Tim Campbell

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/wisconsin-sea-grant-garners-good-showing-in-the-lakie-awards/

Negative emotions drive preference for herbicide treatments for aquatic invasive species in Wisconsin lakes

On: February 13, 2024

In: aquatic invasive plants, Biological Invasions, Bret Shaw, Dominique Brossard, Eurasian watermilfoil, fear, herbicide treatments, negative emotions, Richard Heinrich, Theresa Vander Woude, Tim Campbell, University of Wisconsin-Madison

A volunteer looks through a plant rake for invasive species. Monitoring like this is one of the most underrated management actions when invasive species are found in lakes. Image credit: Paul Skawinski

A new study published by University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers is the first to explore what drives lakeshore property owners’ preferences for herbicide treatments of aquatic invasive plants over other management options, even if those treatments may harm native plants and animals. The study found that negative emotions and believing that aquatic invasive species are present in the lake where a property owner lives were the strongest predictors for preferring herbicide treatments. Surprisingly, perceived impacts of aquatic invasive species did not affect preferences for herbicidal treatment of aquatic invasive species.

These results provide an opportunity for natural resource managers to educate lakeshore property owners about alternative methods for managing aquatic invasive plants while still leaving options open for herbicide treatment, if needed. Other management options include manual and mechanical removal as well as simply monitoring, since non-native plants can often co-exist with other native plants in a lake without taking over and becoming a nuisance.

“People can develop negative emotions about a subject either through lived experiences or through communications about the subject,” said Bret Shaw, lead author and a Division of Extension environmental communications specialist and Department of Life Science Communication professor. “Given that the perceived impact of invasive species is not driving preference for using herbicides, it is possible that fear-based aquatic invasive species prevention messages may influence higher risk perceptions that cause property owners to seek herbicidal treatment first. Considering other approaches and messaging strategies, too, may help lake organizations achieve better outcomes with their management efforts.”

Aquatic invasive plants in Wisconsin lakes can negatively impact recreation and property values. Many organizations offer education and outreach programs for boaters and anglers to prevent invasive species spread. However, some lakes already have non-native species that can become invasive, and new introductions can occur despite widespread prevention efforts. While there are many ways to manage aquatic invasive plants, lakeshore property owners and lake associations often seek permits to use chemical herbicides even though herbicides themselves can carry a potential risk of ecological harm to the treated lake, which is why herbicides may not necessarily be an appropriate as a first course of action in some waterbodies.

A diver and kayaker remove Eurasian watermilfoil from Spring Lake in Wisconsin. Image credit: Paul Skawinski

Aquatic invasive species are a concern both globally and in Wisconsin, with the Great Lakes on Wisconsin’s borders and another 15,000 inland lakes within them. While the most problematic invasive species aren’t present in most lakes, where they are located, they can reach high densities that can impede boating, negatively affect fishing and alter the ecological functions of a lake. More than $5 million is spent each year in Wisconsin on aquatic invasive species management. However, even with this annual investment and the negative impacts of aquatic invasive species, very little effort has been spent understanding how waterfront property owners feel and think about invasive species management.

“This research is among the first to understand the opinions and beliefs of waterfront property owners about aquatic invasive species management,” said Tim Campbell, the aquatic invasive species program manager for Wisconsin Sea Grant and co-author of the study. “The results of this research will help us create invasive species management education tools and programs that balance efforts to reduce the unwanted impacts of invasive species while protecting the ecological integrity of our lakes.”

Other co-authors include Dominique Brossard, Professor in the Department of Life Sciences Communication (LSC) as well as recent LSC graduate students, Richard Heinrich (LSC Ph.D. ‘23) and Theresa Vander Woude (LSC and Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, M.S. ‘21). The full study can be found in the journal Biological Invasions here (https://rdcu.be/dvWb9). Alternatively, email tim.campbell@wisc.edu for a copy.

The post Negative emotions drive preference for herbicide treatments for aquatic invasive species in Wisconsin lakes first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

In: AIS, El Lower, Invasive species language workshop, Michigan Sea Grant, National Invasive Species Awareness Week, National Sea Grant Office, North American Invasive Species Management Association, Tim Campbell

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/negative-emotions-drive-preference-for-herbicide-treatments-for-aquatic-invasive-species-in-wisconsin-lakes/

Wisconsin Sea Grant

Invasive Species Language Workshop designed to get people talking

On: February 8, 2024

Communicating effectively about invasive species, whether the plants and animals are on land or in water, can be challenging. Is it better to “wage a war” on invasives, or should communicators take an alternative approach?

Purple loosestrife, a pretty but invasive plant. Image credit: Wisconsin Sea Grant

In conjunction with National Invasive Species Awareness Week, the Sea Grant programs in Michigan, Oregon and Wisconsin are hosting a workshop with the North American Invasive Species Management Association on the topic of using messaging and metaphors in communicating about invasion biology. The “Invasive Species Language Workshop,” will be held online and in-person on Feb. 27-28. A virtual half-day of webinar presentations will be followed by a full-day workshop in Washington, D.C., where attendees will draft guidelines and research priorities for inclusive communication and naming conventions. Researchers, science communicators and invasive species managers are encouraged to attend.

“Our goal is to learn what everybody’s doing in their respective fields, and then get everyone together to talk it out and describe any successes they’ve had in advocating for better and more inclusive language about invasive species,” said El Lower, Great Lakes Aquatic Nonindigenous Species Information System communications specialist with Michigan Sea Grant. “It’s about how we can work together to promote a set of best practices and present a unified front across invasion biology.

“We can come up with different metaphors that are not just ‘good versus evil, us versus them,’ and actually get into some of the nuance involved in managing invasive species. Sometimes that gets lost in the wash if you’re simply focusing on military metaphors,” Lower added.

Another issue with invasive species are their names. Some species names may contain racial slurs or reinforce xenophobic concepts. Efforts to develop more inclusive guidelines for naming invasive species have been limited, and this will be an additional focus of the webinar and workshop.

“Scientists and natural resource managers often believe that the language and points they make are neutral; that they’re just the facts. However, even when communicating facts, we all use value-laden language or language that may be received differently than intended,” said Tim Campbell, Wisconsin Sea Grant AIS program coordinator. “By embracing this inclusive language and naming conventions, we can reduce unintended consequences of our communication products, and we be more effective in our aquatic invasive species management efforts.”

Registration is now open for the sessions. Visit the website here.

Funding for the workshop was provided by the National Sea Grant Office.

