Public invited to attend WHIP annual meeting

MANITOWISH WATERS – From buckthorn choking out forests, to pests hitching a ride on Christmas trees, invasive species are reshaping the Northwoods that residents love, and a team of local experts is fighting back.

The public is invited to learn and join the fight at the 2026 Wisconsin Headwaters Invasive Species (WHIP) Annual Meeting, free and open to everyone.

WHIP is as a nonprofit cooperative of 16 partners who share resources to offer management and education of invasive species in Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas counties. WHIP is dedicated to the conservation of native species, habitats and landscapes in northcentral Wisconsin.

The WHIP Annual Meeting will be held at the North Lakeland Discovery Center, 14006 Discovery Lane, Manitowish Waters, on Friday, July 24, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Three featured speakers will pull back the curtain on invasive species management in the Northwoods:

• Jill Nemec, Oneida County Forestry Director, will address the tough calls behind triaging invasive species across an entire county forest with limited resources.
• Meg Sanders, Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Forest Pest Regulatory Coordinator, will provide an inside look at a plant inspector's day nursery and Christmas tree inspections, crop pest surveys and more.
• Michele Sadauskas, Oneida County Conservationist, will lead a hands-on winter seed sowing demonstration, with attendees planting and keeping their own native pollinator seed containers.

This event will have built-in time for questions, discussions and networking. Whether you're a landowner, gardener, or just curious how invasive species are managed close to home, this is a chance to talk directly with the experts on the front lines.

The full agenda and details can be found at www.whipinvasives.org or by contacting the Oneida County and Land Water Conservation Department at 715-369-7835.