Current Wisconsin’s Weed Laws

• County and Municipal Weed Commissioners

– Have the ability to designate new noxious weeds
at a local level
– May enforce noxious weed laws within their
boundaries
– But they don’t exist for the most part
• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
– Has new authority to designate invasive aquatic
plants
– Has authority to classify invasive species
• Wisconsin Department of Agriculture
– Regulates the sale of purple loosestrife and
multiflora rose
• Wisconsin Noxious Weed Law – Designates 3
noxious weeds, but no state agency has authority or
responsibility for the law
 Weed law history –
Noxious Weed Law – 1975
3 species listed as Noxious state-wide
- Canada thistle
- Leafy spurge
- Field Bindweed
All landowners are to contain and prevent the spread

Municipalities and counties may list species as

noxious locally and do enforcement
 Weed law history –
Nuisance Weed Law – 1987
2 species listed as Nuisance
- Purple loosestrife
- Multiflora rose
No one may sell, purchase, cultivate,
etc.
No enforcement authority listed
 Weed law history –
Weed Law Technical Advisory
Committee
- met from 1998 – 2004
- developed draft proposal for legislative
changes
- not sponsored or introduced
- many recommendations incorporated into
draft invasives rule and recommended
remedies for statutory gaps
 Invasives Rule Background
• Gov. Task Force on Invasive Species
recommendations – 2001

• Bill passed to create the WI Council on

Invasive Species and charge DNR to
classify invasives – 2002

• Council appointed by Gov. Doyle - 2004 - -

created committees and worked with DNR
and DATCP
 Drafting the Classification Rule
• WCIS Regulations and Research
Committees recommended legal
categories, criteria and a process for
listing invasives
• Species Assessment Groups of stake-
holders and specialists review the known
literature and recommend placement of
species in the categories
 Species Assessment Literature
Summaries/Findings
• Species selected by work group + WCIS
• Literature reviews developed by students
and contractors
• Reviewed by land managers, researchers
and horticulture professionals
• SAG member info will be added
• Will go on classification website for public
to review
 Species Assessment Groups
(SAG’s) – Advisory to WCIS
• - Aquatic Plants and Algae
• - Woody Plants (trees, shrubs and vines)
• - Herbaceous Plants (terrestrial and wetland)
• - Soil and terrestrial invertebrates and
disease pests of native plants
• - Terrestrial Vertebrates
• - Aquatic Animals (fish and invertebrates)
 Proposed Categories for Invasive
Species Classification
4= Prohibited – Not yet in the state or in very limited
populations, still have potential to eradicate and prevent,
high potential for environmental if spread

3= Restricted – Too widespread in the state to realistically

attempt state-wide eradication, but high environmental
impacts

2= Watch – More information needed, uncertain if it is or

will become invasive in the state or of level of harm

1= Non-restricted – Socio-economic benefits of species

high, environmental impacts of invasion variable
 Permits
Specific to a person/company (eg,
bittersweet grower permit to sell out
of state, loosestrife biocontrol
cooperators to propagate for raising
insects)
 Exemptions
Specific to a species or group of
species (eg, m. rose root stock for
ornamental roses, time period to sell
off existing nursery stock)
 Differential Geographic
Classifications
Species that may be best classified
in one category in part of the state,
and another category in another part
(eg, swallow-wort – R in Grant
County, P elsewhere)
 Terrestrial Herbaceous Species Assessed

Species Common Name

Centaurea biebersteinii Spotted knapweed

Centaurea solstitialis Yellow star thistle
Torilis japonicus Japanese hedge parsley
Torilis arvensis Spreading hedge parsley
Heracleum mantgazzianum Giant hogweed
Lythrum salicara Purple loosestrife
Hesperis matronalis Dame's rocket
Tanecetum vulgare Tansy
Belamcanda chinensis Blackberry Lily
Polygonum cuspidatum, Fallopia japonica Japanese knotweed
Humulus japonicus Japanese Hops
Campanula rapunculoides Creeping bellflower
Dipsacus lacinatus Cut-leaved teasel
Dipsacus fullonum, D. sylvestris Common teasel
Epipactis helliborine Helliborine orchid
Euphorbia cyparissias Cypress spurge
Euphorbia esula Leafy spurge
Anthriscus sylvestris Wild chervil
Conium maculatum Poison hemlock
Pastinaca sativa Wild parsnip
Cirsium arvense Canada thistle
Cirsium palustre European marsh thistle
Carduus nutans Musk thistle
Carduus acanthoides Plumeless thisle
Alliaria petiolata Garlic mustard
Bunias orientalis Hill Mustard
Berteroa incana Hoary alyssum
Chelidonium majus Celandine
Cynoglossum officinale Hound's tongue
Lepidium latifolium Perennial pepperweed
Epilobium hirsutum Hairy willow herb
Galeopsis tetrahit Hemp Nettle
Typha angustifolia Narrow-leaf cattail
Typha x glauca Hybrid cattail
Polygonum sachalinense Giant knotweed
Microstegium vimineum Japanese stilt grass
Glyceria maxima Tall manna grass
Phragmites australis Phragmites, Common reed
Lymus arenarius Lyme grass
Phalaris arundinaceae Reed canary grass
Lespedeza cuneata Chinese lespedeza
 THE CLASSIFICATION PROCESS

SAG Recommendations

WI Council of Invasive Species

DNR Staff (workgroup) develops draft rules

Public Input Process

•Summary on website,
•listening sessions
•written comments

DNR Staff revise draft rules as appropriate for Administration’s OK

Secretary approves NRB agenda item

Rule Process
 Federal Law (and funding?)
• Federal Noxious Weed Control and
Eradication Act of 2004 – authorizes up to
$15,000,000 to go to state recognized “weed
management entities”
– no funds allocated yet, nor have administrative rules
been written
 Possible Funding Sources
• Environmental Protection Agency
• Forest Service
– National Forests
– State and Private Forests
– Research Stations
• Fish and Wildlife Service
– Grant Program
– Cost-share Programs for landowners
• Natural Resources Conservation Service
– Cost-share programs (WRP, CRP, CREP, EQIP, CSP)
• NFWF’s Pulling Together Initiative – www.nfwf.org
 Other Sources of Funding
or Technical Assistance
• State
– WI DNR Aquatic Invasive Species Grants
– Landowner Incentive Program
– Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Program
– State Wildlife Grants

• County
– Land and Water Conservation Districts