Volunteers needed to monitor and help protect Minnesota waters during the University of Minnesota's event: Starry Trek 2022
PARK RAPIDS, Minn. — Lake-loving volunteers of Hubbard County are needed on Saturday, August 20, 2022 to participate in a search for starry stonewort—an aggressive, aquatic invasive algae that can spread easily and grows into dense mats at and below the lake’s surface.
Starry Trek is an annual event where members of the public first gather at training sites to learn how to identify starry stonewort and other aquatic invasive species. The newly trained participants then branch out to local water accesses to search for signs of the invasive species.
Starry stonewort was first found in Minnesota at Lake Koronis in 2015 and has since spread to nineteen Minnesota lakes. Early detection of this species is critical for control. Starry Trek volunteers have found starry stonewort in four lakes – Grand Lake in Stearns County, Wolf Lake at the Hubbard/Beltrami County border, Lake Beltrami in Beltrami County, and Carnelian Lake in Stearns County – as well as other aquatic invasive species like Eurasian watermilfoil and zebra mussels during this event.
The 2017 discovery of starry stonewort in Grand Lake led to the lake association and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources rapidly mobilizing to hand-pull the infestation. This early intervention has widely been considered a success, with starry stonewort continuing to be limited to the small area near the public access where it was initially discovered.
“This event is a terrific way for people to get outdoors, get educated about aquatic invasive species, and help protect their area lakes,” said Megan Weber, Extension Educator with the University of Minnesota and Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center. “The information we gain at this event helps researchers and managers understand its current distribution and potentially take action if new infestations are found.”
No experience or equipment is necessary to participate in Starry Trek. Expert training on monitoring protocols and starry stonewort identification will be provided on-site. This event is free, but registration is required. The registration deadline is August 14th. Children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
Currently, Hubbard County is hosting one of 26 local training sites around the state. Volunteers will meet at their local site for training, then will be sent to nearby public water accesses to check for starry stonewort. At the end of the day, they’ll return to the local training site to report their findings. The event will start 8:30 a.m., with an estimated completion of 1:30 p.m. For a full list of the sites and other FAQs, please visit starrytrek.org.
The Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center works across the state to develop research-based solutions that can reduce the impacts of aquatic invasive species. A portion of the funding for this program is provided by the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. Learn more at maisrc.umn.edu
For statewide information, contact:
Megan Weber, Extension Educator
Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center
mmweber@umn.edu
763-767-3874
For local information, contact:
Aaron Anderson, Environmental Specialist
Hubbard County Environmental Services
aaron.anderson@co.hubbard.mn.us
218-732-2360