An Educational Outing in a canoe on Sodus Bay, NY.

 

by Laura Arney

 

 

The concerned residents and summer folks in the Sodus Bay area are involved in a volunteer non-profit organization “Save Our Sodus”(SOS) to revive the health of Sodus Bay. This summer two members of the Rochester Regional Group of Sierra Club, Great lakes committee, joined SOS effort to defeat the invasive weeds, European water chestnuts. Small boaters and canoeists aided the mechanical weed-harvesting boats which ply the shallows.

 

The volunteers help where the big harvester can not maneuver. A 2-pronged approach will 1) kill weeds quickly with a dose of herbicide one year  and 2) remove the weeds physically just before seeds are set by the plant.

 

 The effort could last as long as 10 years as the seeds remain viable for that long.

 

 

Besides identifying the weed, learning about its biology and getting out on a gorgeous day in a canoe, we enjoyed comrades at a hot dog roast after the work was done.  This is an annual event set for Saturday in the middle of July each year. Maybe you’d like to join in the fun next year??!! Get in touch with the Great lakes Committee.

 

For more information visit Ecology and management of Invasive Plants Program at www.invasiveplants.net and www.waterchestnut.org .