Courtesy Photo This photo by Todd Marsee of Michigan Sea Grant shows a training workshop in 2019 at which paddlers learned how to detect and report any invasive species they spotted while paddling the upper Grand River water trail.

Despite these extraordinary times, it is still possible to safely — with social distancing — enjoy paddle sports on Michigan’s many wonderful water trails and lakes. Kayakers, paddleboarders, and canoeists can also be key in the fight to protect the waters they love by identifying and reporting aquatic invasive species they encounter.

The MI Paddle Stewards new self-paced, online program from Michigan Sea Grant and Michigan State University Extension will help paddlers learn about important invasive species, how to properly clean a watercraft, and how to report invasive species. Paddlers will learn to use the MISIN (Midwest Invasive Species Information Network) app, a reporting tool used by Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources and others to locate invasive species of concern. The MI Paddle Stewards program is funded by the Michigan Invasive Species Grant program (michigan.gov/invasives).

Registration is open for the online course, which features five short sessions and costs $20. Participants who complete the class will receive a certificate, bucket hat, towel, waterproof phone case, dry bag and more (the class is free if participants choose not to receive the items). Participants must complete the five sessions of the course by Dec. 31, 2020. Registration Info: https://bit.ly/paddlestewards.

For questions and more information about the MI Paddle Stewards online course, contact MSU Extension educator Mary Bohling at bohling@msu.edu.