Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant to participate in region-wide AIS Landing Blitz

Posted June 26th, 2019 in Aquatic Invasive Species, Featured, News, Recreation & Tourism, Video
people inspecting boat - Great Lakes Aquatic Invasive Species Landing Blitz

Partners at hundreds of water access sites throughout the Great Lakes region are set to participate in an AIS Landing Blitz from June 28 to July 7 to inform boaters and others of the risks of introducing and spreading aquatic invasive species (AIS).

Volunteers, along with paid inspectors, will be partnering with state and local agencies at boat launches to educate visitors on procedures used to prevent the spread of AIS, ways to identify AIS, protocols for reporting an AIS discovery, and local AIS laws and regulations.

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG) has partnered with Lake County Forest Preserves and will be at the Fox River Forest Preserve boat launch on Saturday, June 29 teaching people simple steps to help prevent the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species in Illinois. On the same day, staff from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources will be helping people at Lake Wawasee and Syracuse Lake public access ramps.

While similar events have been hosted in previous years, this is the first time that all of the Great Lakes states and provinces are involved and coordinating efforts to maximize the event’s impact.

“This is the first time that these valuable educational events will be held simultaneously across the entire Great Lakes region,” said Greg Hitzroth, an aquatic invasive species outreach specialist with IISG and Illinois Natural History Survey. “It’s a chance to work directly with boaters and deliver a coordinated, regional message about the importance of AIS prevention during the busiest boating weekends of the year.”

Working with local communities and volunteers will be key to the success of the event, says Jordan Wood, an AIS outreach assistant who works with Hitzroth.

“Boaters will have the opportunity to engage directly with volunteers in their community during the Blitz,” Wood said. “Seeing community members taking time out of their day reinforces that it takes all of our efforts to help protect our lakes and rivers, including the Great Lakes, from the unwanted impacts of invasive species.”

For more information on the AIS Landing Blitz, including educational materials, locations and volunteer opportunities, visit www.glc.org/blitz. For more information on IISG’s Be A Hero – Transport Zero campaign, visit TransportZero.org. 

IISG Instagram

This Halloween, we’re diving into the eerie depths of the Great Lakes.

Each lake has its own spooky story:

🕯️ Lake Superior hides ghost ships beneath its icy waves...
🦴 Lake Michigan whispers tales of vanishing beaches…
🌉Lake Huron hides prehistoric hunting camps on a lake bottom ridge...
🧪 Lake Erie bubbles with algal blooms that glow like potions...
🦠 Lake Ontario was first to host strange creatures like the blood sucking sea lamprey.

Never fear, we have resources to help you make these fascinating topics less frightening at iiseagrant.org/education.

29 1
Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 18068749643060732
This Halloween, we’re diving into the eerie depths of the Great Lakes.Each lake has its own spooky story:🕯️ Lake Superior hides ghost ships beneath its icy waves...🦴 Lake Michigan whispers tales of vanishing beaches…🌉Lake Huron hides prehistoric hunting camps on a lake bottom ridge...🧪 Lake Erie bubbles with algal blooms that glow like potions...🦠 Lake Ontario was first to host strange creatures like the blood sucking sea lamprey. Never fear, we have resources to help you make these fascinating topics less frightening at iiseagrant.org/education.

IISG is seeking a talented and passionate person to join our team as a research & reporting administrator. This is an exciting leadership opportunity for someone interested in managing a competitive research portfolio and leading our annual reporting process to make a real impact on the health and vitality of our Great Lakes ecosystems and communities.

The successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing our research competitions, spearheading data collection and reporting for our ~$5 million program, and supervising a small team of dedicated staff.

Interested? Learn more at the link in bio.

18 0
Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 17881001997406832
IISG is seeking a talented and passionate person to join our team as a research & reporting administrator. This is an exciting leadership opportunity for someone interested in managing a competitive research portfolio and leading our annual reporting process to make a real impact on the health and vitality of our Great Lakes ecosystems and communities. The successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing our research competitions, spearheading data collection and reporting for our ~$5 million program, and supervising a small team of dedicated staff.Interested? Learn more at the link in bio.

Just in time for DEA National Takeback Day on October 25, Unwanted Meds now has an interactive step-by-step guide that walks users through how to properly dispose of different types of medicine. Users can also find two new educational brochures designed to help veterinarians, pet owners, and livestock farmers prevent accidental poisonings and pollution.

Learn more at the link in bio.

3 0
Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 18057445667549008
Just in time for DEA National Takeback Day on October 25, Unwanted Meds now has an interactive step-by-step guide that walks users through how to properly dispose of different types of medicine. Users can also find two new educational brochures designed to help veterinarians, pet owners, and livestock farmers prevent accidental poisonings and pollution.Learn more at the link in bio.
Skip to content