MILC Session 4-6 Communications

A discussion of the acronyms used in Michigan to refer to organizations and terms important to water conservation and issues for lakes and streams. Join this session for an overview of important partners throughout the state and also receive a resource with acronym definitions and links to the organizations they represent.

Aquatic invasive species (AIS) negatively impact our lakes and other waterways. Once they establish, removal of these species is either impossible or costs immense amounts of money, therefore, preventing the spread of AIS is extremely important. Unfortunately, AIS continue to be spread by boaters and anglers, primarily those who travel between different waterways without cleaning their equipment. We must increase the number of people who incorporate cleaning into their travels to reduce the chances of AIS spread. As we all understand, changing behaviors can be challenging and it begins with understanding why recreationalists skip cleaning their equipment in the first place. This is one of the questions our research seeks to understand. Through face-to-face interviews and follow-up surveys of boaters and wading anglers, we are determining barriers to equipment cleaning, motivations for cleaning when it does occur, and perceptions of invasive species spread. We are also testing various outreach approaches for handouts and signage to understand which style produces the most change in AIS perceptions and cleaning behavior. The findings of our research can be used to help tailor messaging and improve outreach materials for distribution to boaters and anglers.

Behind the Scenes at the Michigan Inland Lakes Convention: The Interns’ Perspective, Lindsey Ruppert and Dan Olree, Northwestern Michigan College
College student who interned with the Michigan Inland Lakes Convention will give an oral presentation covering aspects of the internship including outcomes such as what we have learned about careers in water from the experience, how we did in the internship and factors that contributed to its success and areas where we believe there needs to be improvement. It will include an overview of what I did in the internship as well as diving into my internship organization and how they address water-related issues and what my role was in their