News
Help Stop Invasive Plants from Slipping into Wisconsin
by Melinda Myers
JANUARY 7, 2022 – For many of us, winter is the start of the gardening season. We are busy browsing catalogs, reading garden articles, and looking for sources of new plants. As the planning process continues, the plant wish list keeps expanding. Once your list is complete and before placing any order online, be sure to check your list for any invasive plants that are prohibited or restricted in Wisconsin.
According to the Invasive Species Rule NR40, prohibited plants are those that are not currently found or occur in isolated areas in the state. If introduced into the state, these plants are likely to cause significant economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. Restricted plants according to NR40 are already established in the state causing harm or have the potential to cause significant harm.
Although regulations for the sale, purchase and possession of invasive species are in place, some online sellers are not aware, up-to-date, or concerned with following existing state and federal regulations. Just because you can purchase a plant does not mean it is allowed in Wisconsin. So, it is up to us, the individual gardener, to protect our gardens, natural spaces, and waterways.
Many of us purchased plants in the past unaware they would eventually become a problem for native plants, wildlife, and beneficial insects when food sources and nesting sites disappear. Many also negatively impact our waterways, recreational use of spaces, and the economy. Now, we are tasked with paying for and personally eliminating the problem. More research and precautions are being taken to manage existing invasive species and reduce the risk of future problems.
As we learn more by observing what is happening in our own and other states, the list of prohibited and restricted plants keeps changing. It is important to visit the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources website and make any needed changes before placing your plant order.
Growing even one or two invasive plants in your garden, shoreline planting or pond can have an impact. Invasive plants tend to be vigorous growers, reproducing faster than our native plants, and more tolerant of adverse conditions. This allows them to quickly spread, take over and cause harm.
Not only do these invasive plants disrupt the ecosystem; they have a negative impact on our economy, personal budgets, outdoor recreation, and health. In 2001 an estimated $137 billion dollars were spent in the United States to manage the ecological damage and to control invasive species. These costs have continued to increase each year and many of the expenses are passed on to consumers.
It is easy to see the impact of some of the thugs, like Japanese knotweed, that have overrun gardens, landscapes, shorelines and our waterways. New infestations usually occur when soil containing rhizomes of this invasive plant are moved to a new location or washed downstream. Even small root segments only a couple inches long can start a new infestation.
The yellow flag Iris (Iris pseudacorus) is an invasive plant masked as an adaptable and beautiful perennial. This beauty seems harmless growing along the shoreline, in the garden or pond. Its ability to spread and vigorous growth habit have made it a threat to our waterways. Seeds or pieces of the rhizome can float away from the planting or be accidentally moved into natural spaces. It quickly adapts to a wide range of growing conditions and forms dense clumps or floating mats that can alter wildlife habitats and the diversity of species.
I have teamed up with the UW-Madison Extension Aquatic Invasive Species Outreach Program to help spread the word about aquatic invasive plants. As an influencer in the gardening world, I need your help to reach more gardeners. Many people are not aware of this threat and need our help to make wise plant decisions.
Thanks to all of you who are already spreading the word and actively trying to manage invasive terrestrial and aquatic plants. If you are interested in volunteering or need advice to help control invasive plants, email DNRAISinfo@wisconsin.gov.
As we work together sharing our passion for gardening and our concern for Wisconsin’s natural spaces, lakes, and waterways, we can make a difference.
Melinda Myers is the author of numerous gardening books, including The Garden Book for Wisconsin, Small Space Gardening and The Midwest Gardeners Handbook. She hosts the “How to Grow Anything” DVD series and the Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine. She offers free gardening webinars on her website at www.MelindaMyers.com.
New Event Venue
DECEMBER 3, 2020 – GBAS President Noah Carriveau announced that, starting in January 2021, GBAS will have a new venue for its events: Sabre Lanes, 1300 Midway Road, Menasha, WI. Larger events, such as the Spring and Fall Auctions, will be held in the ballroom, pictured here. Monthly meetings will be held in the conference room. A medium-size room will be used for speaker events and weekend meetings.
Fall 2020 Auction Cancelled
OCTOBER 5, 2020 – GBAS President Noah Carriveau announced today that the GBAS Fall Auction, originally scheduled for Sunday, October 18, 2020, has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event was to have been held in Neenah, and the Winnebago County Health Department currently recommends that events involving people from multiple households not be held.
Speaker Event: Breeding Setups for African Cichlids
Join the Green Bay Aquarium Society (GBAS) at 12:00 noon on Sunday, April 19 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Appleton as we host Josh Cunningham from Cunningham Cichlids, LLC for a talk on breeding setups for African Rift Lake Cichlids from Lake Malawi, Lake Tanganyika, and Lake Victoria. The topics of cichlid husbandry, diet requirements, breeding styles, and tank mates will also be discussed.
Tickets will be available online on March 1 and at the door the day of the event.
