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Ashland County outlines lake monitoring, AIS work, tree-and-shrub sale and youth outreach
Summary
Staff described Clean Boats Clean Waters and lake monitoring protocols, aquatic invasive species early-detection procedures, tree-and-shrub sales (~200 orders in 2026), and a poster contest that received 104 entries in 2025; a new conservation technician was hired for summer monitoring.
Ashland County staff updated the Land Conservation Committee on ongoing conservation and outreach programs, including aquatic invasive species monitoring, the long-running tree-and-shrub sale, and youth poster and speaking contests.
Scott Keaven summarized lake monitoring and Clean Boats, Clean Waters activities: the department follows Wisconsin DNR standard AIS early-detection protocols (five to 10 search sites depending on lake size), prioritizes hot spots such as boat landings and beaches, and coordinates signage to remind boaters to check gear. Scott said staff and trained volunteers conduct site visits and that county signage and education are deployed at every public landing.
Scott also reviewed the tree-and-shrub sale (approximately 30 years running) and said orders rose from about 165 in 2025 to roughly 200 in 2026 as the program shifts toward older transplants for better survival. Ellie described the poster and speaking contest for K–12 students (104 posters submitted in 2025) and a traveling display partnership with the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center.
Staff reported hiring a new summer conservation technician (Edith Krueger) who will perform boat-landing monitoring, invasive-species early detection, and other field work. Committee members asked about drawdowns and the U.S. Forest Service’s role in one lake’s drawdown, and staff clarified that drawdowns were managed by the Forest Service for fisheries habitat and were not county-led.
The committee encouraged continued outreach, education and monitoring to protect lakes that do not yet have invasives and to limit spread from higher-traffic water bodies.
