Dealing with Invasive Species: Watch List Species and CISMAs – AALL Course

Lead by Sara Rahn and April Savickas, Invasive species coordinator, and Program specialist, Barry Calhoun Kalamazoo Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (BCK CISMA)/Barry Conservation District

Wednesday 2:00-4:00 pm.  Single AALL session, May 20 (linked to the second, hands-on public event on May 27).  Class size unlimited.

Invasive species are everywhere, impacting recreation, agriculture, the economy, and local habitats. April and Sara, two local land managers that focus on invasive species in three counties through the Barry Calhoun Kalamazoo Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (BCK CISMA) are here to guide you through: ways to manage invasive species, strategies when managing your property, what newer invasive species to look out for, and an example of the key purpose of CISMAs to respond to new invasive detections right in Albion. Mile-a-minute weed, a highly invasive vine, was detected in Albion in 2020, its first detection in Michigan. Learn how local partners and the BCK CISMA strike team responded to this new plant and the status after 5 years of management. BCK CISMA’s mission is to combat the threat of invasive species in Barry, Kalamazoo, and Calhoun counties. We are a resource to help you with your invasive species management goals. We assist landowners with invasive species management. Our priority invasives are mile-a-minute weed, knotweed species, phragmites, black swallow-wort, cinnamon vine, giant hogweed, and more. Information about the partnership and species listed is available on our website at BarryCD.org/BCK.

Participants in this class are encouraged to also participate in the Mile-A-Minute Weed Learn and Pull, Wednesday May 27, 6:00-8:00 pm at the Whitehouse Nature Center.  You can register for this free public event at bit.ly/LearnandPull2026.

Albion Area Lifelong Learners Membership & Registration Information 

While members must be 55 or older, younger partners are also eligible to join. Annual dues are $30 per person, with the membership year running from July 1 through June 30 of the following year. Dues are prorated based on when a member joins:

• $30 for the full year
• $20 if joining after one academic session
• $10 if joining after two academic sessions

Members may take one free course per term (fall, winter, and spring). Additional courses in the same term cost $10 per course. Some classes may have extra charges for materials or transportation.

Members who are unsure whether their dues have been paid for the current year should contact the AALL Registrar at registrar@albionaall.org