The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy is offering everyone a chance to learn more about invasive species and what the average citizen can do to help stop their spread with a series of webinars this winter.
The agency has been working with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources on the series for the last few years.
DNR invasive species specialist Joanne Foreman tells us the two departments felt the public needed more opportunities to learn.
“The real impetus was because a lot of folks have a lot of questions about what’s going on with invasive species, and there’s a lot of work that maybe doesn’t get the kind of press it deserves,” Foreman said. “There’s a lot of research, a lot of activities and groups that are involved.”
January 23 will bring “Dirt Never Hurt, but Invasive Species Do,” a webinar that will focus on how ORVs can spread invasive plants. Foreman says lovers of the outdoors can unknowingly disrupt habitats by introducing new invasives to them.
“Whether you’re hiking or you’re out on your ORV, you could be encountering invasive plants that have spreadable seeds. So, the important thing is you’re probably not always going to be able to avoid those, but what you can do is be sure you clean up before you go to a new trail.”
The next engagement will be February 7 with “What’s the damage? Ecology and Effects of Invasive European Frog-bit in the St. Marys River,” focusing on another invasive plant that Foreman says can quickly crowd shorelines.
The webinars are always one hour long at start at 9 a.m. Everyone’s welcome to attend, and you can also watch previous webinars.
