Invasive fish and plants that have plagued the Great Lakes region for decades are getting some special attention this week.Angelica A. Morrison Reports
A series of education workshops, along with opportunities for volunteer involvement are taking place this week throughout New York State. Activities, along the Lake Erie and Lake Ontario basin include learning to identify and remove invasive species.
Andrea Locke from WNY PRISM, one of the groups sponsoring the event, says it’s important to stop invasives before they take hold.
“One of the reasons we have invasive species week is because unfortunately, we don’t really notice invasive species until they’re causing significant harm to our environment," she said. "So, by trying to get everyone in the region to recognize new species coming in, we can address them as soon as they arrive rather than waiting for their population to explode."
Video: Great Lakes Now highlights a Michigan campaign against invasives.
There are more than 180 invasive species in the Great Lakes region. And though the number entering the great lakes has slowed, a new report shows they’re still causing damage.
“Invasive species have wide ranging impacts on not only our environment, but our economy and even human health," Locke said. "We’ve seen impacts on recreation, we’ve seen loss of biodiversity."
The State of the Great Lakes report rated all of the great lakes, poorly when it came to aquatic invasives. For more information visit Western New York PRISM
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