Invasive Plants Association of Wisconsin

Education Committee Meeting

October 3, 2002

Steven's Point, WI

Present: 

Nancy Braker, WI-TNC (nbraker@tnc.org, 608-251-8140, Madison
Kelly Kearns, WI-DNR (kearns@dnr.state.wi.us, 608-267-5066, Madison)
Amy Staffen, WI-DNR (amy.staffen@dnr.state.wi.us, 608-273-5943, Madison)
Kim Grveles, Upper Fox Basin Partnership (kgrveles@netscape.net, 608-296-1915, Westfield)
Darci Kind, WI-DNR (darcy.kind@dnr.state.wi.us, 608-267-9789, Madison)
Gail Epping, Aldo Leopold Nature Center (gepping@naturenet.com, 608-221-0495, Madison)
Rolf Utegaard, Vice President, IPAW (bigute-hort@prodigy.net, 715-834-0065, Eau Claire)
Jeremy Higgins, UW-Steven's Point (naturesmith@hotmail.com, 715-346-4179, Stevens Point)

Not Present but interested in participating:

Dan Spuhler, Milwaukee County
Kim Mello, Fort McCoy
Edwin Christie
Noel Cutright
Jim Olson
Lauren Ebbecke, high school teacher
Brock Woods, WI-DNR
David Bayer, UW Extension
David Rabl, Prairie Nursery
Lee Krueger, WI-DNR
Betty Czarapata
Jerry Doll
Laura Felda
Scott Provost, WI-DNR
Sarah Braun, UW-SP student

Define Outcomes:

Get chairperson(s)
Develop mission statement
Determine how committee will work
Identify additional participants to recruit
Define how to work with other groups (with similar or contrary viewpoints)
Develop action plan with timeframe

Define how to coordinate with rest of IPAW

• IPAW Science Committee survey, meet with them to use survey data
• IPAW Communication Committee deals with communications among members through the web page, list server, meetings (to recruit members).  Communication Committee serves more to communicate IPAW activities, general information to others, while Education Committee provides more specific, targeted, educational materials.
• Education Comm. not responsible for newsletter, but can submit articles as needed.

Define target audience

• Agriculture industry
• Plant distribution industry
• Educators/Researchers
  •    Nature Centers
  •    Primary/Secondary Schools, Colleges
• Land Managers
  •     Public (DNR, etc.)
  •     Private (land trusts, etc.)
• Gardeners
  •      Landscapers
  •      Vegetable Gardeners
• Botanical Gardens
• Extension Agents/Basin Educators
  •       Pesticide applicators
• Government Agencies (local, county, state, federal)
  •       Zoning boards
  •        Lake boards
  •        Village boards
• Private landowners
• Landowner associations
  •        Woodland owners
  •        Neighborhood associations
  •        Park departments
• DOT/highway maintenance personnel
• Weed commissioners
• Sporting Groups
• Hunting/Fishing/Trapping Groups
• Trail/canoe/bird-watching groups (recreational users)
• ROW/Utility managers
• Golf courses
• Conservation groups
• Forest industry
• Tourism industry
• Environmental Education organizations
• Foundations and other funding sources
• Developers

Identify Secondary Audience

• "Plant Protection Zealots" (individuals or groups who resist/question our efforts due to divergent ideologies)
• Invasive plant users/promoters

Identify immediate impact 'high-leverage' groups

• Landowner associations
• Extension agents/basin educators
• Land managers
• Sporting/recreation groups
• Botanical gardens
• Conservation groups

Identify 'important' groups (decision-makers, in positions of influence, have large landscape-scale impacts, will communicate to larger audience)

• Legislature
• DOT/highway personnel
• Plant distribution industry
• Government agencies

Identify long-term high-leverage groups

• Nature centers
• Educators/researchers
• Master gardeners
• Environmental education organizations
• Forest industry
• Agriculture industry
• Goal:  Deal with first two groups first, then with long-term group.

Define how the Education Committee will work

• Hopefully regular full meetings will be unnecessary, small groups will take on tasks, report back to Chair.
• Develop email distribution list for Educ. Committee communications.
• IPAW members who aren't on Committee may take on projects, may learn about them through aforementioned communications.
• Jeremy volunteers to be Chair!
• Educ. Committee Chair must communicate with IPAW Board, but doesn't need to serve on the Board (that's the Board liaison, Nancy's, job), must keep the Committee active.
• Investigate central locations for meetings.
• Jeremy will try to connect with other potential members of Committee
• Make sure that meeting attendees receive copies of minutes from previous meetings and agenda before the meeting.
• Send out minutes from Education Committee meetings to larger IPAW list server only if specific need arises (e.g., seeking volunteer).
• Directive from IPAW Board for Committees:  Have a work plan by January.
• Possible dates for next meeting:  November 8, 15, December 13, morning.
• Communicate with other committees (e.g., ask for target species from Science Committee).

