Originally posted on 09.19.16 by Diane Schauer, Calumet County LCD Invasive Species Coordinator

In October, 2015, intrepid paddler and volunteer Valerie Stabenow discovered water hyacinth in the channels near her home in Winneconne. Water hyacinth is an invasive plant that is now prohibited from sale or use in Wisconsin because of the threat that it poses to our lakes and rivers. Valerie reported the discovery and teams of AIS staff descended on the area and mapped and removed all the plants they could find.

Sept. 17, 2016, Valerie met with Linda Loker, the co-President of the Winnebago County Master Gardeners for a paddle. Alas, they found more water hyacinth in a few of the locations where it had been found in 2015. The number of plants was substantially fewer than last year. The WDNR will have teams out scouring the area for additional patches very soon.

Stay tuned for an update in an upcoming issue of The Source.”