As users of Minnesota’s unique and majestic lakes and rivers, one of the most responsible things we can do is take care of them and leave them how Mother Nature intended. We not only owe it to the bodies of water, but also to ourselves, fellow users, our kids, grandkids, and the generations to come.
Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) like zebra mussels and Eurasian water milfoil not only change how we use the lake, they change the lake itself. Fishing won’t be the same, swimming at the beach won’t be the same and cleaning docks and lift won’t be the same.
It’s certainly not all gloom and doom! Less than 5% of our 10,000 lakes are affected by some sort of AIS – let’s work together to keep it that way! As recreational boaters, anglers, water sports enthusiasts, sailors, canoers, kayakers and outdoorsmen, all we need to do is take action at the boat ramp. It takes just a couple of minutes: we can inspect our boats, trailers, tubes, ropes and decoys for AIS, pull our drain plugs, empty our bait wells, and live wells and be on our way. In a simpler way: Clean, Drain, Dry & Dispose. We can also encourage and help those unfamiliar with these practices and give them hand in doing so.
You can make a difference. Educate yourself & others.
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Minnesota Traditions was created by the Mississippi Headwaters Board to promote AIS awareness and education. The Mississippi Headwaters Board is a joint powers board of Clearwater, Beltrami, Cass, Hubbard, Itasca, Aitkin, Crow Wing and Morrison Counties, the MHB is mandated by Minnesota Statutes 103F.361-377 to enhance and protect the natural, cultural, historic, scientific and recreational values of the headwaters region.