The post Invasive Species Language Workshop designed to get people talking first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/invasive-species-language-workshop-designed-to-get-people-talking/

In: aquatic invasive species, Great Lakes Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species, inclusive language, invasive species language workshop 2024, naming conventions, National Invasive Species Awareness Week, spiny waterflea education video, Tim Campbell

Communicating about aquatic invasive species

On: January 8, 2024

The calendar has flipped to 2024. Our staff members are already tackling new projects. Before they move too deeply into the new year, however, some staff members took a moment to retain the glow of their favorite 2023 project. Tim Campbell, aquatic invasive species outreach specialist, shared his thoughts.

My favorite project of 2023 is connected to my favorite project from 2021! I’m still enjoying the work I’m doing on language used for invasive species communication. I’m not sure I would’ve thought that in 2016 when University of Wisconsin-Madison professor Bret Shaw and I produced our spiny waterflea education video, that this is where I’d be with this work, but here we are.

What started as a very targeted and theoretically informed video led us to more detailed research on how themed messages impact invasive species communications, which then progressed to coordinated action on the results of our research and other related work.

Tim Campbell. Image credit: Wisconsin Sea Grant

This year, thanks to Sea Grant leadership, the Great Lakes Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species (GLP) developed a position statement on inclusive communication and naming conventions. The statement encourages GLP members to be mindful of messages and consider the unintended impacts of place-based invasive species names. Alternatively, names could describe characteristics or behaviors that help members of the public identify these species.

The position statement has already led to the change of one national awareness campaign that had used militaristic language. The campaign has been forwarded to the national Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force for consideration as a template for other organizations.

Sea Grant’s work has also resulted in the National Sea Grant Office funding Michigan Sea Grant to host a meeting on inclusive language and naming conventions as part of National Invasive Species Awareness Week. The meeting will be held Feb. 27 and 28 in Washington, D.C., https://naisma.org/event/nisaw-webinar-the-invasive-species-language-workshop/2024-02-27/. A virtual half day of presentations will be followed by a full-day workshop where attendees will draft guidelines and research priorities for inclusive communication and naming conventions.

Seeing people from all aspects of invasive species management coalesce around this issue and recognize the need for us to change is rewarding. Scientists and natural resource managers often believe that the language and points they make are neutral; that they’re just the facts. However, even when communicating facts, we all use value-laden language or language that may be received differently than intend.

By embracing this inclusive language and naming conventions, we can all be more intentional with the language we use so that we reduce unintended consequences of our communication products and we can build more support for aquatic invasive species management efforts.

The post Communicating about aquatic invasive species first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/communicating-about-aquatic-invasive-species/

Tim Campbell

Summer scholars dip toes into water-related careers: Part two

On: August 21, 2023

In: Anne Moser, aquaculture, Climate change, Emma Hauser, Gavin Dehnert, green infrastructure, herbicides, Natalie Chin, PFAS, Sharon Moen, Summer scholars, Tim Campbell, Wisconsin Water Library

In this second part of a two-part series on Wisconsin Sea Grant’s Summer Outreach Opportunities Program Scholars, we introduce six more scholars working on five projects.

***

What did you do this summer?

A seagull enjoys summer at Bradford Beach in Milwaukee.
Photo credit: Wisconsin Sea Grant

It’s a question that, in the middle of August, might prompt panicked reexamination of how you spent the long, warm days of a fleeting season.

For Wisconsin Sea Grant’s Summer Outreach Opportunities Program scholars, the answers come easily.

This summer, 12 undergraduate students from across the country spent a jam-packed 10 weeks collaborating with outreach specialists on coastal and water resources projects across Wisconsin. Scholars conducted research, engaged kids and adults and shared the stories of Great Lakes science, all while working alongside mentors to explore careers and graduate education in the aquatic sciences.

Whether they wrangled fish in Green Bay or researched green infrastructure in Ashland, scholars have much to share about how they spent their summers. Here’s a snapshot of the final five projects in our series.

Project: Climate Change and Green Infrastructure

It’s summer in Ashland, Wisconsin, and summer scholar Alexander Wuethrich is already thinking about winter.

Summer scholar Alex Wuethrich. Photo credit: Alex Wuethrich

Wuethrich, a senior at Northland College majoring in climate science with a minor in physics, is working under the mentorship of Climate and Tourism Outreach Specialist Natalie Chin to research the ways the city of Ashland can use green infrastructure to absorb and slow the flow of stormwater into Lake Superior. He’s focusing on rainwater—but also snow.

Wuethrich explained that the city receives so much snow in winter that crews remove it from city streets and take it to a snow dump site. The current location makes it easy for polluted runoff to enter local waterways.

“Right now, [the site] is at the top of a ravine that leads into a river,” said Wuethrich. As the snow melts, water carries all the sediment, salt and pollutants picked up from city streets into the river, which leads to Lake Superior.

One option is constructing a wetland, which can slow down water and allow sediments to settle out. Wetland plants can also remove heavy metals. Said Wuethrich, “It’ll bring out a lot of those contaminants that we want to keep out of the water system.”

The city can also take measures to prevent pollutants from being on the street in the first place. Enter the street sweeper.

“Learning about how much of a difference [street sweeping] can make was a real eye-opener for me,” Wuethrich said. Working along sweeper routes for three days, he discovered they do more than just tidy up roads. “[Street sweepers] can also pick up heavy metals and other things from cars…like lead and copper that’ll naturally wear off.” Street sweepers also collect dust and sediment before rainwater washes them into the lake.

In addition to getting a crash course in public works, Wuethrich has been using GIS to map storm sewers and catchment basins in the city and developed educational materials on green infrastructure and how to maintain stormwater ponds in the city. He also created a list of trees that, if approved by the city council, would shape what trees can be planted along city streets. The list prioritizes salt- and drought-tolerant native species that could adapt to a warmer, climate-changed future.

The summer scholar experience has underlined that getting involved matters. Said Wuethrich, “It makes a big difference what your local administrators are doing.”

Project: Eat Wisconsin Fish

For Jojo Hunt and Crow Idnani, this was the summer of fish. Paired with Food-Fish Outreach Coordinator Sharon Moen and Aquaculture Outreach and Education Specialist Emma Hauser in Superior, Wisconsin, the scholars spent their summers immersed in the commercial fishing and aquaculture industries across the state: visiting producers, learning about the industry and sharing what they’ve learned. Both scholars completed projects that seek to educate and connect consumers with fish caught or farmed in Wisconsin.

