The 2023 MN COLA Annual Meeting will be held in person at the Initiative Foundation in beautiful downtown Little Falls, MN! Our Annual Member Meeting promises to be content rich and an exciting opportunity to meet in person. The agenda includes the all-important Legislative Update. Jeff Forester of Minnesota Lakes and River’s Advocates will be... Read more »

Join the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center (MAISRC) and regional leaders in a two-day workshop about priority aquatic invasive species concerns for North Central Minnesota. Date: Friday, June 23 and Saturday, June 24, 2023 Location: Cedar Lakes Casino, 6268 Upper Cass Frontage Rd NW, Cass Lake, MN 56633 Cost: $45 for both Friday and Saturday; $30 for Friday only. There is no option to... Read more »

Dr. Cody Sheik is a microbial ecologist at the University of Minnesota Duluth where he focuses his work on the roles microorganisms, especially cyanobacteria, play in freshwater ecosystems. In this virtual session he will share important research to identify what microbes are present across Minnesota and the Great Lakes, and to consider the implications to our... Read more »

Join this webinar on Aug 10, 2023, 08:00 am CT and hear the results of a Michigan State University study about boater resistance to cleaning their equipment of harmful, transferrable AIS. It’s free, but you need to register in advance. Aquatic invasive species continue to be spread by boaters and anglers, primarily by those who... Read more »

Plan to be part of Starry Trek 2023! Starry Trek is organized by the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center and University of Minnesota Extension in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Registration is open now at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/starry-trek-2023-tickets-664078706287.

The 2023 MAISRC Showcase will be held this year on September 20th. EARLY BIRD registration for the annual AIS Research and Management Showcase opens Monday, August 14th. Ticket price of $25 $20 (early bird pricing!) includes exclusive access to recordings of the showcase, before the general public. Click this link (on or after the 14th) to... Read more »

Highly relevant for Minnesota, this free webinar is hosted by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). Harmful algal blooms are a growing concern across the nation, and Michigan is no exception. These blooms can produce toxins that pose significant risks to both human health and aquatic ecosystems. In this webinar, we... Read more »

October 22–26, 2023 in Erie, Pennsylvania: It’s pricey and requires travel, but this a big, important conference for lake managers and concerned citizens. The North American Lake Management Society (NALMS) and Pennsylvania Lake Management Society invites you to attend the 43rd International Symposium At a time when climate change, invasive species risks, and cultural pressures threaten the natural environment and... Read more »

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) continue to present some of the biggest challenges in chemical contamination across the world. States throughout the nation, including the Great Lakes region, are finding PFAS contamination in a growing number of locations where these persistent chemicals pose a threat to human health and the environment. The Great Lakes PFAS... Read more »

Check your calendars! Following MN COLA's successful September meeting, our next membership meeting is Tuesday, December 5th at 9am-11am and it will be online. Details will follow as we get closer, but for now save the date!

Register for this free webinar on December 13 from 1:00 – 2:30 ET to hear 3 presentations on unique pathways of invasive mussel spread. The webinar is hosted by the Invasive Mussel Collaborative. Presentations include: More than we bargained for: Zebra mussels transported amongst European native freshwater snails by James Dickey with Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology... Read more »