Resort Owners Come Together To Combat Invasive Species

The Association of Cass County Lakes (ACCL)  invited almost 50 resort owners for the ‘Working Together for Healthy Lakes’ meeting.

Mary Kowalski, a board member for ACCL, says that resort owners play a vital roll in educating guests and stopping the spread.

“We’re seeing more and more invasive species up north because the lakes down south have already been infested and they’re done damage. So more people are coming north,” said Kowalski.

Some resort owners have seen  already seen the effects of invasive species, such as Zebra Mussels on Gull Lake. Ryan Klohn and Kara Gulbranson own Quarterdeck Resort and are concerned of additional species infesting the lake.

“So there’s a lot of people who come up to visit the lake with all the different resorts. My big concern is [with] that many people going up there, [there] could be a big chance for a big invasive species outbreak in that lake,” says Klohn.

Lake Hattie does not have any confirmed invasive species- something that Todd Malecha, owner of Tuck-A-Way Resort, works very hard to keep that way.

“It’s an investment for our future, for my daughter to be able to have, and it’s just the right thing to do to keep care of the lake.”