Wisconsin's Lincoln County is actively working to combat aquatic invasive species which are non-native plants, animals and pathogens which can negatively impact local ecosystems.
You may not think of a flowering plant as a problem but invasive species like purple loosestrife can aggressively invade wetlands, alter water chemistry, block waterways and interfere with local and commercial fishing.
Thomas Boisvert, conservation program manager for the Lincoln County Land Services Department, said one of their largest initiatives is dedicated to containing the plant by using beetles as a biocontrol agent.
"The beetle itself is very similar to the monarch caterpillar, where purple loosestrife is its host plant, so it doesn't tend to feed on anything else," Boisvert explained.
Boisvert pointed out their invasive species program continues to grow annually through grants from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and donations from local lake organizations matching state funds.
Boisvert noted some invasive animals like rusty crayfish, which damage aquatic vegetation and impacts local fisheries, were brought in through the bait industry. Others like Chinese mystery snails, which have been present for decades, were originally introduced as released pets.
"A lot of people had snails as pets," Boisvert recounted. "Then, tugging on their heartstrings, they didn't want to kill that pet when they were either moving or wanting to get rid of it so they let it go in a body of water, and then that's how it kind of expanded."
The Lincoln County program encompasses watercraft inspections, monitoring for aquatic invasive species and control efforts, along with education and outreach. Boisvert emphasized the importance of the Clean Boats, Clean Waters program, not only to prevent new invasive species from entering local waters but to prevent existing invasives from spreading elsewhere.
"We have a lot of reservoirs here and a lot of them are connected to the Wisconsin River," Boisvert underscored. "The Wisconsin River runs through the whole state. So, when you have, say, something get into Lake Nokomis that feeds into the Wisconsin River, everything downstream throughout the whole state could potentially be impacted."
