The Stewardship Network is a nonprofit dedicated to empowering individuals and organizations who are committed to working on conservation issues at the local level. They also help connect communities across the regions they serve in order to facilitate their collaboration. Lisa Brush is the Network’s executive director, Robert Luzynski serves as network administrator, and Jason Frenzel is co-cordinator of the Huron Arbor Cluster, the Ann Arbor region’s Collaborative Conservation Community.
They joined host Bella Isaacs to talk about the Network’s annual invasive species challenge, which encourages participants nationwide to identify and remove herbaceous invasive species in their communities. Participants then fill out a report form on the Stewardship Network’s website that estimates how many pounds they collected, a number that is included in the total estimate for the season. The guests also go over some of the most disruptive herbaceous invaders in Washtenaw County and the strategies conservation groups use to manage them.
The Stewardship Network also offers monthly webcasts that cover a range of conservation issues. You can find community conservation efforts going on in your area on the Network’s event calendar.
Links:
“Tree Learning” invasive species identification (Youtube)
Midwest Invasive Species Information Network (MISIN)
MISIN invasive species reporting app
Information on Japanese stiltgrass
Information on garlic mustard