Soil & Water Conservation District Welcomes Invasive Species Specialist

From Local Sources 

AREA WIDE -- The Dubois, Daviess, and Martin County Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) welcome Emily Finch as their new Invasive Species Specialist.  Finch moved to Indiana in 2016 from Wisconsin, where she received a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from Northland College.  While she is a recent Indiana resident, Finch brings with her years of experience working with invasive species.  In Wisconsin she spent several years managing invasive species in state parks, and then coordinating a five county invasive species cooperative along the Wisconsin/Michigan border.  After coming to Indiana, Finch first worked for USDA APHIS Wildlife Services in 2017 on their Feral Swine control project, trapping wild pigs in southern Indiana.  In 2018 she joined the nonprofit group Southern Indiana Cooperative Invasives Management (SICIM) as a Regional Specialist, working with southern Indiana counties to form local invasive species partnerships. 

Finch takes over the Specialist position previously held by Megan Ritterskamp, a position funded through a Clean Water Indiana grant, provided by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture.  Although her primary office is located at the Dubois County SWCD in Jasper, she serves the wider area of Dubois, Daviess, and Martin counties. 

 Emily Finch says, “I am very excited to work with the three counties.  While working with SICIM I had the chance to meet and work with several of the great folks involved in the local invasive species groups.  Now I have the chance to be more hands on in the communities, attending events, talking to people, and helping landowners.” 

 In addition to coordinating invasive species outreach and volunteer partnerships in the three counties, Finch is also available to assist private landowners.  Landowners can contact Finch for information on invasive plant ID and control, or to schedule a free site visit to their property.  Smaller property owners can also ask about receiving an invasive management plan, and apply for cost-share funds to control invasive plants on 10 acres or less.  Some local invasive plants include Honeysuckle, Autumn Olive, Poison Hemlock, Wintercreeper, and Japanese Stiltgrass.

 Finch can be contacted by calling 812-482-1171 Ext. 3, or visiting the Dubois, Daviess, or Martin SWCD offices.  Her email  is [email protected].