Jojo Hunt gives the thumbs up next to a large tank of fish

Jojo Hunt at the UW-Stevens Point Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility. Photo credit: Jojo Hunt

Hunt, a junior at the University of Denver majoring in GIS with minors in computer science and math, is updating the fish finder map on the Eat Wisconsin Fish website, which helps consumers find local businesses that raise or sell Wisconsin fish.

“The main goal of the map is to bring more attention and awareness to where [the businesses] are and what they do and hopefully break some of those stereotypes,” she said, pointing to the misconception that farm-raised fish is unsustainable.

Hunt is also experimenting with different map-making tools to feature profiles of the producers alongside the data. “I thought it’d be kind of nice to see those right under the map to make the points have a story,” said Hunt.

Crow Idnani at the UW-Stevens Point Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility. Photo credit: Crow Idnani

Idnani is also working to dispel myths about aquaculture by suggesting updates to A Consumer’s Guide for Wisconsin Farm-Raised Fish, a publication of the UW–Stevens Point Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility (NADF) and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. The current guide provides an overview of the aquaculture industry in Wisconsin but can get overly technical. Idnani, a sophomore at Cornell University majoring in environmental science with an eye toward science communication, is reviewing the guide through a consumer lens so that it is more useful for the general public.

A creative piece is in the works, too. Idnani is also writing an article tracing the life of an Atlantic salmon at NADF, from when the fish hatches to when it is harvested. Idnani, Hauser and Moen plan to pitch the story to a regional publication to get it in front of audiences outside the aquaculture industry.

From measuring and sorting Atlantic salmon at the NADF facility to preparing shore lunches and teaching kids about aquaculture, the scholars have—unsurprisingly—learned a lot about all things fish.

Said Idnani, “I never grilled a fish until coming here; I never handled a live fish until coming here. It’s been a lot of firsts, but I’ve enjoyed it.”

Projects: PFAS Bioaccumulation in Plants and Animals Associated with Aquatic Ecosystems

Assessing Aquatic Plant Management Tools for Invasive, Native and Nontarget Organisms in Lake Ecosystems

Summer scholar Britta McKinnon. Photo credit: Britta McKinnon

Britta McKinnon and Heidi Wegehaupt spent their summers in lakes and labs working to paint a more complete picture of how contaminants enter and impact aquatic ecosystems. The scholars participated in two research projects: one focused on poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and the other on herbicides.

McKinnon, a junior at UW–Milwaukee majoring in aquatic sciences, focused primarily on PFAS. Under the direction of Emerging Contaminants Scientist Gavin Dehnert, she identified potential sources of PFAS in northern Wisconsin. McKinnon paid special attention to airports, which use PFAS-containing foams to extinguish fires, as well as landfills and papermills. She noted lakes that may be affected by contaminated runoff.

PFAS can persist in water for a long time. Sometimes called “forever chemicals,” they do not break down easily and can get taken up by plants and animals—and eventually humans—in a process known as bioaccumulation. McKinnon developed a series of factsheets explaining what PFAS are, how they enter and move through the environment and the concerns they pose for human health.

In sharing information with others, she learned a lot about PFAS herself. For example: PFAS are not one substance but many. “I had no idea that there are thousands of different types,” said McKinnon.

Herbicides, not PFAS, were the subject of Heidi Wegehaupt’s research this summer. Working with Dehnert and aquatic invasive outreach specialist Tim Campbell, Wegehaupt collected water and fish samples across three lakes in northern Wisconsin to determine how the herbicide 2,4-Dicholrophenoxyacetic acid affects nonnative Eurasian watermilfoil, the intended target, and nontarget aquatic organisms.

Said Wegehaupt, “Each waterbody has a unique ecological composition, meaning they all react to herbicides differently.”

Knowing how the herbicide affects nontarget species like fish will help lake associations make informed decisions about how to manage invasive species on their lake.

In collecting samples from different lakes, Wegehaupt, a senior at UW–Madison majoring in conservation biology with a certificate in environmental studies, learned she loved fieldwork.

“My favorite part of this experience so far has been spending time at the lakes we’re sampling and just taking the time to enjoy being outside. Getting to know the lakes we work on and talking with locals has been enlightening to my experience as a whole,” said Wegehaupt.

McKinnon, on the other hand, was excited about the lab work. In addition to her PFAS research, McKinnon helped the research team test the impacts of herbicides on fish scale growth. It reminded her of her favorite class, chemistry. Said McKinnon, “I found that I’m in love with the laboratory aspects.”

Neither scholar had previous experience in environmental toxicology but both used the summer to explore which aspects of the research process resonated with them.

Said Wegehaupt, “I still have one year left at UW, so hopefully this opportunity helps me form a path for the future.”

Project: Expanding Voices Heard in the Wisconsin Water Library

India-Bleu Niehoff helps children with an activity at the library. Photo credit: Wisconsin Sea Grant

As a summer scholar with the Wisconsin Water Library at UW–Madison, India-Bleu Niehoff learned quickly that working at a small library means variety is routine.

“It’s a special academic library, which basically means you do everything,” said Niehoff.

There’s the minding of books, of course—over 35,000 about the Great Lakes and waters of Wisconsin—but then there’s the sharing of books through blog posts, book clubs and library programming across the state. Alongside Senior Special Librarian and Education Coordinator Anne Moser, Niehoff led lessons on shipwrecks and sturgeon and coached kids how to use remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) constructed from clothes hangers.

A rising graduate student in library and information studies, Niehoff was game for it all.

One of her projects was to help coordinate the fall edition of the Maadagindan! Start Reading! book club. A collaboration between Wisconsin Sea Grant, the Wisconsin Water Library and the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, Maadagindan! brings together parents and educators to discuss children’s books about Ojibwe culture and language. Meetings also feature an honored guest, usually the author, illustrator or a member of the Ojibwe community who speaks to the themes or importance of the book.

Niehoff researched and helped select the four books, all of which are written by Indigenous women authors. It was difficult to choose just four. As she learned, it’s easy to get lost down the dazzling rabbit hole of books.

“Once you start searching, you keep finding,” she said.

Niehoff also wrote blog posts for the Water Library’s Aqualog blog, the first of which centers on underrepresented groups in nature. The two-part post outlines resources about the history of racism in conservation as well as organizations working to make the outdoors accessible to everyone. The second post, currently under development, will feature resources about Indigenous women in STEM.

India-Bleu Niehoff leads an activity about Great Lakes shipwrecks

Niehoff leads an activity about Great Lakes shipwrecks. Photo credit: Wisconsin Sea Grant

Said Niehoff, “I’ve really enjoyed looking into stuff I’m passionate about and interested in and then accumulate it and make it something that’s available to other people.”

