The Detroit River-Western Lake Erie CWMA strike team and members survey for over 30 species of terrestrial and aquatic invasive plant species. These are broken into three categories, which help in determining treatment plans for each species. They are:
Group 1, newly emerging/likely to be found and highly invasive species: water lettuce, black swallow-wort, pale swallow-wort, Japanese knotweed, giant knotweed, Chinese yam, parrot-feather milfoil, water hyacinth, yellow flag iris, European alder, white poplar, floating primrose-willow
Group 2, well established invasive species for which control of has multiple, sustained benefits at priority sites: Phragmites, European frog-bit, flowering rush
Group 3, well established invasive species in high quality natural areas: autumn olive, glossy buckthorn, common buckthorn, garlic mustard, dame’s rocket, Amur honeysuckle, Japanese honeysuckle, Tatarian honeysuckle, black locust, Canada thistle, wild teasel, cut-leaf teasel, Japanese barberry, multiflora rose, common privet, Oriental bittersweet, and spotted knapweed.
If you have questions about invasive species in Michigan, visit the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Invasive Species webpage.
Above are examples of some of the invasive plants surveyed for on our DR-WLE CWMA member lands.
Top row, left to right: Amur honeysuckle, a small autumn olive tree, an autumn olive leaf, common buckthorn leaves and berries, Japanese barberry.
Second row, left to right: multiflora rose, common privet, spotted knapweed, Japanese honeysuckle and Amur honeysuckle.
Third row, from left to right: Japanese barberry, creeping water primrose.
Photos by DR-WLE CWMA/Alexa Blankenship and Michala Burke
Detroit River-Western Lake Erie Cooperative Weed Management Area
Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center
5437 West Jefferson Ave
Trenton MI, 48183
Detroit River-Western Lake Erie Cooperative Weed Management Area (DR-WLE CWMA) 