WAPOA Educating Boaters at Antique Boat Show

July 23, 2011

 

WAPOA Volunteers Provide

Invasive Species Education at Antique Boat Show

 

  • More than ten thousand people walked by the WAPOA exhibit at the entrance to the docks. Many stopped to talk to the WAPOA volunteers.
  • The WAPOA volunteers provided information about measures that one can take to prevent invasive species.
  •  At present the Whitefish Chain does not have Eurasian water milfoil nor does it have the invasive zebra mussel.
  • Other WAPOA volunteers were at critical accesses doing inspections of boats entering the water and also educating boaters.
  • WAPOA's efforts to prevent invasive species are not limited to the day of the boat show.
  • Cooperative effort involving WAPOA, the MN DNR, and Crow Wing County has resulted in 4 full-time trained access inspectors this summer for the Whitefish Chain.  The Whitefish Chain has at least 7 busy public accesses.
  • WAPOA volunteers are also spending the summer getting essential printed information about prevention of invasive species directly to boaters at boat accesses.
Muffie Davidge WAPOA volunteer points out lake with invasive zebra mussels
WAPOA Director Muffie Davidge showing how close invasive species are to the Whitefish Chain

 

These boats have just tied up at the Moonlite Bay Docks
Early arrivals at the docks of Moonlight Bay.  The "dock crew" uses white gloves when helping with these boats.
First shift of WAPOA volunteers at the Antique Boat Show

First shift of volunteers ready to tell those attending the boat show about invasive species and water quality.

Left-WAPOA Director Muffie Davidge, right-WAPOA director Dave Topinka, middle-WAPOA volunteer Judy Topinka

Director Sandy Melberg

WAPOA Director Sandy Melberg standing at WAPOA exhibit. The WAPOA exhibit overlooked the docks below. A portion of one boat can be seen in the left lower portion of the photo.