European frog-bit is defined as an invasive species in Minnesota, but infestations have not yet been found in the state.   It was first detected in Michigan in 1996 and has since spread along the coastal areas of lakes Erie, Huron, and Michigan and to some inland lakes. Kevin Kapuscinski, associate professor... Read more »

  This is a free Zoom session hosted by the AIS Detectors program at the University of Minnesota. The speakers are Andy Erickson (St. Anthony Falls Laboratory) and Tony Brough (Hennepin County). Join the webinar to hear about the results, observations and recommendations for how submersed jets could be deployed at boat ramps to help... Read more »

      The March Membership meeting will be held virtually on Zoom from 9 – 11 CT on March 19th. Preregistration using this link is required. The meeting will include an important update from our MN COLA Legislative team as we will be in the middle of the MN Legislative session. We will have... Read more »

The DNR is hosting the last of four off-season workshops for the Statewide DNR AIS Advisory Committee (SAISAC) on Thursday, March 21st at 9:30 am to 12:00 noon CT. The event includes a presentation by ACCL (Association of Cass County Lakes) on their low-cost AIS Cleaning Station & Tools. Click here to joint the meeting.... Read more »

April 10-12, 2024, in Stevens Point, Wisconsin This is a well-done annual conference that is put on by a well-established partnership of government, higher education, and lake groups. While some sessions will pertain to Wisconsin’s specific governance, most of the sessions will be highly relevant to Minnesota’s lakes and rivers. This statewide convention brings together... Read more »

Researchers from Minnesota, Wisconsin and Missouri talk about their work in quantifying the impacts of climate change on fish growth and production using the largest-ever database of Midwest glacial lakes fisheries surveys to enable sustainable management. Climate change is causing inland lake water temperatures to rise, ice durations to shorten, and stratification regimes to shift.... Read more »

The mythic Hydra was a water serpent that sprouted two heads for every one cut off. In a similar fashion, hydrilla - said to be the most invasive aquatic plant in the world - can grow new plants from stem fragments, making it a formidable challenge to control. That challenge now faces Michigan, where hydrilla... Read more »

Did you know there has been a landscape-scale effort to prevent invasive Phragmites from becoming a major threat to Minnesota habitats for the past four years? Invasive Phragmites (Phragmites australis subsp. australis) is a tall, non-native grass that can dominate wetlands and lakeshores, displace native flora and fauna, and harm recreation, infrastructure, and ecological functioning.... Read more »

The Whitefish Area Property Owner’s Association and the Crow Wing LARA are hosting the 8th Annual AIS Roundtable featuring speakers from the University of Minnesota AIS Research Center. The event provides a great opportunity to hear from the Center’s Director, Dr. Nick Phelps, as well as from several researchers with projects underway. The event runs... Read more »

The 1-hour webinar is free and starts at noon CT on June 13. The session will be repeated on June 20 at 6 pm CT. Grow your knowledge of native Minnesotan plants as you prepare your own gardens with MN Sea Grant's Jessy Carlson and John Bly of Metro Blooms for a free webinar hosted by Cook County Higher Education. This event... Read more »

Our Annual meeting of 2024 will be held on June 18th at 9-11 am cdt. Meeting topics and speakers: Election of Directors for the MN COLA Board. Director terms are 3 years and we have several seats to fill. Note: if you have interest in joining the MN COLA Board, please contact Kevin Farum to... Read more »

Getting students aware of AIS is a good thing and it will also foster behavior change in adults. Lake Superior State University brings together students, teachers, natural resource mentors, and staff from LSSU’s Center for Freshwater Research and Education to conduct hands-on research into local invasive species issues. Learn how this collaboration has fostered local,... Read more »