And let’s not forget about the shipwrecks and sturgeon. Niehoff and Moser travelled across the state, from Madison to Sheboygan to Eau Claire, delivering Great Lakes education programming for kids at local libraries. They read books, led kids in the Japanese art of gyotaku and printed fish on paper and played Great Lakes trivia. Watching Moser, Niehoff learned how to engage kids when reading aloud.

Everybody was learning something.

“Going to local communities and sharing this information [was] really enjoyable. Especially because it’s not just kids, it’s parents and whatever grown-up that’s with them,” said Niehoff.

The summer scholar experience allowed Niehoff to experience many different aspects of working at a library, from cataloguing books to leading kids in crafts. Struck by the breadth of the discipline, she’s got a lot to think about going into her first year of grad school.

Said Niehoff, “There are so many different directions you can go.”

The post Summer scholars dip toes into water-related careers: Part two first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/summer-scholars-dip-toes-into-water-related-careers-part-two/

Jenna Mertz

Aquatic invasive species management through people management

On: April 28, 2023

In: aquatic invasive species management, behavior change, Bret Shaw, North American Lake Management Society, social science, Tim Campbell, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Natural resource management issues often boil down to people management issues. When it comes to lake management, people can be hard to predict. They may say one thing but do another. They may think they’re good environmental stewards even though some of their behaviors suggest otherwise. But to make meaningful progress in aquatic invasive species management issues, human behavior must be taken into account.

Intersections between natural and social science is the theme of a recent article written by Wisconsin Sea Grant’s Aquatic Invasive Species Outreach Specialist Tim Campbell and University of Wisconsin-Madison Associate Professor and Division of Extension Environmental Communication Specialist Bret Shaw. “Natural and Social Science Work Better Together for Managing AIS” appeared in the spring 2023 issue of “Lakeline,” published by the North American Lake Management Society.

The article outlines effective social science methods, including understanding target audiences, crafting better messages and addressing barriers to behavior change.

The post Aquatic invasive species management through people management first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/aquatic-invasive-species-management-through-people-management/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=aquatic-invasive-species-management-through-people-management

“Introduced” podcast wins national award

On: April 5, 2022

In: ANREP, Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals, award, Bonnie Willison, Introduced, Sydney Widell, Tim Campbell, Titus Seilheimer

The Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals (ANREP) last week announced the winners of its 2022 national awards competition. Titus Seilheimer, fisheries specialist; Tim Campbell, aquatic invasive species specialist; Bonnie Willison, digital storyteller; and Sydney Widell, a University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate student in Freshwater and Marine Sciences and formerly an undergraduate employee of Sea Grant, won a gold award for their work on the podcast series “Introduced.”

“Introduced” spans two seasons with 18 episodes that explore stories of aquatic invasive species in Wisconsin, like rusty crayfish, purple loosestrife and spiny waterfleas.

Sea Grant’s Yael Gen designed the cover art for the podcast series.

“Creating this podcast was personally satisfying. It was the first time I’d done podcasting and the easy on-air rapport I had with Sydney made it all the more rewarding,” Willison said. “We learned a lot about the changes that invasive species bring to our cherished lakes streams and wetlands and we talked to many inspiring people who are devoted to protecting our waters.”

Willison also credits Campbell and Seilheimer for making the podcast so effective and educational.

“When I heard Bonnie was going to lend her considerable talents to a new podcast series and that series would focus on aquatic invasive species, I was excited for the opportunity to dive deeper into some AIS topics and highlight voices and stories that could help us understand the complexity of those issues,” Campbell said. He appears in seven episodes and provided overall consultation on the series.

Seilheimer, too, welcomed the opportunity to participate—offering advice on the podcast series’ direction and featured in four episodes. “Podcasts are an innovative way to reach all kinds of audiences with the kind of prevention messages we want to share. Everyone can play a role in conserving our natural environments.”

Co-hosts Willison and Widell interviewed more than 60 people for the series. The guests included resource managers, recreational fishers and researchers, as well as people from nongovernmental organizations and private businesses.

The ANREP awards honor natural resource programs and people. The organization is a national association for cooperative extension service professionals working in environmental education, fisheries, forestry, wood sciences, range, recreation, waste management, water, wildlife, energy and related disciplines at the county, area, state or national level.

The post “Introduced” podcast wins national award first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/introduced-podcast-wins-national-award/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=introduced-podcast-wins-national-award

Moira Harrington

Sea Grant project faves, Tim Campbell

On: January 7, 2022

In: AIS metaphor project, Barry Radler, Bret Shaw, Brooke Alexander, Environmental Mangement journal, Sara Fox, Tim Campbell

The calendar has flipped to 2022. Our staff members are ready to tackle new projects in the coming 12 months, which also happens to mark Sea Grant’s 50th anniversary. Before they move more deeply into this anniversary, however, some staff members took a moment to retain the glow of their favorite 2021 project.

Aquatic Invasive Species Outreach Specialist Tim Campbell. (Photo: Wisconsin Sea Grant)

No matter the day or time, Tim Campbell is frequently thinking about aquatic invasive species (AIS) and outreach. Our specialist on this topic shared:

I’ve been working on this project for a while, but the AIS metaphor work I completed with University of Wisconsin-Madison Life Sciences Communication Professor Bret Shaw finally wrapped up in 2021. We started this effort in 2018 and worked with graduate student biological illustrator Brooke Alexander to create drawings that captured the essences of our chosen metaphors to describe preventing the spread of nonnative species.

We then pilot tested the drawings at a fishing expo with our AIS student assistant Sara Fox to make sure that our target audience was seeing what we hoped they would.

In the summer of 2018, we used Facebook ads to test the metaphors and collect data. Analysis (Barry Radler helped with this) and manuscript preparation and revision took up 2019 and 2020, and the paper was finally published in August 2021 in the journal Environmental Management.

Check out an archived talk about the project. We’ve also presented this work to regional, national and international audiences since the paper was published. It’s received a good amount of interest and it’s been fun to talk to these different audiences about the nuances. Hopefully, it leads to new approaches to AIS communication!

The post Sea Grant project faves, Tim Campbell first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/sea-grant-project-faves-tim-campbell/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sea-grant-project-faves-tim-campbell

Wisconsin Sea Grant

Invasive Species: Then and Now

On: November 23, 2021

In: aquatic invasive species, Eva Ryan, Tim Campbell, Welland Canal, Wisconsin Sea Grant 50th anniversary

By Eva Ryan, University of Wisconsin-Madison

In 2022, Wisconsin Sea Grant will celebrate its 50th anniversary, marking five decades of work geared toward protecting ecosystems, addressing natural and economic disasters, supporting aquaculture industries, educating the public on related topics, and much more. Wisconsin Sea Grant has been a beacon of accurate, scientific information, and will continue to be so in the future.

