MI Paddle Stewards
Help Protect the Environment While You Paddle!
Become a MI Paddle Steward to help locate and combat aquatic invasive species that cause problems for our water trails. With only a short, free training session, you can help keep our water trails clear for years to come.
Keep the rivers we paddle wild.
Paddlers reach backwaters and shorelines few others see. MI Paddle Stewards teaches you to spot, report and stop the spread of aquatic invasive species on the way.
What the program is
MI Paddle Stewards is run by Michigan Sea Grant. It's built for kayakers, canoeists and SUP paddlers who want to protect the water trails they love.
- 3 hrsSelf-paced online courseLearn to identify, report and prevent the spread of invasive plants and animals, at your own pace.
- FreeNo cost to take partA short training that pays off on every river you paddle after.
- OptionalIn-person workshopsHands-on events where you practice ID and boat cleaning with other paddlers.
- GroupsTrain-the-trainerPaddling clubs and watershed groups can learn to host their own steward workshops.
The takeout check
Run through this every time you pull your boat out, before you drive to the next river. Tap each step as you finish it.
Spotted something on the water?
You don't need to be sure what it is. A clear report from a paddler is often how new invasions get caught early.
Mark where you are
Drop a pin on your phone or note the nearest landmark, bridge or river mile. An exact location is the most useful part of any report.
Get clear photos
Take a close-up and a wider shot showing how much of it there is. Put a paddle blade, coin or your hand in the frame for scale.
Don't take it with you
Pulling or carrying a plant can break off fragments that start new patches downstream. Unless you've been trained to collect samples, leave it and check your boat before moving on.
Send in a report
Use the State of Michigan's watchlist page to find the reporting options, then share your location and photos. Michigan Sea Grant's in-the-moment action guide walks through every step.
Michigan invasive species watchlist | In-the-moment action guide (PDF)
Know what to look for
A few invaders Michigan paddlers are most likely to run into. Tap one to see how to recognize it.
Look for: small, round to heart-shaped leaves that lie on the surface, about the size of a quarter, often with tiny white three-petaled flowers.
Where: thick mats in quiet bays, marshes and slow river edges, the kind of water kayaks slip right into.
Look for: bright green, grassy whorls with small white star-shaped bulbs near the base.
Where: dense underwater beds in inland lakes, often near launches.
Look for: long stems with small, saw-toothed leaves growing in whorls around the stem.
Where: can fill a waterway top to bottom. Snags easily on paddles and rudders.
Look for: a rosette of stiff, spiny-edged leaves that looks like an aloe or pineapple top resting on the water.
Where: slow water and wetlands. The leaf edges are sharp, so handle with care.
Look for: dark red body with raised bright-red bumps on the claws and a black wedge-shaped stripe down the top of the tail.
Where: ponds, ditches and slow streams, sometimes walking across land between waters.
This is a starting point, not the full list. Check the Michigan watchlist for every species and photos.
Resources for stewards
Action flowcharts
Identification guides
Partner programs
Host a workshop
- Michigan Sea Grant offers train-the-trainer workshops for paddling clubs and watershed groups. See events and workshops
Become a steward before your next trip
Three hours online, free, and you'll paddle every river after it with a sharper eye. Take the course, then bring what you learn on club trips.