Welcome to Oneida County Land & Waters Conservation's
Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Program
Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Program
We offer a variety of AIS programs and services at no cost to you, your lake group, organization or school. Please do not hesitate to contact us for AIS verification, reporting, guidance, technical assistance, coordination of efforts, and much more.
To report an AIS or for aquatic species identification Click Here
Stephanie Boismenue Receives Award
On June 4, 2025, Stephanie Boismenue, Invasive Species Coordinator and Conservation Technician at the Oneida County Land and Water Conservation department was awarded the Invasive Species Action Award in the category of Professional Individual. The award was presented at Wisconsin's 21st Annual Invasive Species Action Award ceremony at the Cranberry Research Station in Black River Falls, Wisconsin.
Stephanie’s passion and enthusiasm as the Oneida County AIS Coordinator is infectious. In 2024, she and her team trained 180 volunteers, monitored 32 water bodies, reared and released 12,280 purple loosestrife biocontrol beetles and engaged with 5,418 people at boat landings. Her skills in education and leadership have greatly benefited her region.
A total of 16 individuals were honored with awards in the categories of Professional Individual, Volunteer Individual, and Special Recognition.
Stephanie’s passion and enthusiasm as the Oneida County AIS Coordinator is infectious. In 2024, she and her team trained 180 volunteers, monitored 32 water bodies, reared and released 12,280 purple loosestrife biocontrol beetles and engaged with 5,418 people at boat landings. Her skills in education and leadership have greatly benefited her region.
A total of 16 individuals were honored with awards in the categories of Professional Individual, Volunteer Individual, and Special Recognition.
Tom Bueschel, Wisconsin Invasive Species Council Chair presents an award to Stephanie Boismenue, AIS Coordinator for Oneida County
Award Winners pose for a photo at the 21st Annual Invasive Species Action Awards celebration, sponsored by the Wisconsin Invasive Species Council on June 4, 2025 in Black River Falls
Search for AIS Locations in Wisconsin
AIS Verified in Oneida County
Animals
Animals
- Banded Mystery Snail (Viviparus georgianus)
- Chinese Mystery Snail (Cipangopaludina chinensis)
- Rusty Crayfish (Faxonius rusticus) (Formerly Orconectes rusticus)
- Aquatic Forget-me-not (Myosotis scorpioides)
- Curly-leaf Pondweed (Potamogeton crispus)
- Eurasian Watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum)
- Flowering Rush (Butomus umbellatus)
- Hybrid Cattail (Typha x glauca)
- Hybrid Eurasian/Northern Watermilfoil (M. spicatum x M. sibericum)
- Phragmites (Phragmites australis)
- Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
- Narrow-leaf Cattail (Typha angustifolia L.)
- Reed Manna Grass, variegated (Glyceria maxima variegated)
- Yellow Flag Iris (Iris pseudacorus)
Oneida County AIS Program Resources:
- Clean Boats, Clean Waters
- AIS Identification Fact Sheets
- What Makes a Species Invasive?
- AIS Outreach
- AIS Pathways
- AIS Prevention
- Additional AIS Resources
- The Wealth of Water in Oneida County
- 2014-2023 AIS Early Detection and Water Quality Monitoring
- AIS Teams Photos from the Field
- Lake Associations and Lake Districts in Oneida County
- Volunteer Opportunities
- Oneida County Stewardship Awards Banquets
Explore the AIS Teams Monitoring Activities on the
Oneida County Land & Water Conservation Departments
Interactive Mapping Application
Since 2014, the Oneida County AIS Team has worked with the County's GIS Department to map AIS populations and field activates such as AIS early detection monitoring, AIS management, and water quality monitoring, AIS checks at boat landings, and AIS signage inventory at the boat landings.
If there's a waterbody in Oneida County that is threatened by AIS or needed water quality data obtained, there's a good chance the AIS Team has been there. Explore the Oneida County Land & Water Conservation Departments interactive mapping application to view our the field data collected since 2014.
Screen shot of the Mapping App.
Oneida County Land & Water Conservation Departments
Interactive Mapping Application
Since 2014, the Oneida County AIS Team has worked with the County's GIS Department to map AIS populations and field activates such as AIS early detection monitoring, AIS management, and water quality monitoring, AIS checks at boat landings, and AIS signage inventory at the boat landings.