To kick off the celebration, I interviewed Tim Campbell, aquatic invasive species (AIS) outreach specialist, to see how things have changed in his field in the past 50 years, and how he hopes they will progress. His story is first in an anniversary series we plan to continue on our blog.

Visitors learn about aquatic invasive species at an information stand hosted by Tim Campbell, Wisconsin Sea Grant (right) and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources during the Ghost Ships Festival, Milwaukee, 2013. Image credit: Wisconsin Sea Grant

Campbell recounted a brief history of the study of invasive species: The creation of the Welland Canal, a human-made waterway that links Lake Ontario to Lake Erie in the mid-1800s sparked the idea of invasive species in the Great Lakes. Sea lampreys and alewives were able to travel through the Welland Canal into the Great Lakes, majorly impacting both people and fish.

While Great Lakes invasion science used to be primarily focused on managing sea lamprey and alewives for the benefit of commercial and recreational fisheries, Campbell noted that “now, what we think about in terms of invasive species in the Great Lakes and the Great Lakes region is so much more broad than just alewives and sea lamprey.” New invasive species like zebra and quagga mussels have expanded what requires management. Another task trying to be proactive in keeping other nonnative species from being introduced. Improvements in control programs give AIS managers alternatives and new prevention programs have helped reach wider audiences.

And while advancement in science and technology have bolstered our understanding of invasive species and the pathways they use to breach new areas, new pathways are continuously arising. Campbell cited online marketplaces as an example. These marketplaces, which allow customers to purchase species from anywhere in the world, have complicated AIS management in the past 10 years. Additionally, new segments of existing pathways – like recreational watercraft with ballast tanks – keep AIS managers readdressing pathways they thought were already sufficiently covered by their management plans.

“I think we’re starting to get more specific with pathways and how we can focus less on the actual invasive species and more on the people using the pathways – how we can work with them to stop unintentionally moving plants and animals around,” Campbell said. He went on to mention that “as we have gotten a better handle on some pathways, new ones are also emerging. We need to be aware of how these pathways function, how these species and goods are moving around, and how we can make sure that only things that we want are being introduced into the environment.”

So where does invasion science go from here? Through the eyes of Campbell, the “limiting factor” of his field is often not new biological facts about invasive species, but rather “getting people to understand the impacts of their actions and getting them to take action.” In terms of progressing the field of invasion science, Campbell has high hopes that the approach of shifting toward social science and trying to incorporate more of it into invasive species management will bode well.

“In the next 50 years, I hope we keep going down this track of interdisciplinary work and trying to use all of the different scientific disciplines to address our problems” in order to, “leave no stone unturned for potential improvements,” Campbell said.

When asked for final comments, Campbell left me with this: “It [the Sea and Land Grant College approach] has historically been very important in managing our agricultural problems and natural resource issues, and I think we will be even more important in the future because of where we sit between science and communities. Especially in this age of finding anything on the internet, no matter the accuracy, I think that it’s important to have this trusted source of scientific information to help communities make the best decisions possible.”

The post Invasive Species: Then and Now first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/invasive-species-then-and-now/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=invasive-species-then-and-now

NOAA Sea Grant Liaisons address critical research areas across federal agencies

On: September 8, 2021

In: AIS, aquatic invasive species, NOAA federal liaisons, Tim Campbell, USFWS

NOAA Sea Grant, in collaboration with U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Geological Survey, announces six new partnership positions. The Sea Grant Federal Partnership Liaisons will integrate Sea Grant extension expertise with science, products and services from NOAA labs and other publicly supported scientific research programs. These jointly-funded positions expand on a key component of Sea Grant’s work, extending science to end users and doing so through collaborative partnerships.

“The Sea Grant Liaisons provide strong connection points between emerging research and interested parties to tackle some of coastal and Great Lakes communities’ most pressing issues,” stated Dr. Jonathan Pennock, director of NOAA’s National Sea Grant College Program. “By engaging user communities around the country, Sea Grant’s Federal Partnership Liaisons program harnesses the Sea Grant network’s strengths to inform the work of federal science and service agencies.”

Focus areas for the new liaisons include aquatic invasive species, climate resilience, offshore wind energy, aquaculture opportunity areas, harmful algal blooms and community science for underserved communities. They join three existing Sea Grant partnership liaisons who work in ocean acidification, tsunami and coastal resilience, and Great Lakes research with NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory and NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory.

The positions announced today are the result of a competitive funding opportunity announced in 2020. These Federal Partnership Liaisons are as follows:

Aquatic Invasive Species Liaison, with Wisconsin Sea Grant and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service;
Coastal Resilience Liaison, with Georgia Sea Grant and U.S. Department of Defense;
Community Science Liaison, with Louisiana Sea Grant, Lake Champlain Sea Grant, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Geological Survey, NOAA Office of Education and NOAA Fisheries;
Harmful Algal Bloom Liaison, with Florida Sea Grant, NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science and NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service;
Offshore Wind Energy Liaison, with Rhode Island Sea Grant and U.S. Department of Energy; and
Shellfish Aquaculture Liaison, with Connecticut Sea Grant and NOAA Fisheries Office of Aquaculture and Milford Laboratory.

Wisconsin Sea Grant’s Tim Campbell will serve as one of the new liaisons. (Photo: Wisconsin Sea Grant)

Wisconsin Sea Grant’s Aquatic Invasive Species Outreach Specialist Tim Campbell will be the AIS Liaison. He will serve in this capacity part-time while continuing his current role with Wisconsin Sea Grant. As a liaison, he will work broadly on AIS outreach coordination for the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force, co-chaired by USFWS and NOAA. He will also work to strengthen Sea Grant connections with the regional aquatic nuisance species panels and assist with AIS work in the National Sea Grant Office.

In addition to closely aligning with Sea Grant strategic goals and Sea Grant Network Vision Plans, the Liaisons support shared priorities in sustaining coastal and Great Lakes communities. These positions will build on agencies’ efforts to address three of the Biden Administration’s Executive Orders, “Executive Order on Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis”, “Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad” and “Executive Order On Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government.”

“EPA is excited to work with our federal partners to address critical water research needs in coastal communities,” said Dr. Wayne E. Cascio, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for Science in EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “By working directly with communities, we can increase scientific knowledge and promote more inclusive public engagement in priority environmental concerns, including environmental justice and climate change.”

