Coordinated by the Grand Traverse Conservation District, the Grand Traverse Regional Invasive Species Network (ISN) is a collaborative effort among 20+ organizations across the Grand Traverse region to prioritize and remove invasive species, prevent the spread of new invasive species, and educate the community about stewardship of its natural resources. ISN has been funded through September of 2013 by a $935,182 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. ISN includes a broad coalition of highly motivated and well-respected community partners; learn more about them at ISN’s partnership page.
Although each holds a wealth of knowledge of and experience managing invasive species, ISN project partners recognized the need for better coordination and collaboration to ensure long-term success on a regional level. Invasive species management is a community problem, requiring community participation. Each of us has a responsibility to steward our own backyards, to ensure we do not foster invasive species which create problems for our neighbors, both human and otherwise. The ISN addresses this need by creating a collaborative framework through which partners can work together more effectively to share knowledge, experience, and better engage the community in its efforts. The ISN will address multiple invaders, in both aquatic and terrestrial environments, and provide financial assistance to local partners in an aggressive public awareness campaign and invasive species management effort. ISN will also provide curriculum support, training, and mini grants for educators in the region.