Lake to Lake Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area - L2L CISMA

10/21/2026

This month Erica and Lilli had the opportunity to attend the Upper Midwest Invasive Species Conference in La Crosse Wisconsin! From learning about exotic pet escapes to fun outreach events, UMISC is always a wonderful way to learn more about invasive species in our region as well as network with fellow invasive species managers. Some highlights from this year's conference; Big Dude the Red-Foot Tortoise, the invasive species art show, spending time with fellow CISMA Coordinators and Outreach Coordinators, and learning about all the wonderful research happening out of institutions such as MAISRC, GLRI, NOAA, the University of Minnesota. We look forward to the next conference!

10/20/2026

Coming up next week for Firewood Month! 🪵🌳

Join our partners at The Nature Conservancy and Don't Move Firewood for "Firewood and the Forest Pest Multiverse: The Influence of Time on Perceptions of Regulation and Detection," recently rescheduled for October 21.

📅 Wednesday, October 21
⏰ 1 p.m. Eastern
🎤 Leigh Greenwood, Forest Pest and Pathogen Program Director, The Nature Conservancy

How does the time between the arrival of a forest pest and its detection affect the way we understand—and respond to—its spread?

This webinar will explore how delays in detecting new forest pest infestations can shape perceptions of regulatory effectiveness, create missed opportunities for outreach, and influence efforts to protect trees and forests.

Register today at: https://www.dontmovefirewood.org/firewoodmonth2026/

10/15/2026

Happy National Firewood Awareness Month!

As you set out on your final camping trips of the month to catch the beautiful fall colors, consider buying your firewood within a ten mile radius of where it will be burned, or look for the Michigan Certified Invasive-Free Logo on firewood bundles at the store! Invasive species are a problem no matter where they are found, but some of our forest pest invasive species tend to get out of hand. Oak Wilt, Emerald Ash Borer, and Hemlock Woolly Adelgid especially can cause widespread damage, permanently altering the appearance of the forest.

Michigan Certified Invasive-Free Firewood is certified by the state. Producers of firewood can obtain this certification after it is confirmed they have heated the firewood in a kiln to 140 degree for at least an hour. Once the firewood has been heat treated, producers must keep the treated wood separate from the untreated wood, dry, and away from anything that could carry an unwanted pest. If you want to learn more about Michigan's new certification, you can visit https://www.michigan.gov/mdard/plant-pest/plant-health/invasive-species/invasive-free-firewood-certification-program.

Help us keep our forests safe from forest pests and don't move firewood!

10/13/2026

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MIDNR/bulletins/42e7350

If you're hoping to get in one last camping trip, before the snow flies, be sure to not move firewood! While it may seem economical to B.Y.O.F. (bring your own firewood) invasive species, especially forest pests can cost millions of dollars to manage and they can cause problems for the timber industry as well as the recreation industry. A good rule of thumb is to buy the firewood within a 10 mile radius from where it will be burned. This means if you are camping in Marquette, you should buy your firewood in Marquette too!
Also consider looking into what forest pests the area you are camping in may have. Forest pests like Hemlock Woolly Adelgid are not in the Upper Peninsula, so if you are camping in a spot that may have HWA, a car wash and good cleaning of your gear helps to stop the spread. If you do not use all of the firewood you bought, leave it for the next person! Happy camping and enjoy the lovely fall colors!

It’s Firewood Month: Help protect Michigan’s trees by leaving firewood at home Michigan Department of Natural Resources sent this bulletin at 10/08/2026 11:28 AM EDT Share or view as webpage | Update preferences News Release Oct. 08, 2026Contact: Vicki Sawicki, 231-942-3982 It’s Firewood Month...

09/30/2026

Last week our crew had the chance to help FAP Forester Sara Kelso with her Deer Habitat Improvement project! This is the seventh year Lake to Lake CISMA has helped out with this great project.
The Deer Habitat Improvement Partnership Initiative (DHIPI) is a wonderful collaborative effort funded by the Michigan DNR to increase and improve Deer habitat throughout the Upper Peninsula. This is a great program because it forms a connection between private sportspersons, citizens, hunting associations, and the MI DNR. It also allows those who hunt the opportunity to give back to the deer, by providing them an area for food and shelter, ensuring future generations of Whitetail Deer in the Upper Peninsula. Funding for this grant comes from the Deer Range Improvement Program (DRIP), where $1.50 from every deer hunting license sold statewide is allocated into a restricted fund to be exclusively used for the improvement and maintenance of habitat for deer, as well as developing a collaborative approach to deer habitat improvement on private landownership across the UP.