The Sea Grant Liaisons will serve as a resource to the public, helping to engage and educate communities. Learn more about Sea Grant’s Federal Partnership Liaisons here.

The post NOAA Sea Grant Liaisons address critical research areas across federal agencies first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/noaa-sea-grant-liaisons-address-critical-research-areas-across-federal-agencies/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=noaa-sea-grant-liaisons-address-critical-research-areas-across-federal-agencies

New research provides guidance for effective public messaging about invasive species prevention

On: August 20, 2021

In: AIS, aquatic invasive species, Bret Shaw, invasive species, science communication, Tim Campbell

You could say that preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) is a team sport. While it takes the professional efforts of natural resource managers, AIS specialists and others in the environmental field, it also takes the cooperation of the public.

Professionals encourage and rely on boaters, anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts to take preventative actions such as cleaning, draining and drying their boats and other watercraft and not moving water or live bait from one lake to another. Successful management of AIS and the help of a vigilant public go hand in hand.

Yet for community members to take necessary actions, they must first be aware of the negative impacts AIS can have and how to stop their spread. Communicating with them about AIS in an effective way is vital.

New research from Wisconsin Sea Grant Aquatic Invasive Species Outreach Specialist Tim Campbell, University of Wisconsin-Madison Associate Professor Bret Shaw and consultant Barry T. Radler sheds new light on such communication. The researchers analyzed which communication strategies are most effective and which may pose unintended problems. Shaw is a faculty member in the Department of Life Sciences Communication and is also an environmental communication specialist in the university’s Division of Extension.

The team’s findings were published online Aug. 14 in the journal Environmental Management (“Testing Emphasis Message Frames and Metaphors on Social Media to Engage Boaters to Learn about Preventing the Spread of Zebra Mussels”).

This advertisement is an example of the “science” message framing–a straightforward, factual approach. (Artwork by Brooke Alexander)

The trio used Facebook as a platform to test five types of messages—each invoking a different metaphor or message frame—to educate people about zebra mussels, a significant problem in the Great Lakes and elsewhere. These communication strategies can shape how people understand and form opinions about complex issues.

Paid advertising on Facebook and the social media site’s message-testing feature enabled the researchers to present these different messages to 270,000 people in Wisconsin with an interest in lakes, boating or fishing.

Although the ads presented messages similar to those commonly used in invasive species communication, up until this point little testing had actually been done about their effectiveness. The commonly used message frames were dubbed hitchhiker, militaristic, nativist, science and protective. The messages were paired with artwork by Brooke Alexander.

Many communication goals, the team found, can be achieved by using fact-based or more positive message frames. In general, the science frame—a direct, factual approach—will always perform at least as well as nativist and militaristic frames.

Said Campbell, “This work provides real-world results that can help those working with invasive species achieve their desired communication results, while avoiding possible unintended consequences from their messaging.” For example, nativist message framing (e.g., “alien,” “exotic”) can have unwanted xenophobic connotations while also not performing better than other frames on any tested metric.

Militaristic message framing can be fraught with unintended connotations. (Artwork by Brooke Alexander)

Similarly, militaristic framing (such as stating we are “at war” with invasive species) can create potentially unhealthy relationships with nature and misguided views on how to manage invasive species.

Shaw noted that the metrics tested for the Facebook ads included cost-per-click, shares and comments. As he explained, “Many scholars and AIS professionals have debated the use of nativist or militaristic language in prevention campaigns, since many of them find that language to be fraught with unwanted implications. Based on our research, we recommend that outreach professionals skip those nativist and militaristic frames and focus instead on clearly communicated science.”

The team’s journal article may be read online. The research was supported by Wisconsin Sea Grant and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension.

For further information, contact Campbell at tim.campbell@wisc.edu.

The post New research provides guidance for effective public messaging about invasive species prevention first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

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Scott McComb ready to take on aquatic invasive species role in southeast Wisconsin

On: June 2, 2021

In: AIS, AIS outreach, aquatic invasive species, Clean Boats, Kenosha, lake monitoring, Milwaukee, purple loosestrife, Racine, Scott McComb, Tim Campbell

Wisconsin Sea Grant has a new team member in the effort to protect our waters from aquatic invasive species. Scott McComb began May 3 as the southeast Wisconsin aquatic invasive species (AIS) outreach specialist.

Scott McComb has joined the staff of Wisconsin Sea Grant. (Submitted photo)

McComb’s position focuses on Kenosha, Racine and Milwaukee counties, where he will coordinate education, monitoring and outreach programs for communities, stakeholders and volunteers to prevent the spread of AIS. His office is located at the Kenosha County Center in Bristol, though he anticipates spending a significant amount of time in the field in the three counties.

The three main programs McComb will focus on are the “Clean Boats, Clean Waters” campaign, a purple loosestrife biocontrol program and a citizen lake monitoring program. When possible, he’ll also have a presence at local and regional events (like Racine’s Salmon-A-Rama in July) to help spread the word about AIS prevention and answer the public’s questions.

McComb is eager to engage with a wide range of people. “Honestly, I feel like everyone under the sun is my stakeholder!” he laughed. He will partner with lake or homeowners’ associations that monitor bodies of water, government entities like parks departments, volunteer groups, conservation corps and individuals with an interest in maintaining healthy ecosystems for future generations.

He’s also keen to work with people of different ages. “I’d really like to engage youth and the diversity of cultures and backgrounds in this region. There are so many great groups and people to connect to,” said McComb.

As the summer recreation season gets underway and people head out for boating, fishing and other outdoor pastimes, McComb stressed the basics of protecting our waters, such as the “Inspect—remove—drain—never move—dispose” motto. People should inspect their boats, kayaks or other watercraft for aquatic plants and animals; remove any that are found; drain water from live wells and other areas; never move water, plants or animals between waterbodies; and dispose of unused bait in the trash.

Additionally, he said, “Just be curious and keep your eyes open with what’s going on in the different lakes that you use. You don’t need to be an expert on aquatic vegetation to see a species start to take over, and there’s a whole bunch of people—including myself and DNR folks—who are here to help you identify something if you think it’s an invasive.”

McComb during a hike in Zebra Canyon, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah. (Submitted photo)

McComb grew up in the Madison area and earned a bachelor’s degree in geography from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He then spent several years in Utah, where he completed a master’s degree in bioregional planning and worked in planning and conservation.

Said Tim Campbell, Wisconsin Sea Grant’s aquatic invasive species outreach specialist, “Scott has a lot of experience helping communities plan and implement projects that help them improve their communities. I look forward to seeing how that experience helps him build upon existing local partnerships in southeast Wisconsin to improve aquatic invasive species prevention and management.”

