“Plant species were chosen based on the results of a risk assessment tool developed in Indiana by the Aquatic Plant Working Group. The tool evaluates species based on factors like ability to thrive in the Great Lakes and difficulty to control. At the request of Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant organized and facilitated the group, which included representatives from the aquatic plant industry, aquarium and water garden hobbyists, state agencies, academia, and non-governmental organizations. Their efforts led to a rule approved last year that bans the sale of 28 invasive aquatic plants in Indiana.‘It is important to have consistent regulations across the Great Lakes Basin. We want our policies to be consistent with our neighbors since invasive species don’t respect political boundaries,’ said Kevin Irons, aquaculture and aquatic nuisance species program manager for Illinois DNR. ‘Prevention is the first and cheapest way to protect Illinois from aquatic invasive plants, and risk assessment tools like the one built in Indiana allow us to identify and control high risk species without unduly regulating the industry.'”
Recent News
- Tomas Höök signing off as Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant director this summer
- Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant welcomes Stuart Carlton as the program’s new director
- Four Illinois and Indiana educators will set sail on Lake Michigan aboard EPA’s research ship
- Join IISG as a new pollution prevention outreach assistant
- Beach season means it’s time for lifesaving Lake Michigan water safety resources
IISG Instagram
Four science educators from Illinois and Indiana have been selected for the 2025 Shipboard Science Immersion on Lake Michigan July 7-13. The educators will spend a full week alongside researchers aboard the EPA research vessel Lake Guardian. Afterwards, they will bring Great Lakes science back to their classroom.
Learn more and meet the four incredible teachers representing Illinois and Indiana at the link in bio.

🌿 Educators—Explore Restoration in Action!
Join us Thursday, July 31 at Purdue Northwest (Hammond, IN) for a FREE full-day workshop diving into the transformation of the Grand Calumet River Area of Concern.
🚍 Tour restored sites
🧠 Engage with VR curriculum
📚 Earn 6 PD hours
🥐 Breakfast & lunch included
🔗 Register now at the link in bio and bring real-world science to your classroom.
Register by July 21st.

Attention STEM educators! Our new aquaponics curriculum is here! Designed for 9-12th grade classrooms with operating aquaponics systems, this curriculum, created by educators for educators, teaches STEM concepts through the lens of aquaponics, aligning with NGSS and Great Lakes Literacy Principles. Learn more at the link in bio.

Big news from Illinois‑Indiana Sea Grant! We’re thrilled to announce Dr. Stuart Carlton, our Assistant Director since 2018, will step into the Director role on July 14, 2025. Join us in congratulating Stuart, and read on at the link in bio to find out more about the transition!
