Lower Chippewa Invasives Partnership to restructure activities starting May 2nd until further notice
April 8th, 2022
From: Doug, Brad, and Judy (LCIP Board)
To: All Members, Supporters, and Friends of LCIP, Inc.
With heavy hearts, the LCIP Board has accepted Chris’s 30-day notice of resignation, which comes because of an ongoing funding shortfall. He plans to continue in his current role until April 30th. LCIP will need to restructure around a board and member-driven structure. Renewal will be possible only if sufficient support becomes available. We were not able to present this decision at the annual meeting as we had several subsequent meetings with potential funders. Once we had those numbers in hand, Chris made the hard decision to resign.
The organization, under Chris’ leadership and with the support of all the members, has had an amazing array of projects and programs with the goal of finding the right balance between leaving nature alone and slowing the spread of invasive plants from other continents that invade our region, having little-or-no natural controls, which put our native plants at risk.
Our ongoing challenge has been to find a way to use chemical applications minimally and wisely to stop the spread. The work of LCIP has caused controversy in the community, with those who remain critical of any chemical use. Chris has done a great job demonstrating success in many project areas, which in turn, helps to educate by example.
As a board, we are making hard decisions, which likely will include letting go of the office space and storing all office supplies. Acquiring funding for the work we’ve been doing is not easy, since it can include removing treasured plants. If at some point, we could combine the current mission of LCIP with a greenhouse project where replacement plants could be grown, that combination might put a friendlier face on the work of LCIP.
The Board will be moving forward with slowing things down for now, while prospecting for funding for a renewed mission under more solid footing. We are extremely grateful to the Gale Family Foundation, which has provided the bulk of financial support and great encouragement for LCIP over the past 6 years. We look forward to the new opportunities that will allow us to return better than ever.
Chris has been monitoring the budget and is leaving enough unrestricted funding to be able to cover essentials, which should be minimal for the time being. He will also be available as an independent contractor for consulting purposes as needed after May 2nd.
Our April 28th meeting will be held as scheduled, where we will discuss further details. Our desire is to find members to fill the gaps, allowing our mission to continue as we strive to meet current contract requirements. Please feel free to reach out to any of us at any time.
Sincerely,
LCIP Board of Directors
Douglas Owens-Pike
Judy Zimmerman
Bradley Luedtke
2020 LCIP Native Plant Sale Ad
Planting Tips, tricks and thoughts
2019 LCIP Outreach, Education and Control Projects
2019 LCIP Highlight Video (link to LCIP Facebook page)
On January 11th LCIP opened its doors for the first time. We now have an office located in Menomonie, WI next to the public library. Please come check us out and see how we can partner with you in 2019!
OFFICE LOCATION:
700 Wolske Bay Rd, Suite 275, Menomonie, WI 54751 and 715-539-2766
To view the most current events, media and outreach please visit our Facebook page located below.
LCIP FACEBOOK PAGE LINK
LCIP recently received its third grant with the WDNR to control Amur Cork Trees in the Menomonie area where affected. If you have some on your property or what someone to look for you let us know ASAP. Our funding will dry up by May 2019! Call us at 715-231-6540 or 715-235-8168 for a site visit or talk!
LCIP awarded two WDNR Rapid Response Grant for controlling PROHIBITED Amur Cork Tree in Dunn County
In late November of 2016 LCIP received a grant for $11,140 for Amur Cork Tree removal in urban areas. The target will be mature, fruiting female trees in yards or lots. This grant will involve local arborists to take these large female trees near structures. LCIP will also employ UW Stout students to work on lots of these trees that don’t involve large trees or structures. Funding will go through June of 2018. This will be first come first serve so contact LCIP as soon as you can for a site visit to be considered for funding before it is gone!
