CWMA Proposal Presented

(The green areas on the map on the right are the proposed natural areas to be included in the CWMA scope.)

At the NIIPN meeting on Wednesday, September 24, Paul Labus, The Nature Conservancy, presented a proposal to form a Cooperative Weed Management Area (CWMA)in Northwest Indiana.

Following the Cooperative Weed Management Area Cookbook: A Recipe for Success, the proposal, conceived by Labus, with input from Tom Anderson, Save the Dunes; and Kris Krouse, Shirley Heinze Land Trust, includes the following components:

1. Start with an initial leader or champion. The Nature Conservancy has offered to take on this role. Short term role which Maggie will fill only until the CWMA is fully organized and operating – when the chairperson and vice-chairperson assume leadership responsibilities.

2. Establish geographic boundaries. Remember that while your CWMA needs to be big enough to address your weed problems, it also needs to remain manageable. TNC is in the process of developing a GIS project which will highlight managed natural areas in the Lake Michigan Coastal Program Area and their possible vectors for new infestation and re-infestation (e.g. roads, ROWs, adjacent landcover analysis).

3. Identify potential partners and begin building support.

4. Determine common goals.

5. Choose a CWMA fiscal manager. There are three organizations that could potentially do this.

6. Hold a public meeting and invite all partners. All major landholders and stakeholders within geographic boundaries.

7. Establish a steering committee. Ensure broad representation, keeping the steering committee at a manageable size (max. 12 individuals).
8. Select a chairperson and a vice-chairperson to schedule and facilitate meetings, help organize and energize efforts, ensure that steering committee members are involved and engaged, search for funding, ensure compliance with project and grant requirements.

9. Develop an agreement. (e.g. MOUs and Hold Harmless agreement) This establishes roles and responsibilities, enables sharing of funding and resources, and creates long-term relationship among partners. *** This agreement is what differentiates between a CWMA and an informal invasive plant working group. *** A CWMA should not overshadow or preclude partner considerations. The purpose of an agreement is to facilitate cooperation across jurisdictional boundaries and eliminate administrative barriers.

10. Develop a strategic management plan. The plan should include:
• An accurate map of the CWMA
• Inventory and map of known priority invasive plant infestations
• Management responsibilities including the establishment of management areas or zones
• Criteria for the prioritization of invasive plant management activities
• Control techniques likely to be used in your CWMA
• Equipment, supplies, people, and other resources available for the CWMA from each partner

11. Develop an annual operating plan. The plan details annual projects, expected in-kind contributions, necessary funding, and the personnel needed for project completion, and will serve as the basis for outside grant requests.

12. Establish and utilize committees. Ad hoc and standing committees.

13. Implement plans. Potential projects: education, prevention, early detection, control efforts, monitoring.

14. Celebrate success and get media attention. Utilize media and newsletters, hold annual meetings, prepare and distribute an annual report.

The following timeline is proposed for implementation of the Northwest Indiana CWMA:
• September 24, 2008 – NIIPN meeting to present CWMA development plan

• November 2008 - February 2009 – GIS project (TNC) to identify managed natural areas, assess vectors for infestation, land cover determine most logical geographic boundaries and scale; group discussions (task force) to assess threat levels by land cover use

• February 2009 – presentation of findings of GIS assessment at NIIPN meeting (TNC)

• February 2009 – April 2009 – discussion of geographic boundaries, identify partners, and determine common goals of those partners (NIIPN/ task force)

• April 2009 – December 2009 – developing strategic plan; possibly developing and implementing some small scale pilot projects; possibly completing some more detailed assessments