Three Shores Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area

What Three Shores Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area does

Three Shores Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA) is a non-profit cooperative organization founded in 2010 and headquartered in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. It operates as the sole CISMA covering Chippewa, Luce, and Mackinac Counties in Michigan's Eastern Upper Peninsula, providing coordinated invasive species identification, survey, treatment, and removal services across all jurisdictional boundaries in this three-county region. The organization is governed by a Steering Committee of partner organizations operating under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that grants voting members a direct role in directing activities; named partners include USFS Hiawatha National Forest, Michigan DNR, Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians, The Nature Conservancy, Lake Superior State University, the Chippewa Luce Mackinac Conservation District, UPRCD, Les Cheneaux Watersheds Council, Northern Natives Erosion Control, and Mackinac State Historic Parks Commission.

The organization's service portfolio includes seasonal field crew operations for invasive plant removal (Phragmites, Garlic Mustard, European frog-bit, Himalayan balsam, Japanese knotweed, and other priority species), species identification and reporting tools routed through the MISIN platform, free boot brush station installation at trailheads, landowner treatment request services, native plant restoration resources, and educational outreach delivered through farmer's markets, library hours, school partnerships, and community pull events. Three Shores has no proprietary technology platform — its value is delivered through human field crews, partner networks, and community engagement rather than software. In summer 2024, the field crew surveyed roughly 100 miles of Great Lakes shoreline and removed over 11,000 pounds of invasive species biomass.

Three Shores is funded almost entirely through competitive government grants, with 2022-2023 awards totaling $383,638.57 across six distinct sources: the Michigan Invasive Species Grant Program ($94,900), US Forest Service GLRI CWMA ($49,553 plus $12,000), EPA EGLE ($35,248), EPA UPRCD ($107,186), and Multi-CISMA collaborative funding ($84,751.57). Services are provided free of charge to landowners and the public. The organization runs on a small core staff (a coordinator, an outreach specialist, and two lead invasive species technicians) supplemented by a seasonal field crew of approximately seven members in summer 2024.

Name

Three Shores Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area

Legal name

Three Shores Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area

Website

https://threeshorescisma.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Three Shores CISMA is a non-profit cooperative providing invasive species identification, survey, removal, and education services across Chippewa, Luce, and Mackinac Counties in Michigan's Eastern Upper Peninsula, funded almost entirely by government grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (115310), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Invasive Species & Vegetation Management (Woody Plants) (HSAIADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Invasive Species Control & Site Restoration (Pre/Post Planting) (AFAMACAN), Invasive Species Risk Assessment & Management Planning (EUAHAHAK)

Keywords

• Invasive species management
• Environmental conservation services
• Habitat restoration
• Native plant resources
• Stewardship outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Sault Sainte Marie

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: Funded through Michigan Invasive Species Grant Program (MISGP), US Forest Service GLRI CWMA grants, EPA EGLE funding, and EPA UPRCD subawards for specific invasive species management projects including European frog-bit, Phragmites, Himalayan balsam, and Japanese knotweed treatment.
2. Partner Contributions: Partner organizations contribute through Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) participation, with formal partners signing agreements expressing support for regional cooperation on education and management efforts.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Three Shores Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA) coordinates the survey, treatment, and removal of invasive plant species across Chippewa, Luce, and Mackinac Counties in Michigan's Eastern Upper Peninsula. It delivers free public services including invasive species identification, landowner treatment assistance, boot brush station installation, volunteer pull events, and educational outreach, while executing grant-funded management projects through a network of MOU partner organizations.

