Photo Caption - Hydrilla: an aquatic nuisance species that may be on its way to Lake Champlain Photo Credit - Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Dave Tilton, Project Leader of the Service's Lake Champlain Office, joined representatives from Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, and The Nature Conservancy in an aquatic nuisance species roundtable discussion with several Vermont State legislators at the State House in Montpelier before the holidays.  As Chairman of the Lake Champlain Basin Program's Aquatic Nuisance Species Subcommittee, Dave described the subcommittee's focus on developing the infrastructure, partnerships, and capability to carry out "rapid response" in the event of the introduction of a new exotic species in the Lake Champlain Basin.  Given the important economic and environmental implications of aquatic nuisance species, and the recognition that rapid response eradication is highly preferable to costly, long-term control efforts, the parties at the roundtable discussion agreed that agencies should continue their work to enhance rapid response capability for Lake Champlain. 

For more information, contact Dave Tilton at 802-872-0629, ext. 12.