Local Invasive Species groups called Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas (CISMA) are forming across Indiana with the help of nonprofit organization called Southern Indiana Cooperative Invasives Management (SICIM). Partnership organizations and county residents are coming together to discuss the invasive plants that are taking over yards, farmland, forests, and parks.
An annual Indiana CISMA Conference will take place as a multi-format event with a combination of virtual and in-person opportunities. The theme this year is “Why Do We Manage Invasive Species?” The conference offers continuing education credits via pre-recorded presentations from conference speakers, to be made available to registrants only. A live virtual meeting will take place in the morning on Thursday, Aug. 5. There will also be virtual networking session the day before in the evening, on Wednesday, Aug. 4.
New this year, regional field events will be hosted on Friday, Aug. 6 and Saturday Aug., 7 for attendees to choose from. These field events will be held concurrently in-person around the state and registrants can choose which event they would like to attend. These events are designed to address a particular restoration focus (urban, rural, forestry, prairie, wetland, etc.), teach invasive species identification, and provide examples of local management techniques.
There will be a total of seven speakers who will address reasons why we need to manage for invasive species. Some speakers are local and others are from other states and the United Kingdom. Six of the speakers will have recorded sessions to watch in advance and there will be a live keynote speaker during the virtual event on Aug. 5.
Each year, proceeds from the Indiana CISMA Conference are used to kick-start the following year’s conference and provide funding to CISMAs across the state. As in previous years, proceeds from this year’s event will make it possible for SICIM to offer small grants to CISMAs in 2022. CISMAs use these funds to support outreach and launch campaigns to promote management of invasives and to plant native. Funds are also being used for boots-on-the-ground invasive management in public green spaces.
Conference Details
- Networking Session: Aug. 4 | 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. EDT
- Virtual Meeting: Aug. 5 | 9 a.m. 12:30 p.m. EDT
- Field Events: Aug. 6 and 7 | Time(s) TBD; each event will be no longer than four hours
- Registration Fee: $25 (includes virtual event and an onsite field event of your choice)
- Continuing education credits via prerecorded sessions
- Virtual meeting w/ keynote speaker to discuss why we manage invasive species
- Field events around the state that include species identification, management techniques, and onsite examples of impactful restoration
In addition, event organizers are seeking sponsorships and have a complete list of opportunities.
2021 Annual CISMA State Conference Sponsorship
Supporter: Less than $500
- Logo on display at conference
- Sponsor’s business materials placed in informational bags given to field trip participants
Partner: $500 to $999
- Logo on display at conference
- Sponsor’s business materials placed in informational bags given to field trip participants
- One full registration
Impact: $1,000 and greater
- Logo on display at conference
- Sponsor’s business materials placed in informational bags given to field trip participants
- Vendor table at a field day location upon request
- Two full registrations
Please contact Stephanie Schuck at sschuck@marian.edu for more information about sponsorships associated with the 2021 Indiana CISMA Conference.
For more information, and if you are interested in registering and/or sponsoring for the upcoming conference, please visit sicim.info/cismaconference.
Click here to register via Eventbrite.
For more information, email Project Coordinator Dawn Slack at dawn.slack@tnc.org.