A day in the field with MDOT: Hunting invasive species in Southeast Michigan

It’s officially hunting season in Michigan. While many Southeast Michigan residents are after deer, SEMCOG and our partners have been busy hunting something different.

In early November, SEMCOG spent a day in the field looking for invasive species on the I-75 Corridor in Monroe County with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), the Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), and The Nature Conservancy (TNC).

Similar to hunters dressed in bright orange, the team set out on the busy freeway dressed in hard hats and reflective vests to search for the priority invasive plant, Phragmites. The ultimate goal was to target priority areas to manage Phragmites, while also identifying important partnership opportunities to help reduce the transmission and proliferation of invasive species in Monroe County.

MDOT, MDNR, TNC, and SEMCOG search for invasive species in the I-75 right-of way

Why should we “hunt” and “target” invasive species?

Invasive species are one of the primary environmental threats causing stress to native plants, fish, and wildlife in Southeast Michigan. As outlined in the I-75 Corridor Conservation Action Plan in Monroe County, expanding the capacity and impact of organizations working to detect, treat, and eradicate invasive species is one of the top priorities to protect and restore environmental quality, recreation, and tourism opportunities in the Western Lake Erie Basin.

Some key players at work on eradicating invasive species are Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas (CISMAs) and Cooperative Weed Management Areas (CWMAs). These organizations not only treat invasive species, they work to implement early detection and rapid response programs to prevent invasive species from spreading to new areas. They also work on educating the public about the environmental, social, and economic impact of species not native to Michigan.

Why does MDOT care about Phragmites on I-75?

Phragmites can cause hazards for public safety by blocking the view of both motorized and nonmotorized travelers. Phragmites can also have impacts on drainage and cause flooding on roadways. Sometimes major construction projects can cause invasive species to spread as invasive species naturally like to grow along transportation and utility corridors. To prevent invasive species from spreading during the 20-year reconstruction of I-75 in Monroe County, MDOT has committed to treating invasive Phragmites during the construction process and is working with partners to develop the I-75 invasive species management plan to continue managing invasive species into the future.

MDOT maintenance staff sprays Phragmites adjacent to MDOT road

Paving the way for partnerships on invasive species management

While MDOT has some money in its budget for Phragmites control, they cannot control it all. Therefore, partnerships with organizations such as CISMAs and CWMAs, which have more funding specifically dedicated to invasive species management, are essential to long-term success. Developing the I-75 invasive species management plan will help MDOT apply its limited resources to the highest priority areas – especially adjacent to lands managed by government and nonprofit organizations who are doing their own invasive species control.

MDOT wants to be a good neighbor by controlling Phragmites adjacent to these lands to help ensure the invasive plant does not re-infest natural areas that are working to improve biodiversity. Partnerships with organizations like the MDNR, TNC, and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), which are actively managing conservation and recreation lands and state game areas along the I-75 Corridor, are valuable to achieving shared goals for invasive species management in Monroe County. Fortunately, MDOT has already leveraged some partnership opportunities to target invasive species, which are a threat to the abundant native plant populations that have established habitat in the I-75 right-of-way. MDOT has also partnered with the MDNR to relocate some of these native plants to Sterling State Park.

Help SEMCOG target invasive species in Monroe County

SEMCOG’s day in the field was just the beginning of a long-term planning and implementation partnership that will require resources to be shared and for collaboration across jurisdictional boundaries on invasive species management to become commonplace. The next step is to facilitate a meeting of multiple stakeholders working on invasive species management in Monroe County so the roadmap for invasive species management in the I-75 Corridor is established and implemented. If you are interested in opportunities to get involved with these efforts to help partners target invasive species in Monroe County, please contact Devan Rostorfer or Bill Parkus at SEMCOG.

Muddy Creek is a priority area for Phragmites treatment to help improve amphibian and reptile habitat connectivity

I-75 Plan in Monroe County is a trophy deer of regional partnerships

SEMCOG is always hunting for partnership opportunities to address complex challenges in Southeast Michigan. The I-75 Corridor Conservation Action Plan in Monroe County is just one example of how essential partnerships are to achieving regional environmental goals that contribute to the Pure Michigan brand that Southeast Michigan residents and visitors cherish.

To learn more about the I-75 Corridor Conservation Action Plan in Monroe County and how SEMCOG is working to improve environmental outcomes, identify economic efficiencies, and establish innovative partnerships in regional transportation projects, visit SEMCOG’s environment webpage. The I-75 Corridor Conservation Action Plan in Monroe County recently received the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ President’s Award for Environment, and is paving the way for the future of transportation planning and implementation in Southeast Michigan.

Learn more about the award in the SEMCOG news release, on MDOT’s website, in the Toledo Blade, the Monroe News, and in this new video highlighting the project.