Aquatic Aquatic Invasive Invasive Species in Species in WisconsinWisconsin

Name: Laura HermanDate: April 21, 2010Aquatic Invasive Species Forum

Wisconsin Lakes Wisconsin Lakes PartnershipPartnership

Science

Citizens

Education

Wisconsin’s Aquatic Wisconsin’s Aquatic Invasive Species Invasive Species

ProgramProgramEducation & OutreachWatercraft InspectionVolunteer MonitoringPurple Loosestrife Biological ControlAquatic Invasive Species GrantsResearchRules to Prevent Spread

Differences Between CBCW & CLMNDifferences Between CBCW & CLMN

Protecting lake from AISPreventing AIS from

spreading to another lakeDefined hours (high use

periods)A lot of contact with publicMonitoring along shoreline

near landings

Checking to see if AIS got into lake

Some defined monitoring times (based upon AIS monitoring for)

Minimal contact with publicMonitoring along shorelines,

beaches, shallow water areas, & deep water areas

Casual observer vs True Monitor

Citizen Lake Monitoring NetworkCitizen Lake Monitoring Network 1986 – 126 volunteers collecting secchi data on 113 Lakes 1990 – pilot expansion – 25 lakes

Secchi, total phosphorus, chlorophyll, temperature & dissolved oxygen

1991 – 2005 Secchi, total phosphorus, chlorophyll, temperature, & dissolved oxygen Some regions use volunteers to collect data on Aquatic Invasive Species

2006 – Aquatic Invasive Species Statewide effort initiated 2007 –Trainers teaching Secchi and AIS monitoring 2009 – Additional AIS added. Online data entry Future – Add species and methods as the need arises

AIS Monitoring goals:Better state coverage

More volunteers

Consistency

Approved protocols

More species

Online data entry and data retrieval

Training opportunities Wisconsin’s Lake Convention – over 500 attend

“The Casual Observer” for Clean Boats, Clean Waters and Citizen Lake Monitoring Network AIS monitoring Clean Boats, Clean Waters 3-hour workshop Citizen Lake Monitoring Network AIS 3-hour workshop On-line data entry through the Surface Water Integrated

Monitoring System (SWIMS) County Aquatic Invasive Species Staff host workshops

through AIS grants Trained Trainers host workshops Lake Association and District meetings Super-Spreaders – target audiences on super spreader lakes

Casual Observer vs Trained MonitorCasual Observer vs Trained MonitorCasual observer

More general observer (simplified training)

Do not follow protocolsSelect species they monitor

forOften do not do data entrySeldom report if they do

NOT find AISExamples -

Shoreline sweepThree Lakes volunteersLake meeting presentations

Trained monitorMore technical training

(longer & more detailed)Monitoring follows

standard monitoring protocols (meshes with DNR protocols)

Select species they monitor for

Enter data into SWIMSReport if they do NOT find

AIS

What is expected of the trainers(full AIS monitoring – not casual observer)

Workshops conducted by trained Trainers

Follow all protocols to the AIS monitoring workshops

PowerPoint presentations provided for your use

Manuals provided to you Cover all species Explain data entry (SWIMS)

What do I need from you. Date and time for workshop Location of workshop Workshop host information Who will be the trainers at

the workshop and who will be assisting

Attendance worksheet filled out & returned to me

Volunteers cover the entire state, but most are in our “lakes rich” areas and areas with few AIS

Why Volunteer Monitoring Volunteers know their lakes Volunteers can cover more lakes than agency staff can coverResults so far – Success! Many of the new EWM and mystery snail “finds” have been

from volunteers.

Wisconsin’s Aquatic Invasive Species Program

Volunteers love the hands on ID timeTrainings close to when they monitorPontoon boats – not needed, but helpfulCasual observer or trained monitor options

What Volunteers Like/NeedWhat Volunteers Like/Need

Announcement of workshops

Trainings will be posted at these websites – http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/uwexlakes/CLMN/training.asp http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/uwexlakes/CBCW/workshops-

schedule.asp http://www.eeinwisconsin.org/core/default.aspx?s=0.0.16.2209 http://invasivespecies.wi.gov/awareness/event_request.asp

What volunteers receive Equipment in the free kit: Manual / handbook Hand lens Through the Looking Glass book 22-set laminates (EWM, curly-leaf pondweed, purple

loosestrife and look-a-likes) Zip-lock bags (for plant collection) Sharpies (to record info on the Zip-lock bags) Watch and wild cards, ID and informational pamphlets

Manual components DNR and UWEX Contacts Section 1 - Aquatic Invasive Species: Getting Started. Section 2 - Eurasian water-milfoil Section 3 - Curly-leaf pondweed Section 4 – Purple loosestrife Section 5 – Rusty crayfish Section 6 – Zebra mussels Section 7 – Mystery snails Section 8 – Waterfleas Section 9 – Freshwater Jellyfish Section 10 – Hydrilla Section 11 – New Zealand mudsnail

Section 12 – Native water-milfoil weevil

Section layout Background/Overview Life Cycle Identification Monitoring

When to Monitor Where do I Sample How to Monitor

• Collecting Samples• Labeling Samples• Equipment Needed

Setting Up a Monitoring Team Mapping Reporting What to do with Suspect Specimens Additional Materials & Supporting Documentation Data Reporting Forms

Invasive Plant monitored for

Linda Wilson, University of Idaho, Bugwood.org

Critters monitored for

Critters monitored for - cont

Future species?