A desire to be closer to family brought McComb and his wife back to Wisconsin. In their free time, they enjoy canoeing, kayaking and simply being out in nature.

As McComb settles into his new role, he encourages people seeking AIS information to get in touch. He can be reached at 608-890-0977 or McComb@aqua.wisc.edu.

The post Scott McComb ready to take on aquatic invasive species role in southeast Wisconsin first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/scott-mccomb-ready-to-take-on-aquatic-invasive-species-role-in-southeast-wisconsin/

“Lake Talks” series returns for spring 2021 with presentation on invasive species communication

On: March 9, 2021

In: AIS, aquatic invasive species, Lake Talks, science communication, Tim Campbell, zebra mussels

A series of informal, interactive science presentations on Great Lakes issues will return in spring 2021 with new topics and speakers.

Wisconsin Sea Grant’s “Lake Talks” series highlights topics related to Lake Michigan or, more widely, the Great Lakes basin. Spring talks will be offered through Zoom in light of the ongoing pandemic.

The spring series kicks off on Thursday, March 18 at 7 p.m. with “What cartoon zebra mussels taught me about invasive species communication.” (Register now for this Zoom webinar.)

Aquatic Invasive Species Outreach Specialist Tim Campbell. (Photo: Wisconsin Sea Grant)

The speaker is Tim Campbell, Wisconsin Sea Grant aquatic invasive species outreach specialist. Campbell will discuss how metaphors—such as aquatic invasive species as “hitchhikers” or “invaders”—affect how people perceive the issues, and how certain metaphors pose ethical issues or may not lead to productive engagement.

As Campbell explained, “People use many different message frames and metaphors when talking about invasive species, and we know that metaphor use can affect how people understand complex issues. We wanted to better understand how these communication strategies impact actions people might take in regards to invasive species.”

Because preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) depends significantly on public cooperation, communicating with the public in an effective way is highly important. Learn what Campbell and his fellow researchers discovered through work that was funded by Wisconsin Sea Grant. The research focused on communication about zebra mussels.

The Lake Talks series will continue with talks in April, May and June. Those future talks will address PFAS (contaminants in our waters often referred to as “forever chemicals”), tourism in the Great Lakes and rip current safety.

The image and tagline here are an example of “militaristic” message framing about invasive species. (Artwork: Brooke Alexander)

All sessions will last one hour on Zoom and include time for audience Q&A. For connection information for future talks, visit the Lake Talks page of the Wisconsin Sea Grant website, or follow Wisconsin Sea Grant on Facebook or Twitter as event dates draw closer. You can register for Tim Campbell’s talk now.

For questions about this series, contact Wisconsin Sea Grant science communicator Jennifer Smith.

The post “Lake Talks” series returns for spring 2021 with presentation on invasive species communication first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/lake-talks-series-returns-for-spring-2021-with-presentation-on-invasive-species-communication/

Sea Grant staff project faves, Tim Campbell

On: December 30, 2020

In: Eat Wisconsin Fish, Tim Campbell

As 2020 winds down, we asked staff members at Wisconsin Sea Grant what their favorite project was this year. Although work was a bit more challenging than usual due to our altered work circumstances, everyone managed to stay productive, and even find fulfillment.

Tim Campbell. Image credit: Wisconsin Sea Grant

In our second-to-last post in this series, Tim Campbell, our aquatic invasive species outreach specialist, chose a project that hugged the timeline border between 2019 and 2020. His two-minute Eat Wisconsin Fish video was produced in 2019 but posted in 2020. Helping Campbell put it together were Titus Seilheimer with Wisconsin Sea Grant and Bret Shaw with University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension and the Life Sciences Communication Department.

Campbell said, “It was fun to get to pretend I was some sort of cooking personality for the day, and it was nice to step outside of my aquatic invasive species world. If I weren’t helping people clean off their boats or finding new homes for their pets, helping them eat more Wisconsin fish would definitely be an enjoyable way to spend my time!”

Campbell also chose a runner-up favorite project. This one hugs the timeline border, too – although it’s the 2020-2021 border. He finished a year-long process of getting a paper on the potential invasion pathway of Buddhist life release accepted in the Management of Biological Invasions.

“We submitted the paper in February, revised and resubmitted in August, and found out at the beginning of December that it was accepted. I’m looking forward to being able to share that in 2021,” Campbell said.

The post Sea Grant staff project faves, Tim Campbell first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Blog – Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/sea-grant-staff-project-faves-tim-campbell/

Training videos for fisheries managers cover techniques for sampling invasive carp species

On: August 18, 2020

In: AIS, aquatic invasive species, Asian carp, bighead carp, carp, silver carp, Tim Campbell

A series of online videos for fisheries managers who need to sample for invasive carp species like bighead and silver carp is now available. This unique resource—a collection of 17 videos that can be watched on YouTube—grew out of a workshop that took place in spring 2019 at Lake Barkley State Resort Park in Kentucky.

The partners behind the workshop and the resulting video series are the Mississippi River Basin Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species (MRBP), Wisconsin Sea Grant, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. The videos can be found on Wisconsin Sea Grant’s YouTube channel.

Duane Chapman of the U.S. Geological Survey discusses an ichthyoplankton net and its use for silver, bighead, grass and black carp sampling. (Photo: Bonnie Willison)

The April 17-18, 2019 workshop on invasive carp species featured experts from around the country, who presented to about 65 attendees.

The MRBP funded the event, and Wisconsin Sea Grant Video Producer Bonnie Willison filmed on location in Kentucky to create the training videos, working in cooperation with Sea Grant Aquatic Invasive Species Outreach Specialist Tim Campbell. Campbell also serves as the Wisconsin representative on the MRBP.

Said Campbell, “This workshop was a one-of-a-kind interagency effort to train people in the methods needed to sample for bighead and silver carp.” Those methods can be different from standard ones familiar to most U.S. fisheries professionals. For example, different gear may be needed, and the video series covers different types of gear and how to use it, among other topics.

“I’m so glad that workshop organizers had the forethought to capture this event so this knowledge could be preserved and shared with more people,” added Campbell.

The effort as a whole is aimed at more effective management of these invasive species in the waters of the Mississippi River basin, a vast watershed covering about 40% of the continental U.S. The methods demonstrated at the workshop can be used for a combination of monitoring (to know where the fish are) and control (to remove the unwanted species).

