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County approves grants to track and treat frog‑bit; SISMA funding renewed
Summary
Oakland County authorized acceptance of grants to survey and manage frog‑bit, an aggressive aquatic invasive, and approved continued funding for SISMA, the county’s cooperative invasive‑species management program; staff described surveying, GIS tracking and largely manual removal methods.
The committee approved grant actions to fund invasive‑species work across Oakland County, including an opt‑in FY25 award focused on surveying and managing frog‑bit and a renewal of support for SISMA, the county’s cooperative invasive‑species management partnership.
Ashley Smith, Oakland County’s chief of outdoor learning and environmental stewardship, described the frog‑bit program: staff and partners will use GIS mapping to track occurrences from small ponds to inland lakes, perform surveys, and apply management treatments that are often manual removal; limited experimental chemical treatments have been used elsewhere but manual pulling remains the primary control method. The grant also funds public engagement and volunteer stewardship days.
Separately, the committee approved continued county funding for SISMA, a collaborative network of more than 40 cities, villages and townships that coordinates invasive species monitoring and removal across jurisdictions. Staff emphasized the need for ongoing yearly funding because frog‑bit and other invasives spread continuously and require repeated treatment and monitoring.
Commissioners noted the scale of the challenge and the value of volunteer involvement; the committee recommended the grants forward.
