NotMISpecies webinars address new Michigan plant and firewood regulations
In the effort to prevent the introduction and spread of invasive species in Michigan, regulations are an important tool. Earlier this year, the Michigan Commission of Agriculture and Rural Development added six plants to the state’s list of prohibited and restricted species. In September, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Director Tim Boring signed a quarantine order that will restrict the movement of noncertified firewood into Michigan beginning Jan. 1, 2027.
These regulations are the result of both an increase in the number of invasive species being introduced into North America through trade and other human movement and the increasing evidence of the invasive qualities of certain non-native species that may have been in the landscape for years.
While the goal of these regulations is to protect Michigan’s resources, they will have an impact on both businesses and consumers.
Through the new invasive plant listings, water lettuce and water hyacinth — both aquatic plants in the nursery trade — became unlawful to introduce, import, sell, possess with intent to distribute or intentionally propagate in Michigan as of June 19, 2026. Effective Jan. 1, 2028, common buckthorn, glossy buckthorn, callery pear and Japanese barberry will have the same restrictions.
Beginning in 2027, the firewood quarantine will affect both travelers coming into Michigan and local firewood producers who source their wood from outside the state.
Two upcoming NotMISpecies webinars can help businesses and consumers understand more about these regulations.
Prohibited and restricted invasive species
In addition to the newly regulated plants, more than 50 invasive species, from mussels and snails to fish and flowers, are regulated in Michigan — meaning they’re illegal to possess, introduce, import, sell or trade. But how does a species get on that list?
Get the inside story on prohibited and restricted species in “How’d That Get There? The Invasive Species Regulation Process in Michigan” (9 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21). MDARD’s Susie Iott and Katie Grzesiak from the Department of Natural Resources will explain how and why species become regulated, the risk assessment used to evaluate invasive plants and how you can be involved in the process.
The new firewood quarantine
MDARD’s new quarantine, effective Jan. 1, 2027, is designed to stop the movement of uncertified firewood into Michigan. What does this mean for firewood producers, campers, campground owners and anyone who travels in and out of state? Join Amber Neils, MDARD quarantine compliance and export specialist, for “What Does it Mean? Michigan’s New External Firewood Quarantine Explained” (9 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 12). Neils will provide an overview of the quarantine, its purpose and how to comply with its rules. Guests from the DNR and Michigan’s Invasive Species Program will be on hand for an extended Q&A session following the presentation.
Supported by the Michigan Invasive Species Program, the monthly, hourlong NotMISpecies webinars are designed to keep people informed about available programs, current research and emerging issues in the state and the Great Lakes region.
If you are interested in these topics but cannot attend the live sessions, recorded versions of all previous webinars are available on the NotMISpecies webpage.
Michigan’s Invasive Species Program, a collaborative effort of the departments of Natural Resources; Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy; and Agriculture and Rural Development, coordinates and supports invasive species initiatives across the state and provides support through the Michigan Invasive Species Grant Program.
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