Workshop

Workshop Location: Riverview Town Hall, located between Mountain and Lakewood on Highway 32

Date and Time: Saturday, June 3, 2006 - 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon

With the growing concern over the spread of aquatic invasive species to Wisconsin's inland lakes, many lake association members and other concerned citizens are looking for ways to get involved. Oconto County Lakes & Waterways Assocation, in connection with UW-Stevens Point and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, will sponsor a Clean Boats/Clean Waters Train The Trainer Workshop on Saturday, June 3, 2006 at the Riverview Town Hall, located on Highway 32 between Mountain and Lakewood. The workshop will begin with registration at 8:30 a.m. continue until noon.

The Clean Boats/Clean Waters volunteer watercraft inspection program assists Wisconsin Residents in stopping the spread of invasive species. The Wisconsin DNR, UW-Extension and Wisconsin Association of lakes are offering training and resource kits to be used by volunteers at boat landings. The resource kits aid volunteers in looking for and identifying Eurasian water-milfoil, zebra mussels, and other threatening invasive species. Additionally, these materials help volunteers establish a volunteer watercraft inspection program for their community. This program is an opportunity for volunteers to take a frontline defense against aquatic invasive species. The Clean Boats/Clean Waters inspection program encourages boaters to take preventive measures to help stop the spread of invasives from one waterbody to another.

This Train The Trainer workshop is free to any representative from any lake or county lake association in Oconto County with the cost covered by a DNR grant. Once resource kit will be given to each lake association or representative from each lake that attends. Additional training kits may be purchased for $25. A maximum of three representatives may attend from any one lake. Additional training workshops are available for individual lakes or lake associations and can be scheduled after June 3. this workshop is one of the series of opportunities to receive training before the summer of 2006. Workshops are open to adults and youth. Adults and lake organizations interested in participating and receiving a handbook and resource kit are strongly encouraged to work with a local youth partner.

Pre-registration is required. Please contact Bruce Kilmer at 920/336-6447 or Judie Gowaski at 920/826-5358 for more information on future workshops or to register.