The last week of February is the National Invasive Species Awareness Week focused on education, awareness, and planning for the upcoming field season for managers! As part of this awareness week, there are webinars and resources made available for you to learn more about both aquatic and terrestrial invasive species. For most lake users, the largest and easiest way to make an impact on invasive species is to prevent their spread! A recent Letter to the Editor of The Bemidji Pioneer by Bruch Anspach highlights why it is so important for people to prevent the spread of invasive species. Taking an extra minute or two to clean off your equipment (boat, fishing gear, waders, hunting equipment, duck decoys, etc.) can make a world of difference in protecting the next lake, river, or wetland you visit.

Bruce Pioneer’s Letter to the Editor can be read at: https://www.bemidjipioneer.com/opinion/letters/4953998-LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR-Everyone-is-affected-by-invasive-species

Want to help? HELP PREVENT THE SPREAD!

Every time you come off the water, make sure to follow these steps to stop the spread of aquatic invasive species:

* Inspect boats, trailers, push poles, anchors, and other equipment for attached aquatic plants or animals.

* Remove all attached plants or animals

* Drain all water from boats, motors, livewells and other equipment

* Never move live fish away from a waterbody

* Never release aquarium plants or animals into your local waterways

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.

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator for the Winnebago Waterways Program covering Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

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.