The Northeast Illinois Invasive Plant Partnership (NIIPP) is a cooperative weed management area (CWMA), a regional organization that brings together all interested landowners, land managers (private, city, county, state, and federal), non-profits, private entities, industry, special districts, and the public in the defined geographic boundaries of the Chicago Wilderness region for the purpose of coordinating and combining their resources, expertise, and activities for more efficient and effective management of invasive plant species across jurisdictional boundaries.
Our mission is to prevent and control new plant invasions, control and manage current invasions, support informed management decisions, and raise public awareness concerning the threat posed by invasive plants. Our goal is to minimize the adverse impacts invasive plants have on our open lands and waters in northeast Illinois, especially on native habitats and their native plants and wildlife.
Our geographic range covers 18 counties in northeastern Illinois. If your organization or agency is located within the Chicago Wilderness region (map link here) and you are interested in learning more about NIIPP, please take a moment to explore our website.
NIIPP celebrated its first anniversary in August 2011 and held its first annual meeting in September 2011. The meeting offered an update on CWMA and partner accomplishments. Sixty-four people representing 43 organizations attended. We completed our first season of outreach and education for the Clean Boats, Clean Waters (CBCW) Program for Illinois and Indiana and spoke with more than 1,000 people about aquatic invasive species (AIS). This coming season the program will be expanding to Cook County, Illinois and two additional counties in Indiana. We are posed to begin collaborating with IDNR, Chicago Botanic Garden, and Lake County Department of Health-Lakes Management Unit on a statewide pre-emptive early detection rapid response management plan for Hydrilla verticillata , which has already been found in Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. We will also be working on green industry outreach and education in collaboration with the Midwest Invasive Plant Network, Chicago Botanic Garden, City of Chicago Department of the Environment, and The Nature Conservancy.
We are gearing up for May, Illinois Invasive Species Awareness Month and will be participating in the USFS Garlic Mustard Challenge again this year. If you are hosting garlic mustard pulls or are sponsoring other events in honor of the month please let us know so we can post it on the website!
There are many great opportunities to work together in northeast Illinois to stop the spread of invasive plants and we look forward to working with you. If you would like to be added to the NIIPP email list please contact us via email or phone.
Sincerely,
Cathy McGlynn and the NIIPP Steering Committee
Cathy McGlynn, Coordinator
Northeast Illinois Invasive Plant Partnership
c/o Chicago Botanic Garden
1000 Lake Cook Road | Glencoe, IL 60022
Office 847-242-6423 | Mobile 845-667-4981| Fax 847-242-6330
www.niipp.net
cathy.mcglynn@niipp.net
Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area
