West Michigan CISMA

10/21/2026

Now is a good time of year to look for invasive porcelain berry! Porcelain berry (Ampelopsis brevipedunculata) is a fast-growing vine native to Asia that outcompetes native plants in natural areas and can blanket shrubs and trees, competing with them for sunlight and pulling them down with its weight.

This is a tricky plant to ID, as it looks similar to Michigan's native grapevines. This time of year, the porcelain berries are starting to ripen, which is a good ID characteristic. The speckled berries change through a variety of colors as they ripen, including white, yellow, lilac, green, turquoise, blue, and purple. Another characteristic that distinguishes it from grapes is that the center of the stem (the pith) is white, as opposed to a brown pith in grapes. The leaves can vary greatly, from shallowly lobed to deeply lobed.

If you see this plant, please take photos and report it to the Midwest Invasive Species Information Network (MISIN): https://www.misin.msu.edu/report/193

Thanks to our partners at the Kent County Parks Department for sending us some photos of their porcelain berry infestations!

10/14/2026

Join Allegan Conservation District and us tomorrow to learn to control woody invasive species! Do you have autumn olive, Japanese barberry, invasive bittersweet, or other woody invasive species on your property? This is the class for you! Registration is not required, and there will be a presentation and a demo!

09/21/2026

The Michigan Invasive Species Program and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development announced a new quarantine that makes it unlawful to transport untreated firewood into Michigan. This regulation aims to prevent the introduction of new invasive pests and diseases into the state. The quarantine takes effect starting January 1, 2027.

You can read the full quarantine here: https://www.michigan.gov/mdard/plant-pest/plant-health/-/media/A327EFE5FFDA4EF39C0C23486BCCF03F.ashx?utm_campaign=mdard+firewoodquarantine26&utm_medium=pr&utm_source=govdelivery

09/02/2026

Hot off the press! The State of Michigan is expanding its Don't Move Firewood campaign to institute a certification program for producers and suppliers to have their firewood products be Certified Invasive-Free. This allows consumers to make the choice to purchase wood that has been heat-treated to kill harmful forest pests, like hemlock woolly adelgid or oak wilt. Look for Michigan’s “Certified Invasive-Free” seal or the U.S. Department of Agriculture certification shield on firewood packaging to avoid spreading invasive species through firewood.

Learn more in the press release linked below!

The Michigan Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) and Natural Resources (DNR) are reminding consumers to not move firewood long distances this holiday weekend to help prevent the spread of invasive insects and plant diseases. The agencies are also working to expand access to cert...

09/01/2026

Good reminder to check your trees for ALB!

08/30/2026

We love cooperating with partners to manage invasive species!

08/13/2026

Attention landowners with hemlock trees in Allegan, Ottawa, Muskegon, and Oceana Counties! West Michigan CISMA has grant funding to host workshops in each of our lakeshore counties for landowners interested in learning more about hemlock woolly adelgid management. Topics will include chemical control, silvicultural techniques, biological control, and reforestation as tools to manage HWA on the landscape. Landowners may also be eligible to receive free tree tubes as part of the project. Workshop information is below!

Oceana: September 1st, 5 - 7 PM, Oceana Conservation District Office, Shelby

Muskegon: September 3rd, 5 - 7 PM, Muskegon Conservation District Office, Twin Lake

Allegan: September 9th, 6 - 7:30 PM, The Felt Estate, Holland

Ottawa: September 15th, 6 - 7:30 PM, Ottawa County Parks Nature Center, West Olive, MI

Questions about these workshops should be directed to [email protected]. Funding for these workshops is provided through a grant from the Landscape Scale Restoration Fund through the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service.

08/10/2026

Thank you for 1,000 followers! For those of you who are new around here, the West Michigan Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area is an organization that works with federal, state, and local government agencies, tribal nations, non-profits, individual landowners, and more to manage invasive species across jurisdictional boundaries. Our fiduciary is the Ottawa Conservation District, meaning that they hold our grant funds and other assets. We also closely cooperate with Muskegon and Kent Conservation Districts to manage invasive species across Allegan, Ottawa, Muskegon, Oceana, Kent, Montcalm, and Newaygo Counties. Thank you for following us as we strive to provide pertinent information about invasive species in West Michigan!

08/04/2026

Have you seen stiltgrass growing near you? Stiltgrass is an invasive annual grass that forms dense monocultures, decreasing native plant diversity. This species is on the State of Michigan's Watch List, meaning it has limited distribution throughout the state, making it a priority for management. Treatment of stiltgrass is available at no cost to landowners while grant funding is available.

Click through these photos to learn more about how to identify stiltgrass.

You can report stiltgrass at https://www.misin.msu.edu/report/ or by contacting the West Michigan CISMA Coordinator, Murielle Garbarino. [email protected] 616-414-2055