Minutes

Invasive Plants Association of Wisconsin

Annual Membership Meeting

UW Madison Union, Beefeater Room

12:30 - 1:35  Saturday, August 7th, 2004

Board members present: Dan Undersander, Rolf Utegaard, Tom Boos, David Hamel, Gene Roark, Donna Van Buecken, Pat Goggins, and Steve Strachota.

Also present: Kelly Kearns, Marsha Vomastic, and Susan Lehnhardt and many other IPAW members.

President, Dan Undersander called the meeting to order at 12:30 and outlined an agenda for the meeting.

I.     Introductions

Directors present were introduced. 

II.   Administration

• Minutes of the 2003 Annual Meeting were read by the secretary and approved as submitted.
• Treasurer’s report was approved as submitted.  $18,000 to 19,000 has been on hand most of the year.  $11,000 is earmarked for the 2005 Plants Out of Place Conference.  Membership mailings have been on-going.  Web Site monthly expenses have been increased recently and will continue to increase as approved by the Board of Directors.  The Nature Conservancy grant in 2004 has enabled us to hire a Program Assistant to help with administrative tasks.

III.   Committee Reports (presenter)

• Legislative Committee (Gene Roark) IPAW has been influential with the Governor’s office re. appointments to the Council on Invasive Species (CIS) and Council on Forestry.  Also sponsored legislator’s field trips.  The Wisconsin Weed Law Technical Advisory Committee still exists but its work has been stalled by the legislator.  Pat Goggins offered some CIS reports for loading onto our web site.
• Science Committee (Tom Boos)   We need more surveys to develop the Working List of invasive plants.  Mapping of Wisconsin invasive plant sites has been the subject of past and future meetings to assure coordination and consolidation.  This committee is looking for a replacement chair or co-chairs to fill vacancy.
• Industry Relations Committee (Susan Lehnhardt)  Held a meeting with The Wisconsin Nurserymen’s Association delegates.  Planning a bus trip with Nurserymen to visit natural areas where there has been impact on natural communities.  Steve Strachoda is initiating meetings with the Wisconsin Seed Producers as well.  We are trying to develop standards for establishing economic impact values for most important invasives and recommend alternative species as replacements for the invasives now offered for sale.   Dan offered to contact free seed packet distributors if members will send him any packets received that seem to include invasive species seed.
• Regional Groups Committee (Dan)   IPAW is interested in helping groups with anything we can, such as web site, grant administration and non-profit status.  Our By-Laws have been changed to allow creation of regional chapters and welcome affiliation with groups that share our goals. 
• Hannah Spaul reported on activities of the Sauk County invasive species group. 
• Mike Engel reported on the Central Sands Group
• Betty Downs reported on the Dane County School Forest volunteer effort and Dane County Weed Warriors.
• Pat Goggins reported on the Northwoods Invasives Group.
• Molly McCarty reported on Milwaukee Wild Ones and Park People garlic mustard efforts.
• Web Site (www.IPAW.org) has been developing quite well.  Several power point presentations can now be downloaded there. 

IV.   Education Efforts: 

President Undersander made a special request for members to volunteer to assist the education Committee in its important work.

Meeting adjourned at 1:35 p.m..

Respectfully submitted by David Hamel