Aquatic Invasive Species Stations Teach Kids About Protecting Their Waterways

On May 15th, busloads of eager 6th and 10th graders arrived at Stony Brook in Chilton to help release trout that were raised in their Chilton schools. Little did they know that their day would involve learning about watersheds, how the DNR samples streams for fish, or even helping to check the stream for aquatic invasive species (AIS). The Winnebago Waterways AIS Coordinator Chris Acy and the newly hired AIS Coordinator for Shawano and Menominee counties, Brady Stockwell, were at the event to help kids understand the challenges invasive species can cause on streams just like Stony Brook. After talking with Chris and Brady about what invasive species are and how they are spread across Wisconsin, the kids had the chance to actually help monitor the stream for AIS! Using aquascopes (large PVC pipes with a plastic piece on the end), kids ran along the shoreline of Stony Brook looking for AIS. This interactive station seemed to really help students understand the importance of monitoring for invasive species while also giving them a chance to dive into the underwater world.

Chris and Brady were also at the May 18th Wings over Wisconsin Kids Fishing Day in Denmark! This event brought over a hundred students to a pair of fishing ponds maintained by the Wings over Wisconsin. Kids learned about boat safety from a DNR warden, fly fishing, fish filleting, and all about aquatic invasive species. At this event, Chris and Brady focused on AIS that are more commonly found in lakes and ponds. The messaging about keeping invasive species out of our waterways was received well by the children who then were equally excited to help monitor the ponds for potential invasive species. The kids used aquascopes and rakes along the shoreline and enjoyed searching between the rocks for invasive plants and animals. The kids were able to fish in the ponds for a few hours and the Wings over Wisconsin group gave every kid a fishing pole and beginner tackle box!

Both of these events were great opportunities for school age kids to get their hands wet and learn about the wonder beneath the waves!

Winnebago Waterways is a Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance program. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization that identifies and advocates effective policies and actions that protect, restore, and sustain water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on Twitter! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.

This article was written by Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator for the Winnebago Waterways Program covering Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties.