be a hero

In Alaska’s Kachemak Bay Research Reserve, invasive species prevention is taking on a new look. To prevent the spread of the invasive invertebrates while a local harbor undergoes renovations, officials have adopted the Be a Hero – Transport Zero logo and slightly modified the message to encourage those involved in the reconstruction to follow a few easy before moving all docks and other infrastructure.

 
Closer to home, the outreach campaign developed by Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources is also expanding to include hunting, hiking, and other terrestrial pathways. Posters asking customers to “join the fight” can be found in outdoor supply shops in several Illinois cities, including Springfield. The message also made an appearance at this year’s state fair in August. 
 
When it launched last year, Be a Hero – Transport Zero became the primary invasive species prevention message in Illinois. It’s simple call for boaters, anglers, and other recreational water users to “remove, drain, dry” before leaving a waterbody has been featured in magazines, broadcast on radio and television, and wrapped into outreach programs like Clean Boats Crew. 
 

To learn more about aquatic invasive species and what you can do to prevent their spread, visit our invasive species page

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Find us at Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, March 27–29! We’re linking Subnautica with Great Lakes science through fun, hands‑on activities about food webs, invasive species, and aquaponics.Come geek out with us! 🔗 in bio for event info
Coastal protection is not limited to concrete, rocks, and steel. Coastal protection solutions exist on a spectrum, ranging from softer “green” solutions to harder “gray” structures.Nature-based coastal solutions fall between green and gray techniques, providing multiple benefits to people and habitats.Our three-part video series, Nature-Based Coastal Solutions in the Great Lakes, is now available to watch. Learn how nature-based coastal solutions, including nature-driven and hybrid approaches, can protect shorelines while supporting ecosystems and communities.Watch the 3-part video series at the link in bio.(Photo credit: Liz Spitzer, Illinois State Geological Survey, Coastal Research Group)
Managers and researchers can be faced with a need to classify the risk of new crayfish invaders. Rapid assessment tools, such as the Science-based Tools for Assessing Invasion Risk (STAIR), can assist in this process by providing a streamlined framework for analysis and decision-making.Join us for an ICC webinar with John Bieber from Loyola University Chicago to learn how rapid assessment tools are used to classify invasive species risk and how STAIR can support invasive crayfish management.Learn more at the link in bio.