garden Show table shared with Illinois –Indiana Sea Grant and invited

talk