Mission Statement:

Our mission is to reduce the impact of invasive plant species in the Midwest.

Background:

The formation of the Midwest Invasive Plant Network was initiated by about ninety people attending an Invasive Species Symposium hosted by the Chicago Botanic Garden (CBG) in October 2002. A second meeting was held at the Natural Areas Conference (NAC) in Madison, Wisconsin in September 2003 to further develop MIPN and create committees to focus on specific topics. MIPN currently has five committees: Green Industry , Early Detection & Rapid Response, Education, Research, and Fundraising. The Network is guided by a Board of Directors and an Advisory Council.

MIPN includes a diverse group of participants and partners. With assistance from both federal and private funding sources, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is currently hosting a paid staff position for the Coordinator of the Midwest Invasive Plant Network. Along with TNC, the U.S. Forest Service and the Wisconsin DNR have played major roles in the leadership of this network. Other partners include the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, National Park Service, Iowa DNR, Illinois DNR, Federal Highway Administration, Chicago Botanic Garden, and a number of other state and local groups. Many of the participants at the 2002 CBG meeting, the 2003 NAC meeting and others representing a cross section of Midwest organizations have contributed in-kind service, and some have helped to provide funding. The states of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin all have formal or informal non-native invasive species councils or groups. We plan to continue the expansion of our network by continuing to reach out to new potential partners.

View MIPN's Strategic Plan

Board of Directors: (click here to view photos and biographies of Board members)

Federal Government:

• Carmin Chapin, U.S. National Park Service, Wisconsin
• Kelly Hogan, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Minnesota
• Jan Schultz, U.S. Forest Service, Wisconsin

State Government:

• Kelly Kearns, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Wisconsin
• Jody Shimp, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Illinois

Industry:

• Trish Beckjord, Conservation Design Forum, Elmhurst, IL
• Brian Corr, Ball Horticultural Company, West Chicago, IL
• Gary Knosher, Midwest Groundcovers, Illinois
• Bob Masters, Dow AgroSciences LLC, Indianapolis, IN

Non-profit Organizations:

• Lisa Brush, The Stewardship Network, Michigan
• Kay Havens, Chicago Botanic Garden, Illinois (Treasurer)
• Ellen Jacquart, The Nature Conservancy, Indiana (President)

Research:

• Roger Becker, University of Minnesota, Minnesota
• Kevin Gibson, Purdue University, Indiana
• Sue Galatowitsch, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
• Mark Renz, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI

Land Managers:

• David Borneman, Ann Arbor Parks, Michigan
• Jennifer Hillmer, Holden Arboretum, Ohio
• Debbie Maurer, Lake County Forest Preserve District, Illinois (Vice President)
  
  

Advisory Council:

• Mike Bryan, Michigan Department of Agriculture
• Dennis McDougall, State & Private Forestry, U.S. Forest Service, Minnesota
• Bonnie Harper-Lore, Federal Highway Administration, Minnesota
• Doug Landis, Michigan State University, Michigan
• Carole Lembi, Purdue University, Indiana
• Nick Palaia, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Minnesota
• Valerie Vartanian, Missouri Botanical Garden and The Nature Conservancy

Committee Chairs:

• Green Industry (Prevention): Kay Havens, Chicago Botanic Garden
• Early Detection/Rapid Response & Data Management: Debbie Maurer, Lake County Forest Preserve District
• Education: Kelly Kearns (Wisconsin DNR) and Wendy Smith (National Park Service)
• Research: John Cardina, Ohio State University
• Fundraising: Ellen Jacquart, The Nature Conservancy

Coordinator:

Kate Howe
The Nature Conservancy of Indiana
1505 N. Delaware St., Suite 200
Indianapolis, IN 46202
(317) 951-8818
(317) 917-2478 (FAX)
Info@MIPN.org

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