Another class of AIS Detectors certified!
Everyone at MAISRC congratulates the 83 new AIS Detectors who were certified this year. This brings our total of AIS Detectors to 299 around the state. To become certified, participants learn the principles of aquatic ecology, AIS identification, Minnesota rules and regulations, preventing the spread of AIS, and more. They are then equipped to volunteer around the state and make a difference in the areas of citizen science, outreach and education, stewardship, and research support. If you missed out this year, workshops will be held again in the spring of 2020.
Whether you’re an AIS Detector or not, MAISRC has opportunities to help you get involved this summer:
- Attend a plant identification workshop on July 25 in Sauk Rapids. MAISRC is partnering with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and University of Minnesota Extension to bring this fun, hands-on workshop to you. Join us in a room filled with live aquatic plants gathered from across the state with experts guiding you through how to identify all of them. This workshop is open for anyone from beginners to experts. Registration is now open!
- Participate in Starry Trek on August 17. Join MAISRC for this free, family-friendly, statewide search for starry stonewort (and other invaders). You will meet at a local training site hosted by one of our local partners where you will receive a brief training on how to identify starry stonewort and other target aquatic invasive species and how to follow the search protocols. Groups are then sent out to local lakes to follow the protocols and bring back any suspicious organisms. No experience required! Registration is now open!
- Attend the AIS Research and Management Showcase. Save the date! MAISRC’s sixth annual AIS Research and Management Showcase will be held in St. Paul on Wednesday, Sept. 18. This is your best opportunity to hear from our researchers, see the lab, and network with others interested in AIS issues. Registration will open in July!
