Wisconsin Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas (CISMAs)
CISMAs are local organizations that bring together landowners and land managers to coordinate action and share expertise and resources to manage invasive species. CISMAs often function under the authority of a mutually developed Memorandum of Understanding or Cooperative Agreement and are governed by a steering committee. Together, CISMA partners develop a comprehensive invasive species management plan for their area.
Attention Wisconsin CISMAs!
If you are a Wisconsin CISMA (listed below) and you would like financial help to be able to attend an invasive plant outreach and education event, IPAW would like to will give you up to $200 annually to pay for your vendor/booth space/IPAW co-sponsored or co-hosted event. Download our application for more information and to apply!
The Midwest Invasive Plant Network’s (MIPN’s) Cooperative Weed Management Area resource page may also be of interest to you.
Click a tab below for further information!
Five Characteristics of CISMAs
CISMA Planning
WI CISMAs
WI Regional Groups
Five Characteristics of CISMAs:
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- A defined geographical area distinguished by a common geography, invasive species problem, community, climate, political boundary or land use;
- An involvement or representation of the majority of landowners and natural resource managers in the defined area;
- A steering committee;
- A commitment to cooperation; and
- A comprehensive plan that addresses the management of prevention of one or more noxious weeds or invasive plants.
CISMA Planning
At the least, CISMA plans include invasive surveying and mapping components as well as plans for integrated invasive species management. More comprehensive plans may include education and training, early detection of new invaders, monitoring, re-vegetation and annual evaluation and adaptation of the invasive species management plan.
Locally-driven CISMAs are especially effective at generating public interest in invasive species management and organizing community groups to support on-the-ground programs. In states that do not have a long history in or strong legislative mandate for invasive species management, newly forming CISMAs are building crucial grassroots support for statewide weed management programming.
Wisconsin CISMAs
A Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area is a partnership of federal, state and local government agencies, tribes, individuals and various interested groups that manage noxious weeds or invasive plants in a defined area.
Here is a list of CISMAs within the state of Wisconsin who are willing to help you out with your invasive plant needs. The map above shows you where they are located within the state. You can also browse an interactive map to see where these and other CISMAs are located.
| Group Name | Counties | Contact | Phone Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Wisconsin Invasives Partnership (CWIP) | Adams, Green Lake, Juneau, Marquette, Portage, Waushara, Wood | Asa Plonsky | 715-343-6215 x707 |
| Door County Invasive Species Team | Door | Sam Koyen | 920-746-2363 |
| Lakeshore Invasive Species Management Area (LISMA) | Calumet, Fond du Lac, Kewaunee, Manitowoc | ||
| Lower Chippewa Invasives Partnership | Chippewa, Dunn, Eau Claire, Pepin, Pierce | Chris Gaetzke | 715-539-2766 |
| Lafayette Environmental Action Group | Lafayette | Marci Hess | 608-577-8283 |
| Monroe County Invasive Species Working Group (MCISWG) | Monroe | Megan Mickelson | 608-633-5722 |
| Northwoods Cooperative Weed Management Area (NCWMA) | Ashland, Bayfield, Douglas, Iron | Ramona Shackleford | 715-373-6167 |
| Southeastern Wisconsin Invasive Species Consortium (SEWISC) | Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Sheboygan, Walworth, Washington, Waukesha | Jill Hapner | |
| Southwest Wisconsin Invasive Species Coalition | Southwest and Southcentral counties | Matthew Wallrath | |
| St. Croix – Red Cedar Cooperative Weed Management Area | Barron, Burnett, Polk, St. Croix, Washburn | Katie Sickmann | 715-483-3300 |
| Timberland Invasives Partnership (TIP) | Langlade, Menominee, Oconto, Shawno, as well as the Menominee and Stockbridge-Munsee Tribes | Alix Bjorklund | 715-799-5710 x3 |
| Upper Chippewa Cooperative Weed Management Area | Price, Rusk, Sawyer, Taylor | Marjory Brzeskiewicz | 715-762-5199 |
| Wild Rivers Invasive Species Coalition (WRISC) | Florence, Forest, Marinette – Wisconsin Dickinson, Menominee – Michigan |
Lindsay Peterson | 906-774-1550 x102 |
| Wisconsin Headwaters Invasives Partnership (WHIP) | Lincoln, Oneida, Vilas | Rosie Page | 715-282-7269 |
Regional Groups in Wisconsin
This is a listing of other regional and county groups and contacts for people working on invasive issues in different parts of Wisconsin. Most are not formal organizations, but groups of people working together on issues in their region. Some of them meet on a regular basis and have active projects, others are just getting started.
| Group Name | Counties | Contact | Phone Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Mounds Area Project | Western Dane, Eastern Iowa | info@bluemounds.org | |
| Brown County Invasive Plant Group | Brown | Vijai Pandian | 920-391-4611 |
| Cedar Lake Eradication and Control Project | Barron | Richard Ballou | |
| Central Sands | possibly Adams, Junaeau, Marquette, Waupaca, Waushara | Shelley Hamel | |
| Chambers Island Weed Management Group | Door | Tim Fitzgerald | |
| Fond du Lac County Invasive Plant Group | Fond du lac | Connie Ramthum | |
| Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance | Winnebago, Calumet, Fond du Lac | Chris Acy | (920-460-3674 |
| Friends of Badfish Creek | Badfish Creek Watershed – south central Dane, northwestern Rock | Lynne Diebel | |
| Friends of the Mukwonago River | Racine, Walworth, Waukesha | Pam Meyer | |
| Greater Sauk County Invasive Plant Team | Sauk | John Exo | 608-355-3554 |
| Golden Sands RC&D | Amy Thorstenson | 715-343-6215 | |
| Madeline Island Wilderness Preserve | Ashland | Bonnie Matuseski | |
| Madison Area Weed Warriors | Dane | Tammy Bieberstein | 608-257-1329 |
| Monroe County Invasive Plant Team | Monroe | Megan Mickelson | 608-372-6241 |
| Ozaukee Washington Land Trust | Ozaukee, Washington | Tom Stolp | 262-338-1794 |
| Upper Pecatonica Weed Management Group | Cindy Ramseyer |