Product overview

Three Shores CISMA is a cooperative invasive species management organization (not a technology product company) that provides invasive species management services across Chippewa, Luce, and Mackinac Counties. The organization offers education and outreach programs, species identification and reporting tools, field crew services for invasive plant removal, boot brush stations for prevention, treatment request services for landowners, and native plant resources. There is no unified software platform or digital product - the organization is a service provider focused on regional environmental conservation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Invasive Species Management Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Pulled nearly 4,000 lbs of Garlic Mustard and surveyed ~100 miles of Great Lakes shoreline in one summer
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Through an agreement with Michigan EGLE, Three Shores CISMA partnered with 8 other CISMAs throughout the state to provide control and early detection survey efforts for European frogbit. Received $35,248 EPA EGLE subaward for regional European frog-bit responses.
• Upper Peninsula Resource Conservation and Development Council (UPRCD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Multi-partner collaboration through Upper Peninsula Phragmites Coalition managing invasive Phragmites along Lake Michigan and Lake Superior shorelines. Three Shores received $107,186 EPA UPRCD subaward and $12,000 for Hiawatha National Forest Phragmites control. Also partnered on $84,751.57 Multi-CISMA Himalayan balsam Response project.
• Upper Peninsula Resource Conservation and Development CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNick Cassel represents UPRCD on the Three Shores CISMA Steering Committee, providing direction and guidance for cooperative invasive species management.
• Chippewa Luce Mackinac Conservation DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMike McCarthy represents the Conservation District on the Steering Committee, helping guide CISMA activities and coordination.
• US Forest Service - Hiawatha National ForestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJustin Bournoville represents USFS Hiawatha National Forest on Steering Committee. Partnership includes $49,553 GLRI CWMA project for NNIS survey and removal on forest borders and $12,000 Phragmites control subaward.
• The Nature ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChris Cantway represents The Nature Conservancy on Steering Committee, providing guidance for CISMA direction and invasive species management goals.
• Michigan Department of Natural ResourcescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRachel Leggett represents MDNR on Steering Committee, helping direct regional invasive species management efforts.
• Sault Tribe of Chippewa IndianscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMichael Castagne represents Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians on Steering Committee for tribal coordination on invasive species management.
• Lake Superior State University - Center for Freshwater Research and EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Kevin Kapuscinski represents LSSU's Center for Freshwater Research and Education on Steering Committee, providing academic and research partnership.
• Les Cheneaux Watersheds CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMike Stoll represents Les Cheneaux Watersheds Council on Steering Committee for local watershed protection coordination.
• Mackinac State Historic Parks CommissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKyle Bagnall represents Mackinac State Historic Parks Commission on Steering Committee for parks-specific invasive species concerns.
• Northern Natives Erosion Control, LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKen Kerkhof represents Northern Natives Erosion Control, LLC on Steering Committee, providing private sector perspective on erosion control and native plants.
• Midwest Invasive Species Information Network (MISIN)coreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership for species reporting and data aggregation through MISIN's early detection and rapid response (EDRR) resource for the Midwest region.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Chippewa Luce Mackinac Conservation District: Steering committee member for Three Shores CISMA. Conservation districts in Michigan deliver closely related invasive species management, landowner assistance, and habitat restoration services in their respective jurisdictions.
• Huron Pines Resource Conservation & Development Council: Michigan conservation organization that coordinates invasive species management, conservation district partnerships, and Great Lakes habitat work across northern Lower Michigan, operating a closely analogous regional model to Three Shores CISMA.
• Lake to Lake CISMA: Michigan-based Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area partnering with Three Shores on the Multi-CISMA Himalayan Balsam Response. Operates the same cooperative model across a different Michigan region, making it the closest operational peer.
• Upper Peninsula Resource Conservation and Development Council (UPRCD): Core strategic partner and fiscal conduit for Three Shores' largest grant subawards; coordinates the Upper Peninsula Phragmites Coalition that Three Shores participates in. Operates a similar multi-county cooperative conservation model across the broader UP.

Broad incumbents

• Michigan Department of Natural Resources: State agency with a seat on Three Shores' steering committee. DNR operates the state's invasive species programs, aquatic species management, and grant administration, providing both funding and direct service overlap.
• US Forest Service - Hiawatha National Forest: Major funder and steering committee partner managing invasive species on federal forest lands adjacent to Three Shores' working area. Comparable in mission (NNIS control, GLRI CWMA projects) but operates on federal lands at much larger scale.
• The Nature Conservancy (Michigan Chapter): Steering committee partner and major national conservation NGO with significant Michigan operations in invasive species management, land protection, and habitat restoration. Operates at much greater scale but addresses overlapping ecological priorities.

Emerging players

• Northern Natives Erosion Control, LLC: Private-sector steering committee partner providing native plant installation and erosion control services that complement Three Shores' invasive removal work. Represents the for-profit counterpart in the regional native plant value chain.

Regional players

• Les Cheneaux Watersheds Council: Local watershed protection organization represented on Three Shores' steering committee. Coordinates invasive species work around the Les Cheneaux Islands with a more localized geographic focus but similar cooperative partnership model.
• Midwest Invasive Species Information Network (MISIN): Regional invasive species data and reporting platform that Three Shores uses for species identification and reporting. Provides early detection and rapid response (EDRR) infrastructure that complements field operations across the Midwest.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/threeshores
• Instagraminstagram.com/threeshorescisma

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Three Shores Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area