Water Chestnuts Everywhere (but not the kind you eat) - Sailors for the Sea

Water Chestnuts Everywhere (but not the kind you eat)

 August 22, 2012  | By: Oceana

The August Sailors for the Sea Ocean Watch Essay was contributed by Chris Mancini is the Executive Director of Groundwork Somerville.

Over the course of the summer volunteers from Groundworks Somerville and the Mystic River Watershed Association worked to minimize the growth of an invasive species, Water Chestnuts. In one morning alone the volunteers removed 16,120 pounds of water chestnuts. Believe it or not they did this by hand while in canoes! Read the full essay to learn more about this problem, and read the information below to learn what you can do to help!

What you can do

  • Contribute to Groundwork Somerville and MyRWA‘s efforts in Massachusetts.
  • Support ocean conservation by making a donation to Sailors for the Sea
  • Thoroughly inspect and wash your boat after removing it from any body of water and before launching it again, to prevent the spread of species between waterways.
  • If invasive species are already at home in your area, start your own community hand pull events to begin eradication efforts. Contact Groundwork or MyRWA for more info and help in doing this.
  • Plant only native species in your own personal gardens.
  • Learn more about the water chestnut and Mystic removal efforts here.
  • Draw attention to your local waterways and their challenges through projects like the Blueback Herring River Route.