Northwest Michigan Invasive Species Network

Northwest Michigan Invasive Species Network is a non-profit organization registered to receive federal grant awards. The organization specializes in invasive species management and ecological restoration, providing services to federal agencies through cooperative agreements and sub-awards. Their work primarily focuses on detecting, treating, and removing invasive plant species, as well as restoring native habitats in the Great Lakes region. Northwest Michigan Invasive Species Network plays a crucial role in preserving and maintaining the ecological balance of watersheds, landscapes, and marine and coastal resources in national parks and surrounding areas.

Recent federal grant awards demonstrate the organization's involvement in significant environmental projects. Through a cooperative agreement with the National Park Service, Northwest Michigan Invasive Species Network is establishing a multi-year early detection and rapid response treatment program for slender false brome (Brachypodium sylvaticum), a new invasive plant in the Great Lakes region. This project, centered in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and surrounding counties, aims to control the spread of this invasive species. Additionally, the organization has received sub-awards from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to remove invasive species across more than 500 acres and restore newly exposed bottomlands along the Boardman River. This work includes protecting and establishing new sites for wild rice, a state-threatened species. Northwest Michigan Invasive Species Network also collaborates with the Department of Natural Resources on projects related to hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) management. These diverse projects highlight the organization's expertise in invasive species control, habitat restoration, and threatened species protection, contributing to the broader goals of natural resource stewardship and climate change adaptation in the region.