If there's a waterbody in Oneida County that is threatened by AIS or needed water quality data obtained, there's a good chance the AIS Team has been there. Explore the Oneida County Land & Water Conservation Departments interactive mapping application to view our the field data collected since 2014.
Screen shot of the Mapping App.
How Can We Help You?
The Oneida County AIS Program offers a variety of AIS educational, outreach and technical services, and at no cost to you. We offer workshops and trainings, youth field events and classroom visits, AIS prevention, identification, monitoring, control, management and mapping, purple loosestrife biocontrol, water quality monitoring, and much more.
Our partnerships and collaborative efforts with the WI DNR, UW Extension Lakes Programs, and the WI Lakes Partnership is essential to ensure AIS protocols and coordination of efforts are approached as a team, are science-based, and are consistent across the state. By working together, we have a greater chance of protecting our valuable water resources and watershed for generations to come.
Please do not hesitate to contact us for questions and/or assistance. Contact Stephanie Boismenue, AIS Coordinator & Conservation Technician at [email protected] or call 715-369-7835.
The Oneida County AIS Program offers a variety of AIS educational, outreach and technical services, and at no cost to you. We offer workshops and trainings, youth field events and classroom visits, AIS prevention, identification, monitoring, control, management and mapping, purple loosestrife biocontrol, water quality monitoring, and much more.
Our partnerships and collaborative efforts with the WI DNR, UW Extension Lakes Programs, and the WI Lakes Partnership is essential to ensure AIS protocols and coordination of efforts are approached as a team, are science-based, and are consistent across the state. By working together, we have a greater chance of protecting our valuable water resources and watershed for generations to come.
Please do not hesitate to contact us for questions and/or assistance. Contact Stephanie Boismenue, AIS Coordinator & Conservation Technician at [email protected] or call 715-369-7835.
What are Aquatic Invasive Species?
An aquatic invasive species (AIS) is a non-native species (plant, animal, organism) whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health
Not all non-native species are invasive.
One of the reasons non-native species can succeed as "invasive species" is because they are in the absence of the predators and competitors from their native ecosystems that would otherwise keep them in check and balance. Without the natural checks and balances, the newly introduce species can often spread and reproduce rapidly, out-compete native species, and alter the new ecosystem. When this happens, we consider them invasive species.
An aquatic invasive species (AIS) is a non-native species (plant, animal, organism) whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health
Not all non-native species are invasive.
One of the reasons non-native species can succeed as "invasive species" is because they are in the absence of the predators and competitors from their native ecosystems that would otherwise keep them in check and balance. Without the natural checks and balances, the newly introduce species can often spread and reproduce rapidly, out-compete native species, and alter the new ecosystem. When this happens, we consider them invasive species.
As a water-rich county, the impact of AIS can be detrimental to Oneida County's lakes rivers, streams, creeks, wetlands, and watersheds. Some AIS have the potential to spread uncontrollably, cause tremendous harm to the environment, ecosystems and fisheries, displace native species, spread diseases, and impact our enjoyment, recreation opportunities, waterfront property values, the economy, and infrastructure. For this reason, Oneida County developed an AIS program in 2007 to protect our valuable water resources from AIS.
The Oneida County AIS Program works to safeguard the waterways, natural resources, and communities from the impact of AIS. We work with a network of partners, volunteers, and organizations to prevent the spread of AIS, monitor and manage AIS, detect and respond to new AIS introductions, and provide AIS education, outreach and technical support.
The Oneida County AIS Program works closely with waterfront property owners, lake groups, lake managers, organizations, water-related service providers, businesses, schools, and a network of partners across the state. Our partnerships and collaborative efforts with the WI DNR, UW Extension Lakes Programs, WI Lakes Partnership, and other organizations, ensures AIS protocols and coordination of efforts are approached as a team and are consistent across the state. By working together, we have a greater chance of protecting our valuable water resources and watershed for generations to come.
Our Projects and Initiatives include:
Do You Need Assistance with an AIS?
We offer a variety of AIS programs and services within Oneida County at no cost to you. Please do not hesitate to contact us for questions and/or assistance. Contact Stephanie Boismenue, AIS Coordinator & Conservation Technician at [email protected] or call 715-369-7835.