Josh Cunningham has been keeping and breeding African cichlids for almost 20 years. He started with African cichlids from Lake Malawi and a couple from Lake Victoria in a 400 sq. ft, basement. During this time, he was mainly breeding four to five different kinds of cichlids and trading the fry back to the pet store for food and filter media. At some point a decision was made to move to a different area and a bigger house. After the move was completed he was without cichlids for a couple of years and then acquired a 55 gallon tank. Once the tank was set up and stocked, multiple tank syndrome kicked in again. He then expanded to some different species and kept a few tanks on the main floor of his house. At this point, he decided he wanted a fish room in the basement. Designs were made, tanks and fish were purchased, and a “Fish Alcoholic” was born. His fish room today has 94 tanks ranging from 15 to 180 gallons and in total is over 5,000 gallons.
To date he has spawned over 200 kinds of African cichlids from all three rift lakes and has achieved master breeder status in the Michigan Cichlid Association and Ohio Cichlid Association. He was also named Grand Champion breeder of the American Cichlid Association in 2015 for most spawns in a year. He spends his time in the fish room doing water changes, tank maintenance, and working with different species. In addition, he also run a business called Cunningham Cichlids, LLC, https://www.cunninghamcichlids.com. Josh served fours years on the Michigan Cichlid Association Board of Directors while holding the office of President for three years, and was Co-Chairman of the 2017 American Cichlid Association Convention that took place on July 13-16 in Novi, Michigan. Before that Josh also served on the Board of Directors for the Ohio Cichlid Association for two years. He now serves on the Board of Directors for the American Cichlid Association and is also the Data Coordinator for the CARES Preservation Program.
GBAS Raises Money for Conservation Organization
DECEMBER 2019 – The Green Bay Aquarium Society (GBAS) is proud to announce that we are fundraising for RIPPLE Africa‘s Fish Conservation Program at our Spring Auction on Sunday, March 8, 2020. All of the money raised by auctioning certain designated lots will go towards this program.
RIPPLE Africa is a charity registered in both the UK and the USA, working to improve the environment and local education in Malawi, Africa. The charity’s overriding aim is to empower communities so they themselves can achieve a sustainable future. RIPPLE Africa’s motto is “Providing a hand UP and not a hand out,” and that philosophy has been central to the charity’s ideology for over a decade.
Lake Malawi is home to more species of fish than any other body of fresh water in the world. In addition to being of huge importance to the planet on an ecological and environmental basis, Lake Malawi’s fish population provides a major source of protein to the Malawian people. Over 300,000 people in the country rely on catching or trading fish as part or all of their primary income.
However, Lake Malawi is in crisis. Over-fishing, as well as changes in the length of fishing nets and a reduction in the size of net mesh, mean that young fish are caught before they have time to develop and breed. Dwindling fish stocks can have disastrous implications for fishermen, families, and the ecology of Lake Malawi.
RIPPLE Africa’s fish conservation project tackles this national problem through local networks. It empowers local communities and officials to take control of the situation in their own areas, and offers a sustainable approach, both environmentally and financially, to increase fish stocks in Lake Malawi.
The GBAS Spring Auction will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Appleton at 150 S. Nicolet St., Appleton, WI 54914.
Intro to Goodeids: Rare Fish Event
Green Bay Aquarium Society (GBAS) is excited to host Andrew from Andrew Piorkowski – Goodeids & The Basement Fish Room to give a presentation called: Intro to Goodeids: Cladistics, Morphology, CARES, & Long-Term Keeping of These Rare Fish.
The talk will be held at noon at the 1000 Islands Environmental Center in Kaukauna on Sunday, October 13, 2019 and will be followed by an auction of donated goods, an awards ceremony, and a GBAS meeting.
In this talk, Andrew will introduce both himself and goodeids, an endangered family of fish from Mexico. This in-depth discussion will go over the classification, summary and description of morphological characters and groupings within the Family Goodeidae. You will also learn about difficulties facing the fish in the wild & species spotlights of some of the rarest or worst-off fish. Different conservation programs such as CARES and the ALA SMP will be discussed. Of course, no talk would be complete without a crash course on husbandry; you will learn different ways to keep goodeids & how Andrew maintains the tanks and varies the diets.
Andrew has been keeping aquaria for 20+ years, starting with turtles before transitioning to livebearers & planted fish tanks. He was recently published as a Contributing Editor for the Journal of the American Livebearer Association (check out the column “For the Love of Goodeids”). Professionally his career is in science, primarily in the fields of microbiology & chemistry, though most people probably know him from his YouTube channel dedicated to goodeids & other wild-type livebearers.
Andrew has been actively engaged in long term species maintenance. There are currently more than 40 different types of goodeid in his fish room, and it is likely one of the largest private collections of these rare fish you are going to find in a single place.
Tickets are available for $2 starting September 1, 2019. For ticket information, please see: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/intro-to-goodeids-cladistics-morphology-cares-keeping-tickets-66678371805.
For more information, please contact John at Events@gbasonline.org.
Aquarium Club Raises Money for Environmental Center
JULY 2019 – The Green Bay Aquarium Society (GBAS) is happy to announce that they raised $1000 during their Rummage Sale for a Cause. The club was specifically fundraising for the 1000 Islands Environmental Center in Kaukauna, and 100% of all monies raised at the sale will go to 1000 Islands.