Others?Can be added as needed.

Report Findings – Statewide DatabaseSurface Water Inventory Management System

(SWIMS) General public

access to data and maps report AIS findings

Volunteers access to data and maps report, document and enter data on AIS findings

Staff access to data and maps report, document and enter data on AIS findings verify and voucher general public and volunteer findings

Used mainly by general public so they can report new “finds”

Staff verify and go through the vouchering process

Staff & trained volunteers

Data entry pilot (2011?) I-Phone & Palm pilot technology

Pros •Uses the infrastructure we have set up in SWIMS (security, etc.) •Can avoid programming for specific brands of phones•Would automatically work for all of our data entry forms (Secchi, AIS, River monitoring, Loons, etc).•Cost to develop would be minimal

ConsWould require user to have • phone/PDA with a Data Plan & Access to a 3G network or Wi-Fi •3G coverage will be more widely available & more folks will have the phones by the time we have pilot complete •Sometimes a 3G network would NOT be accessible @ a landing. Inspector would have to resort to paper/entering the data later •A phone & data plan costs money.

Any Interest?

Tailor the program for the volunteers.

Special ThanksEditing and “cool-afying”: Erin McFarlane.Photos: Paul Skawinski, Bob Korth, DNR staff and Google.

Wisconsin AIS websites

General Information on Citizen Lake monitoring - http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/uwexlakes/clmn/

Publications / manuals - http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/uwexlakes/clmn/publications.asp

WI Department of Natural Resources AIS data – http://dnr.wi.gov/invasives/ http://dnr.wi.gov/invasives/aquatic/whattodo/

Laura HermanLakes Education SpecialistCitizen Lake Monitoring Network107 Sutliff Ave.Rhinelander, WI 54501(715) 365-8998laura.herman@uwsp.eduhttp://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/uwexlakes/

Red Swamp Crayfish Dark red in color (a genetic mutation may turn the body and/or claws blue) Raised bright red spots covering the body and claws Black wedge-shaped stripe on the top of the abdomen Vary in length from 2 to 5 inches. Prefer marshes, swamps, ponds and slow moving rivers and streams, but have become

established in lakes. They are tolerant of fluctuating water levels and can survive long dry spells by remaining in burrows or crawling over land to other water sources.

Mate in autumn and lay eggs in spring to early summer. The number of eggs varies with the size of the female, (as many as 650 eggs at a time). Distribution in Wisconsin in 2009 - ponds in German Town, Washington Co. and City of

Kenosha, Kenosha Co.

Red Swamp Crayfish

Brazilian Waterweed Stems can reach 15 feet in length. Leaves arranged in whorls of 4-6 leaves and leaves are ¾ - 2 inches long & serrated. Leaves are attached directly to the stem. Leaves below growing tips often curve downwards. Adventitious roots are freely produced on the stem. Plant Reproduces by stolons & stem fragments. Can spread from a single plant Plant forms mats dense enough to restrict water movement, trap sediment and cause

fluctuations in water quality. It can out compete Eurasian water milfoil.

Look-alikes: hydrilla (AIS) and our native waterweeds (Elodea canadensis & Elodea nuttallii)

Brazilian waterweed, a top selling aquarium and pond plant, is often sold under the name Anacharis and is also known as Brazilian elodea or "oxygenating plant". It is believed to have been introduced in the United States by the aquarium trade.

Found in one pond in Portage Co.

Yellow Floating-Heart Circular to slightly heart shaped floating leaves are 1-6” in diameter. Leaf edges are slight

wavy or scalloped Leaves are green to yellow-green above, and are often purple underside Yellow flowers arise above the water surface The fruit is a ½-1” beaked capsule that contains many flat, seeds with winged margins (which

help with floatation and attachment to avian vectors) Prefers slow moving rivers, lakes, reservoirs and ponds, but can also grow in damp mud,

swamps and wetlands.

Look-a-likes - water lilies, Spadderdock and Watershield

Yellow-floating heart is a popular water garden plant, and the ability to order this plant over the internet and through mail order gives it the ability to travel to all parts of the world. In the locales where it has been introduced, it has often become the dominant plant species. Yellow-floating heart is very difficult to control due to its ability to form a new plant from rhizomes, stolons, separated leaves, or seeds.