Detroit River-Western Lake Erie Cooperative Weed Management Area

10/29/2026

The CWMA were back at it again this week, visiting three more partner sites to remove invasive vines, shrubs and trees.

At the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge - Strong Unit we treated golden-and-silver honeysuckle, buckthorn and autumn olive along the d**e.

At Wyandot of Anderdon Nation’s Six Points unit, we cut and treated a number of mature buckthorn trees (we’ll be back for more in the near future!)

Finally, we worked with the Detroit River IWR Stewardship Crew at the Humbug Marsh Unit to remove buckthorn and black alder. Take a stroll along the orange trail to see the fruits of our labor and thank you to all who participate in this important work!

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Photo 1: a technician cuts down an invasive common buckthorn tree using a power tool
Photo 2: a technician trees a vining plant (golden and silver honeysuckle) along a d**e
Credit: DR-WLE CWMA

10/22/2026

We are so excited to have joined the community!

As celebrated at last week's , we're delighted to announce Detroit River-Western Lake Erie Cooperative W**d Management Area as our newest TSN Member Community! Learn more about this wonderful group at stewardshipnetwork.org/communities/dr-wlec-cwma

10/22/2026

Which of these beautiful birds is considered invasive?

Ring-necked pheasant - a large, long-tailed, ground-nesting bird popular with hunters. Though these birds were introduced to North America from Asia beginning in the 1700s and can compete with native species for food and nest sites, they are not destructive enough to be considered invasive in Michigan. The pheasant population in North America has been in decline over the past few decades despite stocking efforts.

Double-crested cormorant - unfairly maligned in the Great Lakes region, this native aquatic bird primarily consumes small, non-game fish including the invasive alewife and round goby. Cormorant p**p can indeed change soil chemistry and plant composition - but this often part of a natural environmental process and federal permits are available for removing cormorants that cause severe damage.

Mute swan - native to Europe and Asia, these large invasive waterbirds are highly aggressive towards native waterfowl, rapidly increasing in Michigan in the 20th century and causing damage to wetland ecosystems. Monitoring and management efforts by MSU, Michigan DNR and the USDA have successfully reduced populations of mute swans in Michigan in recent years.

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Photo 1: a colorful, long-tailed bird flies over a marsh
Photo 2: a large, all-black bird stands on a rock with wings spread
Photo 3: two large white birds swim together, one displaying its wing feathers
Credit: USFWS

10/14/2026

At this time of year, sugar maple, american beech and red oak begin to show stunning fall colors.

Bright reds, sunset oranges, russet browns.

But the color we at the DR-WLE CWMA perhaps enjoy the most is the bright yellow of Phragmites dying from responsible herbicide treatment.

It's the color of invasive species management in action.

It’s the color of success.

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Photo: a stand of tall, yellowing Phragmites in bright sunshine
Credit: DR-WLE CWMA

10/08/2026

The hits keep coming: 30+ more acres of invasive phragmites and teasel treated over the past two days!

On Monday and Tuesday we partnered with biological technicians from the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge to spray two units using backpacks and a UTV.

The units provide critical lakeplain wet prairie habitat (both American Woodcock and Sora were seen during our work) and are threatened by invasive plant encroachment.

Our treatments should halt the spread of these harmful plants and give natives such as prairie dock, common sneezeweed (doesn’t actually make people sneeze), and blue vervain a leg up!

When we conduct treatments like this, we make sure to choose an herbicide that is aquatic safe and does not stick around in the environment for a prolonged period of time.

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Photo 1: Two DR-WLE CWMA technicians apply herbicide in a field using a UTV hose sprayer
Photo 2: Technicians clean the MarshMaster from last week’s treatment
Credit: USFWS & DR-WLE CWMA

10/01/2026

Our team treated 15 acres of invasive Phragmites at Bay Creek Hunt Club last Thursday!

Using the trusty MarshMaster, we rode along d**es and into the marsh itself, primarily targeting the denser stands.

Our efforts will hopefully reduce the population of Phragmites at Bay Creek and allow native species to gain a foothold.

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Photo: a technician wearing protective equipment sprays herbicide on a patch of Phragmites growing along a d**e
Credit: DR-WLE CWMA

09/24/2026

An important part of invasive species management is restoration, replacing what has been removed.

With that in mind, the DR-WLE CWMA helped out down the road at Gibraltar Manor last week with their native pollinator garden!

Along with Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge staff and Gibraltar Manor residents, we planted butterfly milkweed, black-eyed susan, wild geranium and more.

This garden will be a show of color throughout the growing season and provide food for our native insects and birds!

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Photo: two people kneel next to a garden surrounding an entry sign
Credit: DR-WLE CWMA

09/23/2026

Successful deer hunting now and in the future depends, in part, on responsible invasive species management. How so?

Well, deer tend to avoid browsing invasive plants like buckthorn, honeysuckle and barberry - only when other food is scarce will they eat buds, bark or berries from these species.

So, areas that are overrun by thickets of invasive shrubs may provide cover but they are otherwise unsuitable for wintering deer (not to mention difficult to hunt in!)

And the native plants that do persist in these areas are more heavily browsed, creating a vicious cycle of invasive species encroachment and overbrowsing. Darn!

Instead, it’s better to promote native forests with a variety of mast-producing trees, understory shrubs and herbaceous plants.

Happy autumn from all of us at the DR-WLE CWMA!

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Photo 1: A doe stands in a field in the early morning
Photo 2: Clusters of dark berries amidst serrated-edge leaves (invasive common buckthorn)
Credit: USFWS & DR-WLE CWMA

09/16/2026

Invasive forest pests can have devastating impacts on ecosystem health, timber harvesting and outdoor recreation.

And once established, these species are extremely difficult to eradicate!

Early detection and rapid response (EDRR) is therefore critical for keeping Michigan forests healthy and free from harmful invaders.

With funding from the Michigan Invasive Species Grant Program, MSU runs the “Eyes on the Forest” program, which recruits volunteers from the community to monitor individual trees (“sentinel trees”) for signs of damage.

The broader the network of volunteers, the better our ability to respond!

For more information and to become a volunteer, visit:
https://iforest.misin.msu.edu/

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Photo: A black beetle with white spots (Asian longhorn beetle) crawls by an exit hole on a branch
Credit: USDA

09/10/2026

Freshwater mussels are often overlooked, but they are important contributors to the water and substrate quality of streams and lakes in Michigan!

Native populations are threatened by the encroachment of invasive zebra and quagga mussels, habitat degradation and declines in host fish species.

This week the DR-WLE CWMA will be sending an envoy to participate in a freshwater mussel survey and relocation effort led by the Green Bay Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office.

The team will be collecting, identifying, tagging and then relocating mussels they find at the Elsie Dam site along the Maple River near Elsie, MI.

This effort will provide high quality data on local mussel diversity and increase the survival of mussels during the planned removal of the dam.

An article from last year about the mussel relocation project: https://www.argus-press.com/news/community/elsie/article_7ffbc8f2-47e6-5ccb-b29a-34ad73ab2dff.html

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Photo: A hand holds a federally-listed snuffbox mussel with a yellow tag.
Credit: U.S. FWS