Local Residents Receive Invasive Species Action Awards

Friday, June 7th, 2024 -- 10:00 AM

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) congratulates the winners of the 2024 Invasive Species Action Awards, presented by the Wisconsin Invasive Species Council during Invasive Species Action Month.

The governor-appointed Council advises the DNR and the state legislature on invasive species issues. The Council gives the awards, previously known as the Invader Crusader Awards, to individuals and groups in professional and volunteer settings that positively impact the fight against invasives.

The winners represent all regions of Wisconsin. They used many different approaches in their fight against invasives, but each winner is united in putting in long hours in the ongoing battle against the spread of invasive species.

Dan Umhoefer, Marshfield: He has removed many invasive species from Marshfield’s urban forests and restored its ecological diversity by planting and nurturing service flora. He also fights noise pollution, doing all his work by hand with a bow saw. This manual labor has transformed local environments in an unobtrusive and ecologically friendly way.

The Kappel family, Marshfield: Barry Kappel, Carol Berg-Kappel and their grandson, Christopher, have given more than 250 hours of volunteer work to provide purple loosestrife biocontrol to numerous locations in central and northeast Wisconsin, including their 70-acre restored prairie just north of Marshfield. They have created a self-sustaining insectary of Galerucella beetles to feed on the invasive plants.

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