Summary of the AIS Programs Yearly Projects and Activities
The Oneida County AIS Program works to safeguard the waterways, natural resources, and communities from the impact of AIS. We work with a network of partners, volunteers, and organizations to prevent the spread of AIS, monitor and manage AIS, detect and respond to new AIS introductions, and provide AIS education, outreach and technical support.
The Oneida County AIS Program works closely with waterfront property owners, lake groups, lake managers, organizations, water-related service providers, businesses, schools, and a network of partners across the state. Our partnerships and collaborative efforts with the WI DNR, UW Extension Lakes Programs, WI Lakes Partnership, and other organizations, ensures AIS protocols and coordination of efforts are approached as a team and are consistent across the state. By working together, we have a greater chance of protecting our valuable water resources and watershed for generations to come.
Our Projects and Initiatives include:
- Protect, Prevent, Contain, and Control: Protect uninvaded waters, prevent the introduction additional AIS into Oneida County, contain the spread of existing AIS, and control AIS populations where control can reduce negative impacts or reduce likelihood of further spread.
- Detection: Conduct AIS surveys, assessments, and water quality monitoring, research emergent issues and increase understanding of AIS. Detection provides guidance for the development of AIS plans and strategies to contain, manage, and control AIS populations.
- Rapid Response: Rapid response plans allow us to take action in the event of an AIS introduction. Our goal is to contain, control, eradicate, communicate, and collaborate. Our rapid response plans are based on recommendations by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
- Economic: Provide education, outreach, tools and skills to empower lake groups, land owners, land managers, organizations and other stakeholders to help them meet their goals.
- Partnerships and Collaboration: Build partnerships and collaboration with UW Extension Lakes, WI DNR, and other partners to combat AIS in Oneida County, share data effectively, develop proactive and reactive plans, and cultivate a broad approach to reach new audiences and address concerns of multi-waterway users.
- Achieve Long-term Program Efficacy: Fund and sustain a permanent Oneida County AIS program, target efforts to maximize impact, and use data to evaluate outcomes and adapt methods.
Do You Need Assistance with an AIS?
We offer a variety of AIS programs and services within Oneida County at no cost to you. Please do not hesitate to contact us for questions and/or assistance. Contact Stephanie Boismenue, AIS Coordinator & Conservation Technician at [email protected] or call 715-369-7835.
Summary of the AIS Programs Yearly Projects and Activities
- Identify, verify, monitor, manage, control, and remove AIS populations within the county.
- Provide education, support, training, program development, implementation, and technical assistance.
- Conduct site visits to identify potential new AIS populations and provide education and guidance as needed.
- Work with land owners and lake groups to control, manage, and remove AIS populations. Some of the species we work with include yellow iris, purple loosestrife, flowering rush, Eurasian water milfoil, non-native Phragmites, curly-leaf pondweed, aquatic forget-me-not, and rusty crayfish.
- Provide purple loosestrife biocontrol.
- Rehabilitate and restore habitats after AIS removal.
- Use GIS to map AIS populations and monitoring activities. This data can be viewed on our Land & Water Mapping Application.
- Report data to the statewide Surface Water Integrated Monitoring System (SWIMS) database.
- Conduct over 1,200 hours of Clean Boats Clean Waters watercraft inspections each year. Our Team conducts inspections at the busy, underserved boat landings located on popular waterbodies that are either invaded with high priority AIS or are uninvaded waters.
- Conduct AIS early detection monitoring & water quality monitoring on a minimum of 15 waterbodies each year. From 2014 through 2023, the AIS Team has monitored 150 lakes.
- Conduct AIS early detection monitoring at a minimum if 15 boat landings per year.
- Install and manage AIS signage at the boat landings.
- Assist the DNR with aquatic plant point intercept surveys.
- Provide fun, hands-on youth education and field events, and we host an annual invasive species poster contest that is open to all 4-8th grade students throughout WI.
- Attend lake group meetings.
- Provide AIS education, training, outreach, and technical support to empower lake groups, individuals, water-related businesses, lake managers, partners, and other stakeholders with knowledge and tools to manage and prevent the spread of AIS.
- Share data with lake groups, lake management planners, DNR, partners, and other stakeholders.
- Work closely with our partners at the UWSP Extension Lakes program, WI Lakes & Rivers Partnership, stakeholders, and the WI DNR to ensure our efforts are consistent and coordinated with state AIS protocols.
- Secure DNR grant funding to support our programs and staff.
