Invasive Species Program

Luke Skinner, Supervisor
luke.skinner@dnr.state.mn.us
500 Lafayette Rd, Box 25
St Paul, MN 55155-4025
te. (651) 259-5140

Program Purpose

Curb the spread and minimize harmful effects of nonnative species that can:

1. cause displacement of, or otherwise threaten, native species in their natural communities; or
2. threaten natural resources or their use in the state.

Program Goals

• Prevent introductions of new invasive species into Minnesota.
• Prevent the spread of invasive species within Minnesota.
• Reduce the impacts caused by invasive species to Minnesota's ecology, society, and economy.

Responsibilities

DNR posts signs at public water accesses and provides them for private accesses.

• Preparing a long-term plan for the statewide management of invasive species of aquatic plants and wild animals, coordinating efforts within the state, and establishing priorities for prevention, management, and research. Management plans for individual species are also prepared.
• Designating and identifying infested waters. Water bodies are designated infested if they contain invasive species that could spread to other waters if activities are not regulated, and where the risk of spread to an uninfested waterbody through such activities is high.
  Infested Waters List (14kb).
• Adopting rules which place nonnative species into various regulatory classifications: prohibited invasive species, regulated invasive species, unregulated nonnative species, and unlisted nonnative species.
• Inspecting boats at public water accesses; primarily on infested waters. The program hires a crew of seasonal watercraft inspectors each year to educate boaters about aquatic invasive species.

Inspectors educate boaters on invasive species removal.

• Identifying potentially invasive species, predicting their spread, and developing and implementing solutions. The Invasive Species Program continues to participate in many prevention efforts.
• Preparing an annual report (2.37MB) each year to submit to the state legislature. Details of the program responsibilities are described in this report. A summary report (2.25 MB) is also made available.

Funding

Funding for invasive species activities is derived from a surcharge on watercraft licenses, a surcharge on non-resident fishing licenses, and the state's general fund. The watercraft surcharge for a three year license period is $5, or $1.67 per year. The programs budget is about $2 million annually. Additional appropriations, primarily for specific research efforts, have come from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund and Minnesota Future Resources Fund. Federal grants are also sought to help fund program efforts.