Restoring our Underwater Forests: Can Native Revegetation Enhance Invasion Resistance in Lakes? - September 9
2026-09-09 13:00 - 14:00 (America/Chicago)
Current efforts to manage invasive plants in lakes rely on repeated herbicide treatments, which are costly and rarely lead to long-term control or native plant recovery. Revegetation, or the active reintroduction of native plants, may be a means to improve long-term resilience by making lakes more resistant to reinvasion. We are conducting in-lake restoration trials in partnership with local managers to reintroduce native plants post-treatment and monitor outcomes. Regional data analyses are underway to identify plant traits and environmental conditions that may best predict restoration success, alongside greenhouse trials to increase technical capacity for growing aquatic plants from seed. Ultimately, we hope our work will broaden the AIS management toolbox, enabling the establishment of more invader-resistant lake plant communities across Minnesota.
This free webinar is from noon to 1 pm on September 9th. Register here.

MN COLA September Membership Meeting - September 15
2026-09-15 09:00 - 23:00
Hold the date. The September Membership meeting will be held on September 15, 2026.

MGLP Lake Conservation Series: Disentangling the historical impacts of warming and fishing on exploited freshwater fish populations - October 13
2026-10-13 13:00 - 14:00
Climate warming is reshaping thermal habitats in inland lakes, often reducing suitable conditions for cold- and cool-water species while expanding habitat for warm-water species. This shift raises an important management question: can redirecting recreational harvest pressure toward warm-water species help buffer climate-driven declines in vulnerable cooler-water fisheries? In this presentation, Luoliang Xu will introduce this idea, examine its management implications, and discuss alternative science-based strategies for sustainably managing freshwater fisheries in a warming world.
Register here for this webinar.

MGLP Lake Conservation Series: Lake weeds or plant communities? Some thoughts on EWM management, control prioritization, and new work to nurture care and appreciation - October 20
2026-10-20 13:00 - 14:00
This presentation will start with some findings about Eurasian watermilfoil management and management prioritization – in that work, we wanted to better understand and provide context to some of the effects of whole lake herbicide treatments we observed in survey data. From there, we developed a model to predict lakes likely to experience future EWM introductions and lakes likely able to support dense populations. We hope that information could help guide smart prevention and smart management. More recently, we are interested in expanding the way folks are able to think and talk about plant communities – by naming, narrating, and celebrating unique community assemblages, we hope eventually to enable people to appreciate, connect to, and experience part of the natural world that usually remains hidden.
Register here for this event.

MGLP Lake Conservation Series: Protecting Land for Water Quality – Watershed-Based Land Conservation Strategies - October 27
2026-10-27 13:00 - 14:00
Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution, or polluted runoff, is the predominant cause of water quality problems in the United States. Land protection can play a critical role in protecting waters by maintaining forests, riparian buffers, and other critical natural areas that filter polluted runoff. Protected lands also help ensure the durability of water quality restoration by preventing new pollutant loads. Over the last several years the USEPA has worked to highlight the role of land protection as a NPS management strategy and strengthen partnership opportunities between clean water programs and land conservation community. In this webinar Steve Epting will spotlight this work and how its relevance to protecting lake ecosystem health.
Register here for this event.

MGLP Lake Conservation Series: Walleye stocking success in the Midwestern USA - November 17
2026-11-17 13:00 - 14:00
Robert Davis & Daniel Isermann discuss factors involved in walleye stocking. This study evaluated stocking success of Walleye in lakes and reservoirs across the Midwestern United States to inform stocking practices for state agencies. Demand for Walleye stocking may increase if climate change limits the potential for natural recruitment in lakes. Consequently, the strategic distribution of Walleye stocking may maximize fishing opportunities. Latitude and year explained relatively little variation in stocking success compared to within‐lake variation. Relative abundance of Largemouth Bass was an important indicator of Walleye stocking success for fry and fingerlings, with stocking success generally decreasing with increased bass abundance. There was an interaction between lake surface area and growing degree‐days, as large lakes (>2500 ha) seemed to be more conducive to Walleye stocking success regardless of growing degree‐days. The models that we developed did not accurately predict exact levels of Walleye stocking success but were 92–94% accurate in predicting whether the stocking success of both fry and fingerlings would be at or above the 50th percentile. These findings may help to inform the management and stocking allocation of Walleye and suggest that future increases in Largemouth Bass abundance and growing degree‐days could limit the effectiveness of stocking in some lakes.
Register here for this event.

MN COLA December Membership Meeting - December 8
2026-12-08 09:00 - 11:00
Hold the date. The December Membership meeting will be held on December 8, 2026.