2018 work-education LCIP projects
LCIP wins 2016 Invasive Crusader Award
After 5 years of official existence and a name change the local civic organization, Lower Chippewa Invasives Partnership (LCIP) was awarded the 2016 Invasive Crusader Award, Group category by the Wisconsin Invasive Species Council. The group was nominated by WDNR, Terrestrial Invasive Species Biologist, Kelly Kearns of Madison. LCIP received the award at the Horicon Marsh Education Center in Horicon, WI on June 9th, 2016 alongside the other invasive species tyrants of Wisconsin.
LCIP is a broad alliance established to control invasive plants by fostering partner cooperation and community action. LCIP has been consistently active in conducting outreach, prioritizing and then implementing important projects and hosting regular workshops and fieldwork events. The partnership has struck on an effective leadership model called a Civic Governance approach (activecitizen.org) that now has officers and a steering committee representing the wide range of partners needed to get the work done. This model has allowed all citizens to step up and become active leaders within their community and organization.
Each year, the partnership hosts several training workshops and workdays for the public to attend within their jurisdiction on Chippewa, Dunn, Eau Claire, Pepin and Pierce counties. LCIP works with people who have the ability to impact large areas, important high-quality sites, or large numbers of people, such as township patrol managers, teachers, Master Gardeners, and others. At a WDNR/UW Extension Urban Forestry Workshop last fall in Menomonie, LCIP brought in over 60 attendees from many walks of life. LCIP now has 20-25 events each year and is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization based out of Menomonie, WI. To learn more about LCIP check out lcinvasives.org or find them on Facebook.
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2016 Annual Meeting – March 24th, 2016, 2 -4:30 PM, Community Services Building, Room 60. 3001 US HWY 12 East, Menomonie. We hope to see you there for your input for our organization!
LCIP March 24, 2016 Agenda
LCIP Annual Mtg Focus Questions
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At the October meeting, LCIP approved the official By-Laws that they will abide by. LCIP also approved HOW they will operate internally with a Governing Document. Both of these documents can be found in the “About Us” tab or in links below. Thanks to all that worked hard to make this official!
LCIP By Laws 10-29-2015
LCIP Governing Document
2016 work-education LCIP projects
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WE ARE NOW THE FIRST Local CISMA IN WISCONSIN TO RECEIVE 501c3, NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION STATUS!! WE LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING OUR CITIZENS AND COMMUNITIES IN A LARGER WAY! We can also now receive tax-deductible donations to further our efforts to educate, outreach and control invasive plants.
2015 work-education LCIP projects
2014 WCWIPMA Events
Let us know if you would be willing to help or participate in any of these new events by email or phone!
Invasive plants found in Chippewa, Dunn, Eau Claire, Pepin and Pierce Counties
We recently updated the “Other invasives found in West Central Wisconsin” section of the website. This section now shows you the list of 32 other invasives besides our target plants that have been found in our area. Let us know if you find any others that we missed. These findings give us more desire to educate, identify and collaborate to slow the spread of these troublesome plants……..
WCWIPMA WDNR Grants
After multiple attempts, WCWIPMA received 2 WDNR Invasive Species Grants to help start projects, buy equipment and educate citizens of the area they serve.
Grant #1 – Citizen Based Monitoring Grant named “Citizen and Student Invasive Plant Mapping, Monitoring and Control”
$4,500 Grant for 2013-2014 that will involve citizens and students receiving training, surveying, reporting the data they collect over one year.
-12 townships in Dunn County have been picked to receive surveys of 6 target invasive species including Leafy Spurge, Garlic Mustard, Wild Parsnip, Japanese Knotweed, Spotted Knapweed, and Common Buckthorn. We are currently looking for more volunteers in Pepin, Eau Claire and Pierce Counties to survey their townships.
Grant #2 – Weed Management Area – Private Forest Grant Program named “WMA13-0003”
$14,000 Grant for 2013-2015 that will involve private woodland owners property management for invasive species like garlic mustard, common buckthorn, Japanese barberry.
– We are setting up woodland owners right now to have education and eradication events that will involve local citizens and students from around the area. Contact us if you are a private woodland owner that has invasive species issues.
Spread the Word, Not the Plant 