Co board OKs AIS fight fund

[Lee Borgersen]

  County board OKs funding for AIS fight

Vermilion and Burntside lake associations among the major grantees.

Posted Wednesday, January 31, 2018

 
  ......
REGIONAL— The St. Louis County Board has given preliminary approval of grants totaling $727,750 in state funds for continuing the fight against aquatic invasive species. The Lake Vermilion and Burntside lake associations, the North St. Louis Soil and Water Conservation District and Wildlife Forever are among the major recipients of the funding. The board is expected to give final approval of the funding on Tuesday, Feb. 6.

  .....
All of these organizations have been engaged in a coordinated, multi-year effort to prevent the introduction of invasive species into the region’s premier lakes. The largest single grant, totaling $391,350 to the Soil and Water Conservation District, will continue to fund watercraft inspections, decontamination efforts, and public education on Vermilion and Burntside, as well as Shagawa, Pelican, and Ely lakes. The SWCD proposes to significantly increase the number of boat inspections and boat decontamination in the region in 2018. Last year, SWCD workers inspected 20,720 boats, mostly on Vermilion and Burntside, and have set a goal to inspect 29,000 boats in 2018. They also hope to more than double the number of boat decontaminations, from 594 conducted last year, to 1,430.

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The Vermilion Lake Association, which has been a leader in the fight against aquatic invasives in the region, will receive $59,000 in ongoing funding for its efforts, which include boat inspections, early detection, and education.
The Burntside Lake Association, which will receive $26,000, will pursue a similar plan of action.
Jeff Lovgren, who oversees the VLA’s aquatic species work, said the latest round of funding will allow for a continuation of existing efforts, even as those efforts evolve over time. “Our 2018 plan doesn’t represent a dramatic change,” said Lovgren. “We’re still doing the same things, just doing them differently as we learn some things work and some things don’t. We try to work smarter to be more effective.”

  ...
Among the modifications this year is an updating of the VLA’s priorities, which elevates the invasive plant, starry stonewort, as the organization’s top concern. Zebra mussels, which had topped the group’s priority list in previous years, have dropped somewhat as it now appears likely that the low calcium levels in Canadian Shield lakes, like Vermilion, offers some protection against the establishment of this invasive mussel, which has devastated other aquatic systems elsewhere in the U.S.

In addition, said Lovgren, VLA is stepping up its early detection efforts, particularly as the focus shifts to invasive plants. The organization has established a network of local monitors who conduct regular inspections in the water surrounding boat launches, to detect the presence of invasive plants.
In addition to the latest county grant, the VLA obtained two additional grants last October from the Initiative Foundation. Those grants, totaling $93,000, are helping to fund some pilot initiatives to improve boat inspection efficiency on Vermilion public accesses. “These plants generally take root near the entry point,” said Lovgren, and when caught early enough, control measures can usually eradicate the problem before it spreads.
 
Statewide initiative:

Each year, through the AIS Prevention Aid Program, the Legislature provides funding to counties to allocate to organizations that will participate in AIS research, control, prevention and education activities.
Aquatic invasive species disrupt the health of water bodies, and pose a myriad of threats to natural, cultural and recreational resources of the region. Since 2014, the county has appropriated more than $3.1 million in state funds to combat aquatic invasive species.


A boat inspector checks for aquatic invasive species on a boat and trailer at Pehrson Lodge on Lake Vermilion.

                         

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[glenn57]

wel den da best check da loons, ducks and gooses butts too!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Lee Borgersen]

wel den da best check da loons, ducks and gooses butts too!!!!!!!!!!!!

Day bedder check yer butt to!  Some say dat you've been walkin like a Glenn-gwin lately!

Enlarge Photo for best viewing!:

               

               Glenn-gwin

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[glenn57]

  fortunately I be in a good mood today or dered been anudder smite!!

[Gunner55]

  I thought it was worth a like

[glenn57]

I thought it was worth a like

yea go figure. shouldn't you go out fishing???

[Rebel SS]

Lee and Glenn hit da ice....

[Lee Borgersen]

Lee and Glenn hit da ice....

  dat video was bout 13 seconds to long

[Rebel SS]

I thought it was wunnerful...plus the fact ya done derailed yer own thread!   

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[Lee Borgersen]

I thought it was wunnerful...plus the fact ya done derailed yer own thread!   

Call it what you may... but,  derailed? I would consider it as my having enhanced da topic. You probably didn't notice the like recieved when I enhanced da topic. Den following dat someone followed up wit a similar animated gif in an effort to "DERAIL" da topic

[Rebel SS]

Were you da inventor of dat fun 60's cop-a-feel game, "Twister"? 'Cuz ya sure are good at twistin' tings around, 'broski! O wait....maybe "Trouble" be a better fit... or "Old Maid"  

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[glenn57]

Were you da inventor of dat fun 60's cop-a-feel game, "Twister"? 'Cuz ya sure are good at twistin' tings around, 'broski! O wait....maybe "Trouble" be a better fit... or "Old Maid"  

hey..........playin twister wit a few under da belt and with females was a fun!!!!!!

and your both a couple derailed individuals!!!!!!!

[Rebel SS]

Were you da inventor of dat fun 60's cop-a-feel game, "Twister"? 'Cuz ya sure are good at twistin' tings around, 'broski! O wait....maybe "Trouble" be a better fit... or "Old Maid"  

hey..........playin twister wit a few under da belt and with females was a fun!!!!!!

and your both a couple derailed individuals!!!!!!!

How would you know? Bet you played it with Hymie and Poindexter.         

[Lee Borgersen]

[quote author=glenn57 hey..........playin twister wit a few under da belt and with females was a fun!!!!!!




Glenn,

I heard you took out a magic marker & scratched out da name Twister off da box and wrote snifft-her  

[mike89]

 

[glenn57]

[quote author=glenn57 hey..........playin twister wit a few under da belt and with females was a fun!!!!!!




Glenn,

I heard you took out a magic marker & scratched out da name Twister off da box and wrote snifft-her  

yea so!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mike89]

[quote author=glenn57 hey..........playin twister wit a few under da belt and with females was a fun!!!!!!




Glenn,

I heard you took out a magic marker & scratched out da name Twister off da box and wrote snifft-her  

yea so!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

have ta agree with ya Glenn!!!