Conservation district and volunteers plan invasive-species treatment for Harbor Springs parks

At the Harbor Springs Tree Advisory Board meeting, a representative of the Em County Conservation District urged the board to treat several large invasive patches in city parks and rights-of-way and to coordinate outreach to neighbors.

The speaker described a mixed approach of contracted spot-sprays and community action, saying the contractor uses Milestone plus a surfactant and that treatments are foliar sprays applied to leaves. The board discussed logistics for sites including Kanas/Kowanas Park, the former dump area at Kanas Park and a monitored patch at Jud Street, and members agreed city staff will confirm property boundaries before contracting work.

"We use uh Well, we're contracting with a company. They use Milestone and then they use a surfactant," the conservation-district representative said during public comment. The speaker also recommended using the Midwest Invasive Species Information Network for reporting and called for early-detection monitoring and volunteer pull days to complement contracted treatments.

Board members asked staff to check whether patches qualify as invasive or noxious weeds before spraying, and to coordinate neighbor notification and signage after applications. The board agreed to add invasive-species management to the draft 2025 tree-and-vegetation management plan and to provide sample outreach copy for the Harbor Light and county channels.