WASHINGTON COUNTY: Washington County AIS Education & Prevention Program

The Washington County Planning and Parks Department will hire a three quarters time staff member to work with citizens on lakes located in Washington County, WI. The purpose of the project is to increase citizen and agency knowledge on aquatic invasive species. The project will last three years. This project will: 1) Hold a minimum of 15 workshops and/or trainings (5 to 10 each year) to provide educational programming to lake groups regarding aquatic plant management plans and exotic species; 2) Coordinate and train local volunteers using clean boats/clean waters watercraft inspection program protocol; 3) Conduct a minimum of 600 hours of watercraft inspection (200 hours/year); 4) Develop county wide known location maps (GIS based) for various invasive species ; 5) Provide outreach material and contacts to industry groups such as the bait and garden nursery industries (a minimum of 10 per year); 6) Conduct a minimum of 3 (1 per year) point intercept plant surveys on lakes that lack previous plant survey data and produce aquatic plant management plans for Green Lake and Druid Lake; 7) Serve as a coordinator for purple loosestrife biocontrol (beetles) and recruit volunteers ; 8) Create a countywide AIS strategic plan; 9) Answer citizen inquiries regarding invasive species; and 10) Respond to reports of new AIS occurrences and partner with the DNR to develop a containment or eradication strategy where appropriate.

Activities

• Hire County Aquatic Invasives Coordinator
• Train Volunteers
• Information and Education
• Watercraft Inspections Clean Boats, Clean Waters