Emily Pherigo of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service discusses the paupier boat and gives an overview of the equipment. (Photo: Bonnie Willison)

Bighead and silver carp are problematic because they eat a lot, grow rapidly and become quite large, with silver carp exceeding 60 lbs. and bighead carp exceeding 100 lbs. If left unchecked, they become abundant and make recreational uses of lakes and rivers difficult due to their sheer numbers. They also pose a significant threat to the Great Lakes, where they are not yet established.

The training videos may be viewed on YouTube.

Questions may be directed to Campbell at 608-263-3259 or tim.campbell@wisc.edu.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/training-videos-for-fisheries-managers-cover-techniques-for-sampling-invasive-carp-species/

One intern’s reflection

On: August 17, 2020

In: Elise Ertl, Marie Zhuikov, Moira Harrington, Tim Campbell, Wisconsin Sea Grant summer internship 2020

By Elise Ertl, University of Wisconsin-Superior

An internship can be a gateway to someone’s future, to a better career, and the beginning of a lifelong learning opportunity. This summer, I was fortunate enough to have had one of those opportunities through the Coastal Science Communications Internship at Wisconsin Sea Grant with my mentors Marie Zhuikov, Moira Harrington and Tim Campbell.

This year, however, the internships through Sea Grant presented themselves a little differently as they were virtual due to COVID-19. Not only was this a new experience for me, but for everyone at Sea Grant. Despite not being able to meet in person, the internship remained equally educational and exciting.

Elise Ertl. Submitted photo

Throughout the internship, I was given a calendar of tasks I was expected to complete day by day. However, I did not know at the time that those tasks would lead me to learning more about science communication than I could’ve imagined. This included what seemed to be a recurring theme for me, getting my foot in the door, exploring different forms of work, and learning the processes of being a part of a communications team. There are so many parts to communication. All of those parts are intersections that connect not only the work of many people within an organization, but at the very base, connect the people themselves. After realizing just how important communication really is, it is hard to imagine where we would all be without it. This was just the beginning of my ten-week long learning process.

My first project was to write an intern news release. I had never written a news release before, but now I was going to do it for eight interns, including myself. This new and challenging endeavor gave me the opportunity to meet and learn more about all of the interns as I contacted each to hear about what they would be working on during their own internships. The intern news release got posted on the Wisconsin Sea Grant website as well as sent to their individual hometown newspapers.

As each intern’s internship continued, so did our communication. Each week, we would attend a “brown bag” meeting where all of us would share their current progress throughout their week. Afterward, just the interns would talk together to share common experiences and bounce ideas off each other. Communicating with the interns made me more aware of my own communication style and led me to become more confident reaching out to people.

As the internship went on, I became constantly reminded of the essence of time. Even when I may feel something is time-sensitive, it probably is not that way for everyone. It is just as important to be patient with people as it is to not be a pushover when it comes to contacting them, especially about interviews.

I interviewed two people over the course of the internship, which was yet another completely new skill for me. I was surprised by the amount of time it took to get an interview, do the interview and write a story. However, in this, I was able to discover what methods work best for me such as using a recorder to recall and sort through information.

Outside of writing and interviews, I was also able to learn how to create podcasts. This work was very exciting especially because of how podcasts are increasing in popularity. I learned the online software, Audacity, and how to use several pieces of recording equipment such as the Sonus iTwo audio box, microphones and headsets. As I worked on the podcasts, I was able to gradually increase in the amount I was able to do. I started initially with editing quotes and narration and, by the last Wisconsin Water News podcast, was able to make a whole podcast almost completely on my own.

Beyond my tasks, I also attended meetings and helped set up meetings as well, giving me a taste of the interworkings of an organization, while increasing my communication skills. The more you practice communication, the less scary the idea becomes.

The skills I learned in this internship are invaluable and are something I can not only apply directly to future careers, but can apply anywhere in my life. I plan to bring the knowledge and skills I have gained from working for Wisconsin Sea Grant with me wherever I go, and I will always remember the people and place who put faith, time and energy into me and guided me through the beginning of the rest of my career. For what I know now and for what I have experienced, I am forever grateful.

Blog – Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/one-interns-reflection/

Wisconsin Sea Grant

Report evaluates effectiveness of watercraft inspectors’ AIS prevention actions

On: July 22, 2020

In: AIS, aquatic invasive species, CD3, Molly Bodde, Tim Campbell

A research project recently completed by Wisconsin Sea Grant found that there was no statistical difference between an experienced watercraft inspector removing aquatic plants and small-bodied invertebrates from a watercraft using hand removal or using a CD3 waterless watercraft cleaning system. There was also no difference related to cleaning treatment duration. Study results are available in a recently finalized Wisconsin Sea Grant report authored by Tim Campbell, Molly Bodde and Titus Seilheimer.

A CD3 waterless watercraft cleaning system is used to clean a small boat during an experimental trial. (Photo: Molly Bodde)

Experimental trials consisted of a researcher placing a known amount of Eurasian watermilfoil or a mixture of spiny water fleas and wetland plant seeds on a watercraft. Then the inspector used each cleaning treatment for 90 or 180 seconds. The researcher then collected the removed specimens and recovered the remaining specimens to determine the percentage of specimens removed for each trial.

The same inspector completed every trial—a trained Wisconsin Clean Boats, Clean Waters inspector with two summers of inspection experience. The inspector did not have any previous experience with the CD3 cleaning system.

A key finding from the study was that a trained, experienced inspector can be very effective removing plants and small-bodied organisms from watercraft, with the inspector removing between 93 to 99 percent of aquatic plants and 80 to 92 percent of small-bodied invertebrates with the treatments, with no statistical difference between the methods.

Compared to a previous, similar study that also used a trained inspector (but not a CD3 system for comparison), these new results show a slightly higher removal effectiveness. Future research should investigate the roles that training and experience have in the ability of inspectors and boaters to remove aquatic plants and small-bodied invertebrates from watercraft.

For more information, contact Aquatic Invasive Species Outreach Specialist Tim Campbell or Southeast Wisconsin Aquatic Invasive Species Outreach Specialist Molly Bodde.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/report-compares-ais-prevention-actions/

Report evaluates effectiveness of watercraft inspectors’ AIS prevention actions

On: July 22, 2020

In: AIS, aquatic invasive species, CD3, Molly Bodde, Tim Campbell

A CD3 waterless watercraft cleaning system is used to clean a small boat during an experimental trial. (Photo: Molly Bodde)

For more information, contact Aquatic Invasive Species Outreach Specialist Tim Campbell or Southeast Wisconsin Aquatic Invasive Species Outreach Specialist Molly Bodde.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/report-compares-ais-prevention-actions/