Invasive Species

To be good stewards of the resource we all share, it is important to understand the things that could harm that resource.  This section of our site is devoted to a discussion of plants, animals and diseases of which we need to be aware.  As custodians of this web site, we realize that there are others far more qualified to tell these stories.  As a result, we present these pages as a gateway to links that will start you on your journey.  If, along the way, you discover something important that you think needs to be shared, please let us know in the feedback section of this site.

The Minnesota DNR provides a wealth of information on the topic of invasive species.  Here are a few surprising facts that we encountered in our journey:

– Did you know that the Amur Maple which has such lovely red fall foliage might be appropriate inside a city, but it may not be such a good choice in our woodland setting?  See Invasive Terrestrial Plants

– The glaciers killed off all of this species in Minnesota thousands of years ago.  Left on their own, they would naturally have moved back from the southern states, but very slowly.  However with the help of humans, the common earthworm has become one of our more common invasive animals in Minnesota.  Read more in Invasive Terrestrial Animals

– Those black spots we see in Sunnies mid to late summer actually have a name – Neascus.  We can’t get rid of this disease entirely, but it is important to remember never to dispose of fish entrails in the lake.  See Invasive Aquatic Diseases

See also this interesting information on Invasive Aquatic Plants, and more on Invasive Aquatic Animals

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