Summer is coming to an end, but there is still plenty of fun to be had this weekend. If you’re like us, you’re anxious to hit the road to your favorite beach, boat launch, or fishing spot. But before you do, we have a message that will help keep these places healthy for many Labor Days to come. And you may just see it on the car in front of you.  

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has emblazoned nine vehicles with a reminder to Be a Hero—Transport Zero. It’s all part of a statewide program that is raising awareness about how the public can help prevent the spread of invasive species on land and in waterways. These plants and animals can wreak havoc on food webs, water quality, and recreation. The three featured in IDNR’s tailgate designs—Asian carp, zebra mussel, and hydrilla—are some of the worst offenders, but there are many more, and they aren’t always easy to recognize. 

So what can you do? Just follow three easy steps before you leave the water this weekend: 

– Remove any plants, animals, and mud from boats, trailers, and equipment
– Drain everything—bait buckets, live wells, etc.
– Dry everything with a towel 


From boaters and kayakers to waterfowl hunters, scuba divers, swimmers, and more, we can all help prevent invasive species from taking over our favorite waterways.

 

See you on the water! 

IISG Instagram

Fill your bait bucket with the Great Lakes Fresh Fish Finder! And when the day’s done, don’t dump unused bait—it can harm our lakes and spread invasive species. Be a Hero, Transport Zero: Don’t Dump Bait. Remove it. Dispose of it. Drain it. Never release it. Visit the link in bio to learn more.  #DontDumpBait #TransportZero #GreatLakes
Looking for your next fishing adventure? 🎣 Visit a fee fishing business—a private pond or lake where you pay a small fee to fish, no license required! 🐟 Catch a fish, snap a photo, and share it with #GLFFF, giving a shoutout to where you reeled it in. 🌊✨ #GreatLakesFishingLearn more at the link in bio.Photo Credit: Amy Shambach, Spring Valley Trout Farm, Dexter, MI
Most people associate jellyfish with the ocean, but there are freshwater jellyfish too. Native to China’s Yangtze River, Craspedacusta sowerbii has spread worldwide and has lived in the Great Lakes region for decades, including Illinois and Indiana. With funding from Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, researchers led by biologist Nadine Folino Rorem (Wheaton College) and Paulyn Cartwright (University of Kansas) are studying this species and the local environmental conditions where it thrives.Full story: at the link in bio.
Summer of Great Lakes Learning! This summer, we empowered educators with the knowledge, inspiration, and confidence to bring Great Lakes literacy into their classrooms! 🌊 ✅ We dove into aquatic invasive species with the Chicago Park District Fishing Program✅ Explored Lake Michigan aboard Lake Guardian Resreach vessel through the Shipboard Science Immersion✅ Investigated remediation and restoration in the Grand Calumet Area of Concern, and launched our new Grand Calumet VR curriculum✅ Partnered at Indiana Dunes to lead a Project WET workshop with a Great Lakes focusFrom shoreline to shipboard, these workshops connected educators to the science, stewardship, and stories of the Great Lakes. #GreatLakesLiteracy #TeachingTuesday
Skip to content