Grant Recipient:  Upper Peninsula Resource Conservation & Development Council

 

Grant Award:  $150,000

 

Lake Basin:  Michigan, Superior

 

Project Location:  Michigan's Upper Peninsula

 

Project Description:  The Upper Peninsula Resource Conservation & Development Council will work with partners to establish a network for the purpose of identifying, monitoring and managing invasive plants throughout the Upper Peninsula. At least 100 volunteers will be recruited to be part of the network, which will be called, “Rapid Response Invasive Plant Intervention Team of the Upper Peninsula” or RRIP-IT-UP. Local Rapid Response Teams will be established in each Conservation District in the Upper Peninsula. These teams will be alerted through an early detection system, and will act swiftly to prevent the spread of invasive plants as they are spotted.  Planned project outcomes are: 1) improved habitat for native plants and wildlife, including threatened and endangered species, on at least 760 acres; 2) greater biological diversity in plant and animal communities on at least 760 acres; 3) a diverse, collaborative partnership comprised of at least 28 organizations, agencies, universities and groups that work together to monitor, prevent and control outbreaks of invasive plants.