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County Board District 8 Supervisor Paul Dean has a goal: to make everyone who uses the lakes and rivers in the Northwoods aware of the danger posed by invasive species.

"The lakes are all we have up here," Dean said. "If some of these plant and animal species become established, there is no way to get rid of them."

The Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR) is on the case, but they have a heavy burden to bear. DNR personnel are posting signs and passing out literature addressing the problem, but "they have 5,000 lakes to manage in the north and only three people assigned to the project," Dean said.

"They are doing a good job, but they are just working on public landings. I think the program should be expanded to all the access points to the lakes including the private residences and resorts."

Dean pointed to purple loosestrife and Eurasian water-milfoil as plants to look out for and the rusty crayfish and zebra mussel as animal species that need to be contained. According to DNR literature, concerted effort by observant residents can help limit the spread of these invasive species:

�Purple loosestrife: an invasive perennial, it grows in thick stands that drown out native plants and reduce food, shelter and nesting sites for wildlife, birds, turtles and frogs. It is found in every state in the U.S. and six Canadian provinces. Persons sighting growths of purple loosestrife are advised to call the Madison DNR office at (608) 221-6349.

�Eurasian water-milfoil: an invasive species that forms thick underwater beds of tangled vegetation that can cause lack of plant diversity, degrade water quality and reduce habitat for fish, it can also hinder swimming and boating. New colonies of Eurasian water-milfoil are best removed before they expand, and hand-pulling is an effective control method for small areas.

�Rusty crayfish: a larger, more aggressive crayfish than other species, they feed on aquatic plants, reducing the abundance of vegetation in many northern Wisconsin lakes. They are also prolific and reduce native crayfish populations. They are best controlled by not transporting them into new habitat.

�Zebra mussels: the only freshwater mollusc that can firmly attach itself to solid objects. This ability makes it a multibillion-dollar threat to industrial and municipal water supplies, and it could become a costly nuisance for freshwater shipping, boating, fishing and clamming. Persons sighting zebra mussels are advised to call the Wisconsin Sea Grant Zebra Mussel Watch at (920) 683-4697 or the DNR at (608) 266-9270.

"Minnesota has a more aggressive program of combating invasive species, and they have passed laws there designed to reduce the spread of invasive species in their waters," Dean said. "Because of their campaign, 91 percent of Minnesota residents have some knowledge of the problem as opposed to 54 percent in Wisconsin."

The Wisconsin DNR promotes a "Clean Boats, Clean Waters" campaign through which residents may receive training in identifying invasive species. For information on this program, contact the DNR at (715) 346-3366.

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