2007-08 Report to the Legislature on Aquatic Invasive Species: Our Waters | Our Partners | Our Investments | Our Future Goals

June 1, 2009

Greetings:

Thanks to committed Department of Natural Resources staff, dedicated partners and funding to support aggressive action, we are making progress in protecting Wisconsin’s beautiful lakes and streams from the threat of aquatic invasive species.

I am pleased to present the 2007-08 Summary Report on Aquatic Invasive Species – a snapshot of success built upon smart investments and solid partnerships necessary for a future of pristine waters.

No new Wisconsin waters were found contaminated with the deadly viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) virus in 2008. That’s progress. A threat to more than 25 species, VHS first was found in the Great Lakes in 2005. Add to the good news the fact 75 percent of Wisconsin lakes with public access ended 2008 free of Eurasian water-milfoil and zebra mussels.

How did we get there? Since 2003 more than $10 million in DNR grants have gone to local communities for AIS projects. Local governments, community organizations and hundreds of volunteers on the front lines are key partners in our fight to stop invasive species.

Over the past several years, Gov. Jim Doyle and the Legislature tripled grant funding for local aquatic invasive species efforts and supported a new nine-member DNR Water Guard to educate boaters about AIS prevention and control. Thirty-one county and tribal coordinators picked up the cause and managed community-based prevention work involving 33,000 hours spent educating boaters at landings in 2008. Our Volunteers in the Citizen Lake Monitoring Network saw 978 volunteers at more than 800 locations in 2008.

Their efforts are paying off.

A University of Wisconsin-Madison Badger Poll documented more than 90 percent of boaters inspect their boats, trailers and remove plants and animals before leaving landings.

I also led two Aquatic Invasive Species summits in Hayward and Eagle River in 2008. Eleven counties, two tribes and numerous local organizations attended the July summits and shared success stories and ways to confront the challenges we still face.

And, our partners cross borders.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota Sea Grant program and DNR have teamed to conduct boater surveys and share scientific findings. Wisconsin and Minnesota together released about 1 million purple loosestrife-eating beetles at 16 sites near Duluth – most in the St. Louis River and in the watershed.

Also in 2008, a new barrier system in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal became operational thanks in part to urging from Gov. Doyle to the U.S. Department of Defense and Homeland Security. The barrier is needed to stop Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes through the Illinois and Chicago River systems.

The Asian carp also is a threat to our inland waters. It has been detected in the Mississippi River near La Crosse. Wisconsin DNR is working with its valued partners – including our Mississippi River Team, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Geological Survey -- to track and to research ways to stop this invader.

This partner approach is especially important because more than 185 invasive species threaten to move inland from the shores of Lake Michigan and Mississippi River.

The DNR is working to regulate ballast water discharges from commercial ships to reduce the invasive plants, animal and pathogens entering the Great Lakes. We also are continuing to push for strong national action to stop invasives from entering the Great Lakes region altogether.

Together with our partners, Wisconsin is a leader in the prevention, containment and control of invasive species. While we have much more work to do, we have demonstrated that collaboration and partnership do produce results.

AIS is one of Wisconsin’s top water quality challenges. But -- it is a fight we can win.

Sincerely,
Matt Frank
WI Department of Natural Resources Secretary