Originally published in Kenora Miner and News on June 23, 2020
Rusty crayfish, spiny waterflea, zebra mussels, purple loosestrife, rainbow smelt, narrow-leaved cattail are just a few of the over 15 aquatic/riparian species here in the Lake of the Woods and Rainy River area that have come from somewhere else, they are not native to this part of the world.
In the broad sense, invasive species have the potential to drastically change the ecosystem, aggressively out-competing native species, changing the quality of water and affecting the food web, threatening wildlife and woodlands and causing significant economic losses to forestry, agriculture, fisheries, and other industries affected by their impact. Reducing the spread of these invasives is everyone’s responsibility, but it’s of particular interest to a group of specialists from Minnesota, Ontario and Manitoba who meet regularly on this topic.
Read more: Aquatic Invasive Species: The Power of Partnership