EAGAN, Minn. — Dakota County officials are putting out a call for volunteers to join them on their Starry Trek, a monitoring program for an invasive species called Starry Stonewort.
"We have folks going out onto different water bodies in our county, they're going to be collecting samples," Dakota County's environmental specialist Emily Gable said. Gable said the annual effort has been successful every year. So far, they haven't found any Starry Stonewort.
"It's a macro algae--it's a bit different than what you would think a plant looks like, but it does look a little bit like a plant," Gable said. "It's green, it kind of has these stick-like branches that come out. Certain times of year, they get little white bulbils that are star-shaped. That's where it gets its name."
It's basically like hunting for an invader that doesn't leave room for others.
"It has a way of overtaking everything," Gable explained. "So it comes in and sort of chokes out some of the natives, provides less than ideal habitat where our native species would."
Megan Weber with the University of Minnesota said other lakes haven't been lucky enough to dodge the species.
"We have had four new discoveries of Starry Stonewort thanks to volunteers participating in this event, and I'd say-- our goal is to not have any new discoveries when we have it," Weber said.
However, they'd rather know, than not.
"Invasives have kind of a way of being sneaky and we don't always know about an infestation until there is, so it's important to get out and have a look," Gable said.
Dakota County's volunteer group is meeting on August 19th at 8:30 a.m. at the Lebanon Hills Regional Park Visitor Center on 860 Cliff Road in Eagan. Starry Trek is happening at 22 other locations throughout the state as well. You can find more information here.
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