Identify additional committee members to recruit

• Extension-Hort..?  Kelly and Rolf will look into.
• U.S. Government (e.g., Fish & Wildlife)?  Darci will look into.
• Legislature?? (or someone to help us understand how to best work with them)
• Wisconsin Woodland Owners Association rep?  Gail will look into.
• DOT??  Gail will look into.
• Plant industry?  Ask Plant Industry Relations Committee if they think it's appropriate to ask a representative to serve on the Education Committee.  Rolf will investigate.

Identify Educational needs by target group

Plant Distribution industry

• What plants/ecotypes are invasive.
• Distribution (current and potential) in state.
• Methods of dispersal and reproduction..
• Documentation of impacts, case studies.
• How they can help.
• Literature to hand out to staff, customers.
• Current pertinent laws.
• Provide alternatives.

Legislature

• What are the problems?
• Why should they care?
• (Simple terms are important; they have too much to absorb to attend to much detail.)
• What can they do?
• What legislation is being pushed, how should they vote?

DOT/Highway Maintenance

• Materials for people that operate mowers, sprayers.
• What are the problems?
• Why should they care?
• Training for management techniques.
• Recommend roadside stabilization plants.
• Landowner Associations, Land Managers, Extension Agents/Basin Educators, Sporting/Recreation Groups, Conservation Groups
• What species/ecotypes are problems and why?
• How can they control them and identify them?
• How can they help us with efforts to educate?
• Which of their activities are problematic?
• What resources are available (educational materials, money, technical help)?
• How do invasive species impact a target groups' specific interests?  Provide documentation (e.g., impact of buckthorn on timber regeneration, impact of reed canary grass on gamebird nesting).
• Provide articles for newsletters.
• How to find volunteers.
• Info on impacts of management techniques on health, safety, quality of life.
• Provide alternatives for meeting sought-after functions.

Agencies:  Local

• Provide model ordinances, help in customizing ordinances.  Covenants too for new developments?
• Identify local species of concern.
• Define local resources (people, organizations) that can assist.
• Identify/provide educational materials (written, displays, speakers).
• Provide pressure to take action.
• Provide training.
• Provide with alternatives for meeting sought-after functions.

Agencies:  County Land Conservation Departments

• Review of plant lists ("LCS Plant Distribution")
• Review of planting recommendations.
• Provide with alternatives for meeting sought-after functions.

Agencies:  NRCS

Review of planting recommendations.

Agencies:  DNR-water

Training, information on alternatives to reed canary grass for stabilizing stream banks.

Agencies:  Drainage Districts

???

Big Picture Tasks

• Collect current educational materials/resources that are available
• Make list of periodicals and websites (develop bibliography).
• Refine stakeholders list.
• Identify training opportunities.
• Take advantage of funding opportunities (see Miles Falck for info. on NRCS funds)
• Speakers Bureau
• Audio visual materials
• Display materials (mailable, to attach to velcro display boards)
• Attend/have displays at/give presentations at professional meetings/conferences.
• Target specific meetings/audiences that haven't received information in the past.
• Create a list of opportunities for speakers and displays, prioritize.
• Prioritize the species list in conjunction with the Science Committee. 
• Develop documentation and materials (including visuals) for above species.
• Put on conferences, workshops, field days (for agency people, plant industry professionals, members of legislature).
• Produce publications (as need is determined).
• Produce newsletter articles, press releases.
• Produce slide/scanned image gallery for open access and usage by public/private individuals (off of our website?).
• Develop list of 'eco-friendly' journalists, communicate with them on invasive issues.
• Identify other media outlets (e.g., Outdoor Wisconsin, Larry Meiller-NPR, Into the Outdoors).
• Develop list of activity/species-specific management techniques and resources (e.g., where to get purple loosestrife beetles, how to get burning done).

**Action Directive #1 for Committee Members**

Send Nancy Braker emails describing any type of resources relating to invasive plant species.  These can be brochures, websites, publications, periodicals, posters, slide collections.  Make sure that you include where the item(s) were produced and how to get copies.  Nancy  will make arrangements for this information to be compiled and organized into a list of invasive species resources.

**Action Directive #2 for Committee Members**

Before next Committee meeting, members should look at the list of target groups and their needs, and try to prioritize them.  We will discuss and define these priorities at the next meeting.