One uneducated boater can bring an aquatic invasive to a new water body

Most people have learned to be wary of strangers approaching them with a clipboard in hand. Often, such strangers have an agenda, whether it be to sell you something or get you to sign a petition. 

One of my jobs as an intern at Woodland Dunes Nature Center is to be that clipboard-toting stranger, although my agenda does not involve extracting your money or signature. Rather, it involves education and awareness surrounding an important, yet sometimes overlooked, ecological issue — that of aquatic invasive species. 

My job is to talk to boaters frequenting local boat launches to ensure they are aware of the laws put in place to prevent the spread of these harmful invasives, and furthermore, that they understand why these laws are important....