Chisago County and the Wild Rivers Conservancy invite you to participate in Starry Trek, a statewide intensive search for the invasive starry stonewort in lakes and rivers in Chisago County.
The event is on Saturday, August 20 from 8:30 – 1:30 p.m. at North Branch Central Park. (The County and Wild Rivers Conservancy are hosting one of the training sites around the state. The statewide event is coordinated by the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center.)
At Starry Trek, you will receive training on how to look for and identify starry stonewort. Then you will be sent out to area lakes and rivers to search for the invasive species. After the search, volunteers will meet back at the park to report findings over snacks and refreshments!
No experience or equipment is necessary to participate in Starry Trek. Expert training on monitoring protocols and starry stonewort identification will also be provided on-site. The event is free, but registration is requested. Children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
To register for Starry Trek, and for more information, please visit: www.StarryTrek.org/. For more information about the event, please contact Katie at the Wild Rivers Conservancy at 715-483-3300.
*Starry stonewort is an invasive algae first found in Lake Koronis in 2015 and has since spread to over 14 lakes in Minnesota. Early detection of this species is critical for control.
We hope you can take part in the event!
*words by Susanna Wilson Witkowski | Water Resource Manager
