invasive species

This morning parts of our region saw -40 or colder temps, and that's bad news for the survival of asian beetles, stink bugs, and the invasive Emerald Ash Borer.

This Saturday was the first time I actually saw a designated pull over checkpoint along a highway. It was on Highway 53 just south of Canyon, MN.

Get ready for some loud, low flying planes.  Douglas County Officials have announced that the aerial spraying to slow the spread of Gypsy moths will begin Monday morning as early as 6:00 am.  Actual times could vary with the weather forecast.

By now you would hope that many of us would be educated enough to know about the dangers of spreading invasive species with our watercraft.  The DNR has made a huge effort in the past decade to educate the public.  We're used to inspecting our boats and trailers for invasive species, but in some cases some of these species may spread and grow another way:  boat lifts and docks.

Fourth of July weekend is upon us and it is historically one of the busiest weekends of the year for boating and fishing.  With that in mind, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources wants to remind us to take a little extra time to ensure boats and equipment are clean going in and clean coming out of lakes and rivers to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species.

I fished Lake Vermilion this year for opener.  It was cold and miserable, and it took a lot of motivation to get out on the lake.  There were also some other people who were braving the elements at every landing on the lake.  They were boat inspectors working for the North St. Louis County Soil and Water Conservation.

The Minnesota DNR has been working hard in recent years to stop the spread of invasive species in our great lakes.  A new law was passed in 2011, and will finally take effect on July 1st for anyone even transporting a boat through Minnesota.

Earlier this week the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture sprayed parts of Superior, waking up quite a few people with the low flying planes, and alarming others.  Even though bulletins had been issued ahead of time, it still was a surprise to some residents.  Now the Wisconsind Department of Agriculture says that the spraying has been completed and it's deemed a success.

If you were awakened by the sound of roaring airplanes overhead, you may have been wondering what was going on.   Many people took to Facebook today to complain about the loud noise of planes flying just above their houses.  The airplanes are spraying for Gypsy Moths and it will continue throughout the mid day and resume again tomorrow morning.

Earlier this month, boaters were scrambling to get the new Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Sticker on their boat.  Now the law has changed and you are no longer required to display the sticker on your boat.  You will by the year 2015 have to complete an online course by law.  Fines will increase this year starting July 1st for not properly following AIS precautions.

There's a new law that was passed last year in Minnesota that requires boaters this season to have a "invasive species tips" sticker on the boat.  The DNR hopes this will help boaters be more aware of invasive species and how to prevent the spread from lake to lake. Where can you get them?  Here's 3 places besides the DMV you can go.