Volunteers needed to look for invasive species in annual Starry Trek

Volunteers are needed throughout Minnesota to search for starry stonewort in the ninth annual Starry Trek from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 9.

Participants will be assigned up to five public accesses to search for the invasive algae as well as other aquatic invasive species, collecting specimens and filling out data sheets.

Training and equipment will be provided, with training sites in Grand Rapids, Turtle Lake, Brainerd, Marcell, Akeley, Bennettville, Ely, Detroit Lakes and at Zippel Bay State Park. All training sites can be found on the Starry Trek interactive map.

Registration is free and open to everyone, regardless of experience. Children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

If inclement weather arises, local sites will move the event to Aug. 10, at the same times. Registered volunteers will receive an email if their site has been moved due to weather.

Starry stonewort was first found in Lake Koronis in 2015. Since then, it has spread to 31 lakes in the state.

The algae look similar to native stoneworts and other native species like muskgrasses, sago pondweeds and narrow-leaf pondweeds. However, it can be distinguished by its star-shaped bulbils.

Since Starry Trek started in 2017, volunteers have discovered four previously unrecorded populations of starry stonewort, a new zebra mussel population and three new locations with Eurasian watermilfoil. The discoveries have led to the state Department of Natural Resources taking action to clean up and prevent the spread of invasive species in these areas.