Thank You For Your Interest In Preventing Further Spread of Invasive Species In and Around Black Lake
Prevention is the key with invasive species. Many lakes have experienced devastating overgrowth of invasive plants such as Eurasian Water Milfoil, Purple loosestrife, and phragmites. At Black Lake zebra mussels first observed in 1999, have significantly reduced our walleye fishery. Invasive species reduce biodiversity, eliminate native habitat, harm the aesthetic and recreational value of our natural, native ecology.
Prevention is the key with invasive species. Many lakes have experienced devastating overgrowth of invasive plants such as Eurasian Water Milfoil, Purple loosestrife, and phragmites. At Black Lake zebra mussels first observed in 1999, have significantly reduced our walleye fishery. Invasive species reduce biodiversity, eliminate native habitat, harm the aesthetic and recreational value of our natural, native ecology.
Which Invasive Species Are We Concerned With
The "Most Wanted ListThe Most Wanted List is made up of the Invasive Species that our partners warn us are in our region or moving there quickly. We need to be most vigilant about these ten invasive species:
See what our partners have to say and keep an eye on Facebook for announcements of training opportunities.
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The Spread of Aquatic Invasive Species to Black Lake
Michigan Clean Boats, Clean Waters warns us that boats that move between and among bodies of water pose significant risk to the spread of invasive species. The video below offers very clear instruction for how you can move avoid presenting unintended risk to our lake by cleaning, draining, and drying your boat between launches.
You can learn to interact with boaters and share this information by attending the Landing Blitz events that the BLPS periodically conducts at the Onaway State Park boat launch. Watch Facebook for announced dates!
You can learn to interact with boaters and share this information by attending the Landing Blitz events that the BLPS periodically conducts at the Onaway State Park boat launch. Watch Facebook for announced dates!
Early Detection and Positive Identification
A Fun and Helpful Tool For Plant IdentificationThe iNaturalist app can be used on your phone or ipad to take pictures of plants, get suggestions for what the plants may be, and get confirmation from botany experts. It's really fun and easy to use. GO HERE TO LEARN ABOUT INATURALIST
As we all use the app, we can see what plants we are all looking at and what they are identified to be! Don't shy away from this. It's very easy, you get immediate feedback, it helps you learn, and it's really fun to use!
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Report Your Findings
Removal
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Invasive Species Preventers help us approach property owners to devise an eradication method. We would like property owners to remove purple loosestrife themselves by cutting and bagging the flowers to contain the seeds and then digging up the plant and roots. Our Preventer team can offer assistance to those that need it.
Our approach to removing phragmites most often involes application of an herbicide because the plant replicates itself with seed and rhizomes (root parts) when removed mechanically. We rely on our partner Huron Pines Conservancy for effective and responsible application of the herbicide. Phragmites Eradication Information
Purple Loosestrife Eradication Information
Eradication FAQ's | |||||
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Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha)
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Invasive mussels pose a special problem to our lake because there are no proven means of eradicating them. Zebra Mussels were first confirmed to be in our lake around the year 2020, and we are still learning about their role in weed expansion, changes to our lake bottom, HABs blooms, and harm to fish habitat. They have become very widespread and their impact has been devastating. We recently also confirmed the presence of the Asian Clam in Black Lake and are looking into how it may affect us.
A top priority for us to to remain vigilant at our launch sites regarding the Clean Drain Dry protocol. Quagga Mussels seem to be all around us, and they will have an even greater detrimental impact on our lake than zebra mussels. If you're not familiar with zebra mussels, a youth environmental group called Gen Earth came across our website and they decided to use the site as a project resource. They offered us a link to this definition of zebra mussels that we thought was good background information: Thank you Gen Earth! |
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Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha)
This bivalve mollusk is native to the Caspian Sea, lagoons of the Black Sea and their inflowing rivers. It lives in fresh and brackish water and cannot tolerate full seawater. In the 18th and 19th centuries, it spread through European canals, reaching the Baltic Sea and many European river estuaries. In 1998, it was discovered in the Great Lakes and has since spread to many rivers and lakes in eastern and central North America. The mollusk has fouled power plants, water purification facilities, ships, and littered beaches with decaying mussels and sharp shells. Large populations have devoured plankton and decreased the food available for commercial and game fish. It is abundant in the fresh, tidal parts of the St. Lawrence and Hudson Rivers, and has been discovered at the head of Chesapeake Bay. (D. Jude, Univ. of Michigan, NOAA) |
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