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(David Figura l newyorkupstate.com)

Taking a boat this weekend into the Adirondacks? If you spot a "Boat Inspection" station sign along the road, do yourself and other outdoor enthusiasts a favor and pull in.

I did on Monday and got my little, 14-foot fishing boat and trailer inspected, washed and certified as free of invasive plant and animal species.

For the second year in a row, New York State is working with local governments, lake associations, the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program (APIPP) and Paul Smith's College Watershed Institute to stop the spread of invasive species such as Eurasianmilfoil and spiny water fleas.

Boat stewards will be working and inspecting boats at more than 50 waterways across the Adirondacks this weekend, and a total of 20 boat inspection, decontamination stations have been set up along roadways -- with six more being added in the next couple of weeks, said Brendan Quirion, coordinator of the Adirondack Invasive Species Program.

Pulling into a boat inspection, decontamination station along a roadway is "completely voluntary and free of charge," Quirion said.

"They've been set up in highly visible areas - the main gateways into the Adirondacks," he said.

Quirion noted that the state has committed more than $1 million this year toward the program.

State law requires recreational boaters and anglers statewide to take reasonable precautions to stop the spread on invasive species. The DEC and the Adirondack Invasive Species Program urge boaters and anglers to follow the "Clean, Drain and Dry standard."

*CLEAN and remove all visible plants, animals, and dispose of in a trash container or on dry land.

*DRAIN water from bilge, live wells, ballast tanks, and other locations before leaving the launch.

* DRY your boat, trailer, and equipment completely, at least five days. Drying times vary, depending on the weather and type of material.

See the DEC website for a list of invasive aquatic plant and animal species boaters need to be concerned.