Bringing together and increasing the capacity of experts, resource managers and citizen scientists to manage Starry Stonewort across the Great Lakes basin
Learn about Starry Stonewort, an invasive aquatic species threatening the Great Lakes basin.
Reports, presentations, training materials, and links to information about Starry Stonewort in the basin.
We need help identifying the extent of the infestation of Starry Stonewort in the Great Lakes basin.
Keep informed about what’s going on across the region in the fight against Starry Stonewort and other aquatic invasive species! Events coming soon are listed here, click to get more details. View our full calendar of events here.
There are no upcoming events at this time.
It's important to remember that invasive species prevention doesn't just mean doing rake tosses or helping with treatment efforts. Instead, the little things we do while enjoying our lives, like cleaning off boats and equipment after use, contribute greatly to stopping the spread of these invaders. By each doing a little, we can all do a lot.
5 Ways Waterfowl Hunters Can Protect Wisconsin's Waters from Invasive Species - River Alliance of WI
5 Ways Waterfowl Hunters Can Protect Wisconsin’s Waters from Invasive SpeciesOct 9, 2020 | Aquatic Invasive Species | 1 comment The 2020 waterfowl hunting season has begun in the Mississippi Zone, a...Diver Assisted Suction Harvesting (DASH) uses scuba divers to manually remove invasive species like starry stonewort. This allows management of infestations in deeper water without having to rely on chemical treatments.
Learn more about DASH here:
Retired cop has a new beat diving in Michigan lakes
Mike Smith spent most of his career as a diver with the Detroit Police Department recovering cars, guns, and sometimes bodies from the city’s murky rivers.On October 2nd, we helped the Cornell University Cooperative Extension Yates County survey for starry stonewort, sadly finding that it has spread into Keuka Lake. But, surveys like these help us better map the locations of invaders so we can monitor and control them!
You can volunteer to survey here: starrystonewort.org/volunteer/
Despite increasing phosphorus levels, Lake Simcoe isn't seeing the same negative effects observed elsewhere. Collaborator Brian Ginn explains that starry stonewort may be absorbing the phosphorus before it can be used by other organisms. Although this indicates that this invasive species may have some benefits, it is only one possible explanation. Additionally, such a benefit does not outweigh the ecological and economical harm starry stonewort is doing.
Learn more here:
Lake Simcoe 'defying' ecology laws amid high phosphorus levels
Read the full story and comment on BarrieToday.If you'd like to learn more about aquatic invasive species, our partners at the Finger Lakes PRISM will be co-hosting a webinar on November 12th that discusses invasive species impact, management, and identification! Some of the species they will focus on include starry stonewort, water chestnut, and hydrilla.
You can learn more here:
You don't need fancy equipment to monitor invasive species like starry stonewort! By checking boats and other equipment for invasives before storing them for winter, you can help to quickly detect these problematic species.
You can learn more here:
Dock and lift removal is important time to check for invasive species : Sep 17, 2020 | News Release
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reminds lake property owners to check boats and trailers, docks and boat lifts, and all other water-related equipment for invasive species when removing e...From November 2nd to 6th, the Starry Stonewort Collaborative will be attending the Upper Midwest Invasive Species Conference (UMISC)! We will be presenting as part of a starry stonewort focused track on Friday the 6th, at 1:30pm. We look forward to seeing you there!
You can learn more about the conference or register at: www.umisc.net/
If you're attending the Michigan Inland Lakes Conference tomorrow, be sure to watch "An update on critical aspects of the forty-year starry stonewort bio-Invasion" at 9am! This will feature experts Scott Brown and Wesley Glisson, along with Collaborative Project Manager David Carr.
Is it possible to record this and post on the Collaborative’s website?
This video by the Cornell Cooperative Extension for Yates County wonderfully covers the harvesting efforts on Keuka Lake and why starry stonewort is a problem. Watch to the end to get a glimpse of Project Manager David Carr!
All underwater photography on starrystonewort.org captured by Scott Brown
