Each year Wisconsin DNR invasive species staff look ahead to what species might join the growing list of terrestrial plant invaders. It appears more have come into Wisconsin.
DNR conservation biologist Kelly Kearns says a key is to work with property owners to get a handle on the infestation before the invasive plant becomes a problem...
"...so those are the ones we really want to work with landowners to try to get rid of. To catch them when they are just getting into the state and essentially erradicate them in order to prevent them from spreading all over the place...."
Kearns says one of the reasons invasive species are able to succeed is that they often leave their predators and competitors behind in their native ecosystems. Without these natural checks and balances they are able to reproduce rapidly and out-compete native species. The DNR has 52 new species on their watch list. She says there are species that have hit southern Wisconsin that have not come to the Northwoods....yet...
"....we have a lot of species in southern Wisconsin that are not yet known in northern Wisconsin such as hedgeparsley. It's not one we've seen in northern Wisconsin yet...."
. She says preventing the spread or stopping it cold early is critical to keeping the invaders from catching on. More information is on theDNR website.
