On July 29, 2019, LIAA staff helped facilitate a training workshop along the Torch River with Michigan Sea Grant, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Paddle Antrim as part of the newly created MI Paddle Stewards Program.
The training workshop – one of twelve such workshops around the state under the program – teaches local paddlers how to detect and report invasive species while paddling. Paddlers also learn how to properly clean their paddle craft to avoid spreading invasive species in other parts of Michigan. Staff from Traverse Area Community Media were also on hand to video the workshop and on-site demonstration. Once complete, the videos will be posted on the Michigan Department of Environment Great Lakes and Energy and LIAA’s Michigan Water Trails websites.
This planning effort was secured by a grant written by LIAA, in partnership with Michigan Sea Grant, from the Michigan Invasive Species Grant Program.