opinion

DNR fails as Koronis suffers another invasive species

I have been a property owner, resorter and lifelong resident of this lake that I affectionately refer to as “Bee-Utiful Lake Koronis.” For years I’ve told the story of how Lake Koronis was once referred to as “the second most beautiful lake in Minnesota,” and I tell people that I don’t know the first, but out of 10,000-plus lakes we’re happy with being No. 2.

This lake has not only been the source of my livelihood, but my source of spiritual discovery as well.

The discovery this summer of Starry Stonewort in Lake Koronis is an affront to me personally as well as every person who owns property here or simply enjoys the recreational and aesthetic beauty of this wonderful, local natural resource.

First, let me explain my radical advocacy for protecting Lake Koronis. A few years ago I advocated the blockade of every boat access to prevent transient boat traffic entering the lake. At the time I figured a few days in the cross-bar hotel would highlight the need for protecting our lakes from the scourge of aquatic invasive species.

Could such a blockade have prevented the introduction of Starry Stonewort to Lake Koronis? I guess we’ll never know.

But this column isn’t about me or what the many local and state AIS crusaders have been doing to protect our lakes in Minnesota; it’s about what the Department of Natural Resources and special interest groups haven’t been doing.

In the world of research there are terms and word definitions used to accurately discern skeptics from doubters and those who reject mainstream science. Paul Colford, a spokesman for The Associated Press, recently addressed the matter by urging colleagues to “refrain from labeling those who deny scientific consensus as skeptics.”

“Proper skepticism promotes scientific inquiry, critical investigation, and the use of reason in examining controversial and extraordinary claims,” he said. “Those criteria do not apply to those who reject reality in favor of misinformation or half-baked conspiracies….”

I find a close parallel to those in Minnesota, the DNR in particular, who continue to deny the vast and irrefutable harm caused by the continued spread of aquatic invasive species in our state’s surface water resources.

The first infestation of Starry Stonewort in the Land of 10,000 lakes was discovered in Lake Koronis late this summer. It is perhaps the most toxic and dangerous aquatic invasive species yet to make its way to Minnesota with the potential to completely engulf an entire lake.

As a suspended mat of noxious algae, this species can be as thick as 9 feet and reach depths of 30 feet of water. Because of its dense and massive structure it will choke off recreational boat traffic and eliminate sun penetration for needed habitat growth beneath it. So far on Koronis it has been found in 12 feet of water and it now covers over 250 acres of the lake.

Like other forms of aquatic invasives, Starry Stonewort is primarily spread through human activity, principally by transient boats and marine equipment. Like other forms of aquatic invasives, it ultimately destroys water ecosystems, lake based businesses and local economies, as well as county property tax revenues.

And, like other forms of aquatic invasives the Minnesota DNR refuses to appropriately prioritize its severity or implement necessary measures to stop its spread to other lake basins. Calling the DNR “skeptical” is a misnomer. At best, the agency resembles a doubter who rejects mainstream science.

Contrary to AIS protocols, which have been researched, adopted and applied in the western United States, the Minnesota Legislature foolishly gave the DNR the authority to vary from these scientific practices, which invariably accommodates various special interest factions within the state who are opposed to aggressive measures to stem the tide of AIS.

In states like Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin, which are struggling with massive infestations of Starry Stonewort, lake accesses are being closed and quarantined until potential remedies can be found. In Minnesota, the DNR prefers to allow continued “public access” to our lakes and rivers in defiance to its responsibilities for protecting and preserving our natural resources.

In spite of ardent appeals from the Koronis Lake Association, the Minnesota Lakes and Rivers Advocates, the Minnesota Coalition of Lake Associations, and a resolution from our own Stearns County commissioners to close the accesses on Lake Koronis to prevent the further spread of Starry Stonewort, the DNR refuses, citing its precedence of not closing any lakes in Minnesota due to AIS.

In the meantime, Minnesota lakes continue to become infested with aquatic invasive species. We continue to see a decline in fish populations and water recreational activities. Resorts and campgrounds are beginning to feel the impact – and Rome continues to burn!

Unfortunately, the Minnesota DNR is a political organization and, as such, bows to political whims and pressures from the governor and various public officials who are more concerned about their political futures than doing what is right for protecting our state’s natural resource legacy.

The loss of our greatest natural resource – our lakes, rivers and waterways – to multiple infestations of aquatic invasive species will ultimately become their unfortunate legacy!

This is the opinion of Paul Bugbee, a Central Minnesota resort owner. His column is published the fourth Monday of the month.