At Earthology, our staff are encouraged to volunteer with other groups whose goals and objectives are similar to our mission. On August 10, 2024, Steve Schubert participated in Snapshot Day in partnership with the University of Wisconsin (Madison Division of Extension) and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Snapshot Day is one-day each year when volunteers across the State of Wisconsin sample rivers, streams, wetlands, and lakes for aquatic invasive species (AIS).
Approximately, 152 exotic plants and 60 exotic animals occur in the state, and about 60 percent are aquatic or semi-aquatic. The goals are to monitor existing known populations of AIS and to find new locations of AIS before they spread. Armed with a two-sided, throwable metal rake (for plants) and a sediment scoop (for snails, clams and other invertebrates), Steve sampled two areas on the Sheboygan River in Wisconsin looking for primarily curly-leaf pondweed, Eurasian water milfoil, yellow iris, purple loosestrife, zebra mussels, mystery snails, Asian clams, and faucet snails. Thankfully, only native plants and animal species were found at these two sites. More information is available at: https://naturalresources.extension.wisc.edu/ .
Earthologist Steve Schubert participating in Snapshot Day.
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