This year, 35 large white oak seedlings were planted. Each tree was protected with a cage that was 6 feet tall and 3 feet in diameter to ensure success throughout the winter. White oak was selected for planting due to its suitability to that particular site (Munising fine sandy loam), adaptability to climate change (anecdotal evidence of planted white oaks in the area exhibiting good survival and growth despite being north of the natural range of white oak), and for the tolerance that white oak displays towards oak wilt (Bretziella fagacearum), which has been found in the area. Additionally, oak tree species are often keystone species as they provide food and habitat for many different native species.

If you are interested in learning more about the DHIPI program, you can find out more here: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/about/newsroom/releases/2026/01/26/200000-available-for-up-deer-habitat-improvement-partnership-grants

Thank you Sara for letting us be involved in such a great program!

09/26/2026

Our public lands provide us with so much! Without them, water, food, forests, wildlife, and local economies would suffer. Not to mention, public lands can help us better connect with nature which is full of physical and mental benefits. Here at Lake to Lake CISMA, we spend a lot of time on public lands, managing invasives, doing restoration, and talking to the public. We truly feel that public lands can be some of the most magical landscapes. So this public lands day, think of some ways you can help out! Whether that be helping to restore an area, manage invasive species, help with trail maintenance, or simply advocating, there is no action too small. If you are going to head out and enjoy the beauty of some public land this weekend, be sure to play, clean, go as invasive species are still lurking about waiting for an excuse to create a new infestation.

Happy Public Lands Day!!

09/25/2026

As hunting season commences, its best to be aware of invasive species! Both aquatic and terrestrial invasive species can spread from hunting gear, especially when it comes to duck hunting. If you are going out this fall, please clean, drain, dry your boats! Aquatic invasives can still easily be moved this time of year with contaminated gear. Be sure to decontaminate anything that touched the water as well. This can be as simple as spraying gear with 1% bleach and then giving everything a good rinse. Also be sure to remove any larger plant materials on-site, before leaving your hunting spot.
Another thing to avoid this fall is using invasive Phragmites as a duck blind cover. While it may appear dead, there are still seeds present on the fluffy seed heads. Using invasive Phragmites as a duck blind cover just ends up spreading more invasive species around and leaving your once pristine duck hunting spot a wall of vegetation you cannot see through.
If helpful, consider packing a boot brush in your hunting pack! This can cut down on any seeds or larvae that could hitch a ride in your boot treads. Play, clean, go is an excellent habit to get into regardless of what kind of hunting you choose to do this fall.

Good luck hunters and help us stop the spread!

09/17/2026

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MIDNR/bulletins/42b411e

Starting January 1, 2027, Michigan will be in a firewood quarantine. This means untreated firewood is restricted from coming into Michigan. This is great news for our forests as firewood is a prime host for invasive forest pests like Asian Long-Horned Beetle, Oak Wilt, Emerald Ash Borer and more. If you want to be sure to not move forest pests throughout the state, look for the Michigan Certified Invasive-Free Firewood emblem on firewood packaging. If you are interested in learning more about what a quarantine on untreated firewood looks like, the Michigan Invasive Species Program will be hosting an informational webinar on November 12, 2026. You can access that info-session from the NotMiSpecies webpage.

What is treated firewood? Heat treated firewood is wood that was harvested for the purposes of selling as firewood, and has been placed in a kiln at 140 degrees for at least an hour. The heat kills any and all forest pests including insects and fungi. In order to be Certified Invasive-Free, that treated wood must be kept separately from untreated wood and live vegetation, so as to not re-infest.

This is a great step towards better protecting our forests here in Michigan so critters, both human and wild, can continue to enjoy them for many more years to come!

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MDARD, MISP take next step in preventing invasive pests from entering Michigan Michigan Department of Natural Resources sent this bulletin at 09/17/2026 02:41 PM EDT Share or view as webpage | Update preferences News Release The following news release was issued earlier today by the Michigan Departm...

09/06/2026

Happy 906 Day to all!!

We are so fortunate to be able to call the 906 home. From the wonderful wildflowers to the amazing wildlife to the serene water to the towering forests, Michigan's Upper Peninsula is truly a special place and we are happy to help keep it so splendid!

Please remember to Play, Clean, Go and Clean, Drain, Dry as you appreciate the 906 this weekend! Many invasive species are going to seed right now so it is especially important if you are going to be having fun outside to practice these habits!