Open call for observations of fire effects on invasive species

To accelerate the sharing of knowledge and information about fire effects on invasive species in the Midwest - bad as well as good - we've partnered with the Midwest Invasive Plant Network (MIPN) to add practitioners' observations to the online Invasive Plant Control Database.

Please consider taking some time over the dormant season to share your observations.

We've added a short form to our website that asks for a few sentences about the habitat type, treatment, and effectiveness. (http://www.tposfirescience.org/invasive-plant-control/)

After you fill out and submit the form, we will send you a confirmation email and ask to schedule a time for a follow up phone call. 

During the follow up phone call, we will collect additional information about the treatments (burning and other integrated management) and effectiveness. Notes from the discussion will be turned into a brief description and sent back to the land manager for review.

Following approval, the observations will be uploaded to the database. New additions to the database will be advertised through the consortium, MIPN, and relevant state or local invasive plant list serves and newsletters.

Download the flyer

Update: Bringing Fire to the Upper Midwest Invasive Species Conference

Join us on Tuesday, October 22 for this special session with land managers and ecologists from across the region. This session is co-organized by the Tallgrass Prairie and Oak Savanna Fire Science Consortium and the Lake States Fire Science Consortium.

Many land managers have experienced that prescribed fire can be an imperfect tool for suppressing invasive species populations, frustrating their attempts to restore an ecological process that is vital to native plant communities, wildlife, and ecosystem function. This session shares case studies from land managers and ecologists who have experienced the limitations and complexities of using prescribed fire to suppress invasive plant species. 

Three case studies highlight innovations including: 1) pre-burn management using other tools to foster more desirable fuel loads; 2) planning and implementing prescribed fires of the appropriate timing, intensity/severity, and/or frequency to suppress invasive species and foster native plants and wildlife; and 3) using adaptive management and monitoring to better understand the effects of grassland management tools. We'll conclude with a 20 minute panel discussion and field questions from the audience.

Overview: Prescribed Fire and Invasive Plants – Effects and Use of an Imperfect Tool

Jack McGowan-Stinski, Coordinator, Lake States Fire Science Network

Case Study #1: Mechanical Shrub/Tree Removal Preceding Re-Introduction of Fire to Grasslands and Savannas

Joel Kemm, Fire Management Specialist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, St. Croix Wetland Management District

Case Study #2: Annual Prescribed Burning to Facilitate Recovery of a Federally Threatened Orchid

Jim Lutes, Wildlife Biologist, Leopold Wetland Management District

Case Study #3: Adaptive Approaches to Managing Prairies on Conservation Lands in the Prairie Pothole Region

 Sara Vacek and Cami Dixon, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Panel Discussion:  

 Joel Kemm, Jim Lutes, Craig Maier, Jack McGowan-Stinski, and Sara Vacek

More information about the Upper Midwest Invasive Species Conference is available at www.umisc2014.org.

New Guide to Tools for Resources for Identifying and Managing Invasive Species

Our surveys indicate managers in our region want more information about how prescribed fire impacts invasive species. We're sharing a new guide for searching databases that aims to help you quickly find information about fire and the species that occur in this region.

Click to read more ...