water garden

Members of IISG’s aquatic invasive species team are introducing their newest risk assessment suite of products today at the Illinois and Wisconsin Landscape Show in Schaumburg, Illinois.

The brochure, wallet card, and poster distill all the complexities of the species assessments done by researchers at the University of Notre Dame, Loyola University Chicago, and the Nature Conservancy. IISG facilitated the meetings between the researchers and retailers to ensure that the tools developed for them to use to assess the risk for invasion met the states’ needs.

These assessments provide retailers and hobbyists with information about whether a plant or animal imported for the aquarium and water garden trades poses a threat to the states’ waterways.

Greg Hitzroth, IISG aquatic invasive species outreach specialist will be urging retailers at the conference to not sell or grow plant species that are known to be invasive.

“The retailers and wholesalers—the types of folks who are at this trade show—want to do the right thing,” Hitzroth said. “And we’re here to help them.”

You can download the materials for free from these links! If you need a specific quantity, contact Danielle Hilbrich, aquatic invasive species outreach specialist, at hilbrich@illinois.edu.

What’s in Your Water Garden – Wallet Card
What’s in Your Water Garden – Brochure
What’s in Your Water Garden – Poster

IISG Instagram

Join is in welcoming our new research and reporting coordinator, Laura Esman, to the team! In her new role, Laura will oversee research competitions and manage IISG’s research portfolio. She will also spearhead IISG data collection and lead the program’s annual reporting process.Esman brings over 30 years of experience in research, project coordination and grant administration. Her most recent positions include managing director of the Indiana Water Resources Research Center, and lab manager and research associate in the Natural Resources Social Science Lab in Purdue’s Department of Forestry and Natural Resources.Full story at the link in bio.
There’s still time to register! Educators are invited to join the Great Lakes Region Place-Based Education Institute starting this February and dive into hands-on strategies that connect students with their communities and local environments. Don’t miss this powerful professional learning opportunity!Learn more & register at the link in bio.
🎉 Congratulations to our IISG Knauss Fellowship finalists! We’re proud to announce Anupama Chandroth (@iubloomington) and Laura Gray (@illinois1867) as Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant’s finalists for the 2026 Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship.They’ll join a national cohort of 48 finalists placed in executive and legislative branch offices in Washington, D.C., contributing scientific expertise to federal decision-making on marine, coastal, and Great Lakes issues.Full story at the link in bio.