Forty-one groups named to receive aquatic invasive grants this fall

News Release Published: November 19, 2008 by the Central Office

Contact(s): Jim Bishop, Public Affairs Manager – Northern Region, (715) 635-4242

Latest round of state grants awarded – nearly $2.5 million

LAC DU FLAMBEAU – Forty-one towns, counties and local lake management districts are among those who will share nearly $2.5 million to fight the spread of aquatic invasive species in state waters, Department of Natural Resources Secretary Matt Frank announced this week.

“Wisconsin is defined by water. These grants support community-based efforts to prevent species such as Eurasian water-milfoil and zebra mussels from choking our waterways or crowding out our native species,” Frank said of the DNR’s program known as Aquatic Invasive Species and Prevention grants. “This work is important to our quality of life, our water quality and our fishing and tourism industries.”

Frank released the list of grant recipients at the second annual Northern Wisconsin Economic Summit at the Lake of the Torches in Lac du Flambeau. The summit is dedicated to Gov. Jim Doyle’s Grow Wisconsin initiative to boost economic development in the northern counties. Gov. Doyle tripled the funds for local aquatic invasive species prevention and control efforts in his 2007-2009 budget.

“The state cannot stop invasive species from entering our waters by itself. We need local partners who know their lakes, and also understand how lakes support Wisconsin’s tourism industry and the local and state economy,” Frank said.

Since its inception in fiscal year 2004, the aquatic invasive species grant program has invested about $9 million in grants to reimburse local projects up to 75 percent of expenses. Half of the total awarded in the last five years has gone for work in northern Wisconsin, and nearly 50 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties have received AIS grants. The program is funded with the state’s motorboat gas tax.

The total awarded in the last five years does not represent all the work in the fight against AIS. “There are many volunteers in each county who take care of the lakes as a labor of love – they do not get paid, but their sweat is a key reason why most Wisconsin lakes, wetlands and rivers don’t have the most troublesome invasive species,” he said of the volunteers who logged 11,000 hours educating boaters at landings in 2008.

The governor’s budget also created nine water guard wardens who staff boat landings reminding anglers and boaters about steps to prevent invasive species.

The 41 fall 2008 grant recipients are listed below. The name of the recipient is first, followed by the home county in italics and the amount awarded:

Town of Barnes, Bayfield and Douglas counties -- $3,000
Minong Flowage Association, Washburn -- $1,500
Gordon/St. Croix Flow Association, Douglas -- $4,600
Town of Lac du Flambeau, Vilas -- $8,416.50
Phillips Chain O’Lakes Association, Price -- $1,878
Little St. Germain Lake, Park and Recreation District, Vilas -- $18,009
Burnett County Land and Water, Burnett -- $155,137.50
Sawyer County Land and Water Conservation Dept., Sawyer -- $67,612
Marinette County -- $200,000
Iron County Land and Water Conservation Dept., Iron -- $149,500
Bayfield County Land and Water, Bayfield -- $82,912
Polk County Land and Water, Polk -- $67,464
Tri-Lakes Management District, Adams -- $9,483.27
Florence County Land and Water Conservation Dept., Florence -- $188,454.08
Friends of Beaver Creek, St. Croix, Dunn, Chippewa, Eau Claire -- $199,987.50
Dummy Lake Management District, Barron -- $6,375
Town of Cable, Bayfield -- $12,000
Town of Plum Lake, Vilas -- $4,226.25
Lake Lucerne Association, Forest -- $8,516
River Alliance of Wisconsin, statewide -- $64,591.50
Town of Stone Lake, Washburn -- $9,645
Manitowoc County Lakes Association, Manitowoc -- $6,750
Town of Presque Isle, Vilas -- $12,919.05
UW-Stevens Point, Portage -- $97,174
Black Otter Lake District, Outagamie -- $159,678
Conners Lake/Papoose Lake/Lake of the Pines Lake Association, Sawyer -- $40,945.50
Gresham Lakes Association, Vilas -- $68,266.50
Bone Lake Management District, Polk -- $62,162.25
Friends of Lake Mohawksin, Lincoln -- $200,000
Unified Lower Eagle River Chain of Lakes Commission, Vilas -- $146,551.20
City of Eau Claire, Eau Claire -- $196,248
Fond du Lac County Land and Water Department, Fond du Lac -- $150,000
Kewaunee County -- $11,248.53
Deer Lake District, Lincoln -- $2,468.70
Whitefish Lake Association, Sawyer -- $14,170.50
Scandinavia Township, Waupaca -- $12,000
Barron County -- $20,000
Pickerel/Crane District, Forest -- $10,000
Town of Three Lakes, Forest -- $10,000
Town of Arbor Vitae, Vilas -- $10,000
Town of Winchester, Vilas -- $10,000

Last Revised: November 19, 2008