Alger Conservation District
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Munising, MI
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Alger Conservation District is a vigilant protector of our waterways against aquatic invasive species (AIS). Education is the most important weapon at our disposal, so please don't hesitate to contact us to find out how YOU can help stop the spread!
CLICK HERE for information about terrestrial and semi-aquatic invasive species
CLICK HERE for more information about aquatic invasive species
Here is one example of the tools we use to defend our waterways and help stop the spread of AIS:
Alger Conservation District Uses High-Tech Lake Assessment
Alger Conservation District (ACD) has joined forces with Michigan State University (MSU) to bring the latest technology to the aid of Alger County lakes. "Environmental DNA, or eDNA, is DNA that is released into the environment by organisms," explained ACD Executive Director Teri Grout. "MSU has been developing methods to easily and efficiently detect the presence of aquatic invasive species by searching for their eDNA in water samples."
Last summer ACD collected 35 samples from many inland lakes and Lake Superior access sites across Alger County and northern Schoolcraft County and shipped them to MSU for analysis. "This initial batch was tested for 17 different high-priority invasive species to determine if any have reached Alger County," said Grout. "The only one of these species detected in the samples were zebra mussels in Au Train Lake, which we expected based on reports we had received."
ACD and MSU have enough funding to collaborate on another batch of samples to be collected this June. The goal is to test even more inland lakes while retesting some of the previous sites to help evaluate the accuracy of the method. "We're getting in on the ground floor of a technology that could revolutionize our efforts to control aquatic invasive species," said Grout. "Current methods of surveying for aquatic invasive species can be labor and time intensive. This new eDNA technology could be a major time and money-saver and allow us to detect and address new infestations earlier than before. It will help us to focus our time and resources on lakes where there is a problem while still keeping tabs on the rest."
A list of invasive species tested for and lakes tested in 2014 can be found below. Landowners and lake associations looking to get involved in the testing can contact ACD at 906-387-2222. The eDNA program has been made possible through help from the National Parks Service and funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the EPA's Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.
ACD Press Release 3/30/15
Sites Tested for eDNA in 2014:
Aquatic Invasive Species Tested For in 2014:
eDNA SITE LIST 2014.pdf
eDNA SPECIES LIST 2014.pdf