“This is such a great opportunity,” said Noah Carriveau, GBAS President. “We, as a club, feel that it is important to give back to the community, and what better way than during a neighborhood rummage sale. 1000 Islands is doing really great work advocating for the preservation of local waterways and educating people on the importance of conservation.”
“1000 Islands Environmental Center is thrilled to get the support of the Green Bay Aquarium Society, said Debra Nowak, Director of 1000 Islands. “They have helped us work towards our mission with donations for animal care and organizing surrender events in the past, but their new rummage sale event will go a long ways to helping us improve our Fox River Room with some new aquariums. Educating the public about the importance of the Fox River as a resource is key to local conservation.”
The rummage sale was held on June 8 in Menasha. New and used donated items were available for purchase. The event was free and open to the public.
The mission of the 1000 Islands Environmental Center is to provide children, adults and families with the knowledge and skills needed to build a sustainable balance between the environment, economy and community through education, conservation and recreation.
Debra Nowak, 1000 Islands Director, and Noah Carriveau, GBAS President
A Journey Downriver: From the Amazon to Your Aquarium
JUNE 2019 – The Green Bay Aquarium Society is proud to host Christine and Jamie from Freshwater Exotics in the first GBAS Speaker Event at 5 pm on July 13, 2019, at 1000 Islands Environmental Center, 1000 Beaulieu Ct., Kaukauna, WI.
This informative and eye-opening lecture will include captivating footage and photos accompanied by a firsthand narrative of what the Freshwater Exotics staff experienced during their month spent in the states of Pará and Amazonas, Brazil, in November of 2018. You will learn how wild ornamental fish are collected, discover what happens between the time they are collected & transported downriver, join the fish on their journey downriver to the export facilities, tour export facilities, and gain insight as to how ornamental fish are cared for and treated before being shipped to the U.S.
This event is free and open to the public. Refreshments, provided by Boy Scout Troop 10, will be available on site.
The speaker event will be followed by an auction of donated items.
Aquarium Club to Assist Salamander Conservation
JANUARY 2019 – The Green Bay Aquarium Society (GBAS) will hold its 4th Annual Scales and Tails Fish and Herp Fair, formerly known as the Freshwater/Saltwater Swap Meet, on Sunday February 10th, 2019, at the Starlite Club, W2091 County Rd JJ, Kaukauna, WI 54130.
This year marks the first time that GBAS will be hosting a select number of reptile vendors at one of their events, and to mark this special occasion, GBAS is proud to announce that they are fundraising at this event for The Amphibian Foundation. One hundred percent of admission money received by GBAS will go towards this fund.
Vendor set up begins at 9:00 am. The doors open to the public at noon and the event runs until 4:00 pm. Everyone is welcome to attend. Admission is $2 for anyone over the age of 14. Refreshments will be available on site.
The Amphibian Foundation, www.amphibianfoundation.org, is dedicated to connecting individuals, communities and organizations in order to create and implement lasting solutions to the global amphibian extinction crisis by providing unique educational opportunities for all ages to learn about amphibians and inspire conservation.
GBAS is a non-profit educational organization whose purpose is to further the study of all forms of aquatic life, to promote interest, exchange ideas, and distribute information concerning the aquarium hobby, and to encourage the breeding and display of aquatic life. The swap meet supports this purpose by providing an outlet for professionals and hobbyists to sell the reptiles, amphibians, fish and corals they have propagated and/or to purchase varieties not readily available at area stores. New and used equipment will also be available, as well as door prizes and raffles.
GBAS maintains several public aquariums, including one at the Brown County Central Library. Club meetings are held each month at 1000 Islands Environmental Center in Kaukauna.
Tables must be reserved by February 3rd.
Please send all inquiries to John Moyles at Events@gbasonline.org
Rummage Sale Raises $3,000 for Heckrodt
MAY 2018 – Green Bay Aquarium Society (GBAS) is pleased to announce that we raised $3,000 during our Rummage Sale for a Cause held in Menasha, May 17 – 20, 2018. These funds will support the Pond with a Purpose at Heckrodt Wetland Reserve.
The Pond with a Purpose will be Heckrodt’s revamped aquatics exhibit, where native fish such as bass and catfish will be featured in a naturalistic environment. This is an important addition to Heckrodt’s education programming and visitor enjoyment. The donation falls into GBAS’s purpose of promoting the study of all forms of aquatic life.
“I grew up in Menasha,” says John Moyles, GBAS President. “Heckrodt is where I used to go to enjoy nature when I was coming of age. We used to come down here and catch turtles and frogs and play tag in the cattails. It is so important to have resources like Heckrodt in the community, where people can connect with nature and to try to capture that spark in the next generation.”
The Heckrodt Wetland Reserve is located at 1305 Plank Rd, Menasha, WI 54952. For more information, visit their website, www.heckrodtnaturecenter.org/.
GBAS wishes to thank our donors, especially Budget Reefer, for providing the new and used equipment that was offered at the sale.
