Green aliens are invading our lakes! These aliens are not from a different planet, but from different continents, mainly Eurasia. This article will cover some common aquatic invasive plants, why they are harmful to our lakes, what the status is in this area and what you can do to protect our lakes.

I’ll start out by defining some commonly used terms. The terms “exotic”, “alien”, and “nonnative” can all be used to describe a species that does not naturally occur here, and has been brought here either accidentally or intentionally. In contrast, “native” plants occur naturally and are fully integrated into the ecosystem. Native aquatic plants are good and necessary habitats for fish, birds and other aquatic organisms. [Read more…]