NORTH MUSKEGON, Mich. — A manhunt on Muskegon Lake recently sought a free-floating, fast-spreading suspect.
An aquatic invasive species in Michigan, European frog-bit plants looks similar to water lilies, but rather than regulate their shallow, freshwater ecosystem, they reduce its ability to breathe, sucking up oxygen and blocking sunlight as they rapidly fan out over the water's surface.
"It's imperative that we remove it," said Steve Thompson, president of the Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve.
On Tuesday, the preserve teamed up with the Muskegon Conservation District for a frog-bit pull, attempting to rid Muskegon Lake's backwaters of the invasive species. A group of wader-wearing volunteers from Cytiva, a biotechnology company with a plant in Muskegon, also pitched in. For three hours on the sunny June morning, they all worked their way through knee-deep water with rakes and mesh bags.
"This is just one step in a ton of work," said Thompson, referencing Muskegon Lake's rebound from its days as an industrial dump, a restoration effort that continues to demand attention.
FROM THE MICHIGAN DNR: Invasive Species: European Frog-bit
In May, the preserve's Wilder River Walk reopened after a fundraising campaign that, at times, proved to be a "challenge."
"No tax money. Nothing from the city, state, county. Everything we do, we do by donations," said the preserve's vice president, Tom Willi.
READ MORE: Muskegon River washing away boardwalk at nature preserve, repairs needed
A 250-foot section of the raised boardwalk, sloping to its side, needed to be repaired. For safety reasons, it closed for more than a year as Willi and Thompson worked to secure financial support. In total, they raised about $66,000 dollars to shore up the affected portion of the path with steel supports. Willi credits a pair of matches from the Paul C. Johnson Foundation for making a "big difference."
"We can't thank them enough," he said.
Repaired and reopened, the Wilder River Walk's one-mile loop can now be completed by joggers, dog-walkers and anglers.
"Every time I see families down here, to me, it makes all the work worthwhile," Thompson said. "That's the whole bit of it right there, the kids."
As it relates to the work of removing European frog-bit from Muskegon Lake, Thompson and company put away 126 pounds of the plant, bagged and thrown away for good.
