Whittlesy Creek National Wildlife Refuge Youth Conservation Corps crew treating invasive species within the Invasive Free Zone. Bayfield County Wisconsin. 2007. Mike Mlynarek USFWS Photo.

Despite the ecological threats posed by invasive plant species, few projects target multiple invasive plants on a landscape scale and across ownership boundaries.  This project, initiated in 2005, is doing just that.  The goal is to eliminate non-native invasive terrestrial and emergent aquatic plants on U.S. Forest Service lands at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center (180 acres), the adjacent U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife Refuge (540 acre acquisition area) and private in-holdings.

Since its inception the Invasive Free Zone (IFZ) has made considerable progress both inside and outside the project boundaries.  Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife Refuge provides the leadership for the project and continues to receive support from many partners and funding organizations.  The Ashland National Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office (NFWCO) has been an active partner from the beginning.  Funding from the Service's Coastal Program - Great Lakes which is administered by the Ashland NFWCO helped get the IFZ off the ground.  The office has also contributed to the project through the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program with both technical and financial support.   

Initially, a landscape-scale mapping effort was undertaken to determine the extent of invasive species within IFZ.  A database was then established to track the location of infestations.  The focus then shifted to treatment efforts with over 150 acres treated and 80 acres declared as invasive free.  After two years of refining mapping and treatment methods, project staff wrote a long-term plan for the project.  An Invasive Species Management Plan has been written for the area which incorporates the knowledge gained from the mapping and treatment methods.  Also recently developed is the Invasive Free Zone Guidebook, which was written as a resource for those who would like to establish an IFZ elsewhere, and along with the Invasive Species Management Plan is available at the Whittlesey Creek NWR website.