Volunteers needed across Minnesota, Wisconsin to search for invasive species

Aug 08, 20230

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Starry stonewort is a highly invasive algae that looks more like a weed and is spreading into more Minnesota lakes where it grows extremely thick, choking out other plants and impacting boating and swimming. Minnesota and Wisconsin are looking for volunteers to fan out and search for starry stonewort and other invasives on Aug. 19.Annalise Braught / 2022 file / Bemidji Pioneer

DULUTH - Volunteers are needed across Minnesota and Wisconsin to fan out across each state on Aug. 19 and search for aquatic invasive species in lakes and rivers.

In Wisconsin it's called invasive species "Snapshot Day." Minnesota has been holding "Starry Trek" since 2017, named after starry stonewort, a highly invasive algae that is spreading statewide.

In Minnesota, the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center & University of Minnesota Extension are heading the Starry Trek effort. In Wisconsin, the Water Action Volunteers citizen stream monitoring program is an ongoing partnership between the University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension and the Department of Natural Resources. Starry Trek training sites are located across the state and will be hosted by local agencies, organizations and individuals to search nearby locations. Participants will meet at a local training site and will be assigned sites to search upon arrival.

https://www.bemidjipioneer.com/sports/northland-outdoors/volunteers-needed-across-minnesota-wisconsin-to-search-for-invasive-species