Decon, didymo and DIY: Get ready for summer with NotMISpecies webinars

Now that temperatures finally are warming up across Michigan, it’s time to head outdoors! Whether you’re planning a weekend on the water or digging into a landscaping project, this summer’s NotMISpecies webinars offer tips to help you prevent and manage invasive plants and animals to protect the places you love.

With more people  ̶  and more invasive species  ̶  on the move, decontamination (or “decon,” for short) is now an essential part of travel. Upcoming webinars will show you the best tools and methods for assuring no invasive hitchhikers tag along on your journeys. If invasive plants have crept onto your property, NotMISpecies is also offering some do-it-yourself tips for management. Supported by the Michigan Invasive Species program, the monthly, hourlong webinars are designed to keep people informed about available programs, current research and emerging issues in the state and the Great Lakes region. Question and answer sessions and links to resources help attendees get the most out of each presentation.

“Clean It Up, Drain It Out, Dry It Off” (9 a.m. Thursday, May 12) will show how easy it is for boaters to adopt the Clean, Drain, Dry process to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species. Kelsey Bockleman from Michigan State University Extension and Kevin Walters from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy will provide a live demonstration of each step in the process. The team will demonstrate watercraft decontamination essentials using basic tools like towels and brushes and display the features and operation of a trailer-mounted mobile boat washing system.

“Didymo: What You Need to Know” (9 a.m. Thursday, June 9) will provide important information for anyone fishing or boating in Michigan’s rivers. The December 2021 discovery of didymo (also known as “rock snot”), an aquatic nuisance algae species, in the Upper Manistee River signals the need for increased decontamination practices by all river and stream users. Dr. Ashley Moerke of Lake Superior State University will provide an overview of didymo’s ecology, potential effects on cold-water organisms, and what LSSU researchers are doing to better understand spread, impacts and potential triggers of didymo nuisance blooms. Moerke will be joined by staff from the Department of Natural Resources and EGLE to answer questions and discuss techniques to help prevent further spread.

“Not in My Backyard! Managing Invasives with Help from CISMAs” (9 a.m. Wednesday, July 27) demonstrates how you can control invasive plants in your landscape. Vicki Sawicki of North Country Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area and Elise Desjarlais of Lake to Lake CISMA will share identification tips and treatment tricks for common invasives including garlic mustard, Japanese knotweed and several invasive shrubs. Learn the importance of monitoring, re-treating and restoring beneficial vegetation after invasive species removal and how to get additional resources from your local CISMA.

The webinar series takes a break in August and will be back in September with more great information.

If you can’t wait for its return, take some time to catch up on topics you might have missed, including this year’s forecast for spongy moth (formerly gypsy moth), collaborative efforts in invasive carp management, and the threat posed by spotted lanternfly.

Recorded versions of all previous NotMISpecies webinars are available at Michigan.gov/EGLE/Outreach under “Featured Webinar Series.”

Michigan’s Invasive Species Program, a collaborative effort of the departments of Natural Resources; Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy; and Agriculture and Rural Development, coordinates and supports invasive species initiatives across the state and provides support through the Michigan Invasive Species Grant Program.

Celebrating 75 years of launching boating adventures

Boating has been a human pursuit for at least 8,000 years, with waters tempting us toward adventure, providing food and helping to build cities and economies. Those motivations for taking to the water have persisted and are still true today. In 2022, Michigan is celebrating the 75th anniversary of the waterways program, a modern concept meaning the access and infrastructure needed for boating: launches, marinas, gas docks, locks and dams, and the maintenance to keep these destinations accessible and operational. The Michigan State Waterways Commission, a seven-member advisory commission appointed by the governor, was created in 1947 to advise on how Michigan would place, fund and manage harbors to provide safe, navigable boating on Michigan’s Great Lakes. The program has evolved significantly since its early charge and today is looking toward the future of boating to ensure our state continues to be a world-class freshwater boating destination. “Michigan is blessed with a fantastic diversity of water-based recreation, and our waterways program is integral to making the most of those opportunities and boosting quality of life for communities all over the state,” said Ron Olson, chief of the DNR Parks and Recreation Division. “Nearly 90 percent of Michigan’s registered boats are under 25 feet long, and many of those boaters rely on safe, accessible points of entry to get on the water.” Olson credited Michigan’s waterways program for the acquisition and development of nearly 1,300 public boating access sites. Through the harbor of refuge program, too, local and state harbors are available nearly every 30 miles surrounding the Great Lakes shoreline. “The Michigan State Waterways Commission advises the DNR, the Parks and Recreation Division and the waterways program to ensure that boaters are part of the conversation and their voices are heard,” Olson said. “Thanks to the many volunteer commissioners who have served our enviable waterways program for the past 75 years and built a strong legacy for the future of Michigan boating.”

Origin, evolution of waterways management

Established by the Michigan Legislature in 1947, the commission was created to take advantage of federal monies made available from the 1945 Rivers and Harbors Act, which provided funding for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects on navigable waters of the nation. Congress then approved the plan for Michigan to create a safe harbor of refuge network on the state’s Great Lakes shoreline. This also funded:

• Protective breakwater structures still in use.
• Harbor basin and channel dredging to establish many of the harbors we know today.
• Routine maintenance dredging responsibilities for which the state, in turn, would provide mooring and boat ramp facilities.

This plan formed the basis of the state’s harbor program.

By 1949, the state had launched additional efforts to expand the harbor of refuge network by collaborating with local units of government (counties, townships and cities) on the construction, maintenance and operation of these facilities. This started what is known today as the Grant-in-Aid Program, establishing federal, state and local partnerships in the development of Great Lakes harbor facilities. Today, there are 82 state-sponsored harbors.

In 1968, the functions of the commission were transferred to the Department of Natural Resources and added the responsibility of selecting and creating boating access sites (commonly referred to as boat launches) on Michigan’s abundant inland lakes, too.

With this expansion of the program, funding to meet the needs of Michigan’s boaters became a priority, which is how Michigan became the first state in the nation to establish a state marine fuel tax. This carved out a portion of the state tax on the sale of gasoline for a fund that helps to provide boaters better, broader access to Michigan’s waters. Michigan was the first state in the nation to establish such a fund, creating a model for recreational boating now used by many other states.

Today, Michigan is home to more than 800,000 registered recreational boaters , with the industry contributing $7.8 billion a year to Michigan’s economy. At 3,288 miles, Michigan’s Great Lakes shoreline is longer than that of the Atlantic coast and our state is home to some 11,000 inland lakes.

Celebrate waterways your way

Everyone is invited to help mark this Michigan maritime moment. Visit Michigan.gov/DNR/CelebrateBoating to learn ways you can celebrate, including:

• Signing up for “Water Wednesday” texts.
• Seeing aerial drone footage of some of Michigan’s harbors and marinas.
• Sharing your photos.
• Learning about the upcoming Waterways Adventure Lab and Paint the Waterways programs.
• Learning about new sustainable boating efforts.
• Downloading free coloring pages.
• Finding 75th anniversary merchandise.

Help shape the future of waterways

Boaters and others interested in having their voices heard are encouraged to learn more about the Waterways Commission, including reviewing past meeting minutes and upcoming meeting schedules. These public meetings are an excellent forum to share ideas and ask questions related to boating access, infrastructure and sustainability.

More on Michigan boating, celebration details and information on the commission can be found at Michigan.gov/Boating.

Note to editors: High-res boating photos and logos are available in the anniversary toolkit, found at the bottom of the Michigan.gov/DNR/CelebrateBoating webpage.