Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Foundation

03/31/2026

Despite its connotation, the “no control” option when considering invasive plant management is a management decision and potential outcomes must be considered by managers and justified to stakeholders. Learn more about invasive plant management options here:

AERF Resources The Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Foundation (AERF) has collected a variety of resources for site visitors, including a Best Management Practices Handbook, a list of state regulatory contacts, and information on how to obtain funding for student internships. These resources are design...

02/12/2026

It would seem like a simple task to define “control”, but further review illustrates how difficult and variable the term can be. Even scientists argue about the definition of control. For example, entomologists who release a potential biocontrol agent may define control as a 10% reduction in plant growth, but most lake managers and homeowners would disagree. Do barley straw, enzymes and bacteria control algae? Can native insect populations be augmented to provide w**d control? Much depends on the definition of “control” and you can learn more here: https://aquatics.org/resources/

10/28/2025

Toxin production does not always occur in a bloom of toxin-producing cyanobacteria but toxins can quickly be produced in toxic amounts by high-density blooms of cyanobacteria. The decision to treat cyanobacteria with an algaecide is prompted by a variety of factors, including the size of the affected water resource, the number and type of organisms (e.g., fish, mammals) in the system, the age and condition of the organisms that will be potentially affected, the sensitivity of the target cyanobacterium to treatment and the cost of treatment. Occasionally, the idea that algal cells may leak toxins is proposed as a consideration for initiating – or choosing not to initiate – an algaecide treatment, but the idea that all algaecides cause toxin leakage in all situations is not supported by existing data. Learn more about management of cyanobacteria here: https://aquatics.org/resources/

09/12/2025

Cyanobacteria are unicellular organisms that can be found in almost any aquatic habitat on the planet. Ancient blooms have been identified through sediment cores, suggesting that blue-green algae are normal features of some lakes and have been for quite some time. Cyanobacteria can be particularly problematic because they may have a competitive advantage over most other phytoplankton. Learn more about cyanobacteria here:

AERF Resources The Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Foundation (AERF) has collected a variety of resources for site visitors, including a Best Management Practices Handbook, a list of state regulatory contacts, and information on how to obtain funding for student internships. These resources are design...

07/24/2025

Algae are a large and diverse group of organisms that appear to be structurally simple, but range from small, unicellular species to large, multicellular forms. In fresh waters algae typically float in the water column, form mats on the bottom of the waterbody, or form coatings on submersed structures. Relatively large freshwater macroalgae are often mistaken for vascular plants and can form rhizoids or root-like structures to anchor themselves in the sediments. About 44,000 species of algae have been described by algal taxonomists, but more than 72,000 species of algae are thought to exist on earth, so many await discovery and description. While cyanobacteria 101, commonly called “blue-green algae”, have traditionally been considered algae, recent scientific studies usually exclude them due to important structural and physiological differences. Learn more about algae and cyanobacteria (HABs) here: https://aquatics.org/resources/

06/11/2025

AERF Resources The Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Foundation (AERF) has collected a variety of resources for site visitors, including a Best Management Practices Handbook, a list of state regulatory contacts, and information on how to obtain funding for student internships. These resources are design...

06/11/2025

Flowering rush is native to Europe and Asia. It is thought that the species was first introduced to the US for use in ornamental gardens, but flowering rush thrives along shallow shorelines and in wetlands. The first observation of the species in North America occurred along the St. Lawrence River in Quebec in 1897 and botanists believe that multiple introductions have occurred since that time. Flowering rush tolerates a wide variety of shallow water and wetland settings and often forms dense stands that displace native riparian species, degrade fish and wildlife habitat, alter hydrologic patterns and interfere with recreational use of water bodies. Learn more about flowering rush here:

AERF Resources The Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Foundation (AERF) has collected a variety of resources for site visitors, including a Best Management Practices Handbook, a list of state regulatory contacts, and information on how to obtain funding for student internships. These resources are design...

05/28/2025

Purple loosestrife is often referred to as “the purple plague” in North America and is native to Europe and Asia. Purple loosestrife is an aggressive invasive plant deliberately introduced to the eastern coast of North America in the early 1800s. Settlers of the region valued the plant as an ornamental for perennial gardens and used the species as a medicinal herb to treat dysentery, diarrhea, bleeding and ulcers. The honey trade also increased regional seed propagation of the plant because it was a favored bee forage. Learn more about purple loosestrife here:

AERF Resources The Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Foundation (AERF) has collected a variety of resources for site visitors, including a Best Management Practices Handbook, a list of state regulatory contacts, and information on how to obtain funding for student internships. These resources are design...

05/22/2025

A special Thank you to Gold Level Donor UPL - UPL is a leading provider of sustainable agricultural solutions and services, with more than 14,000 product registrations, a presence in almost 140 countries, access to 90% of the world’s food basket, and annual revenue exceeding US$6 billion. They are one of the most significant players in the agriculture industry, and a leading manufacturer and distributor of natural solutions. Thankfully, they are also dedicated to supporting Aquatic Ecosystems.

05/06/2025

Phragmites (also called common reed) is a tall wetland grass that grows from thick white rhizomes in areas with fresh to brackish water. It is one of the most common flowering plants in the world and is found on every continent except for Antarctica. Phragmites occurs in every US state except Alaska and in every Canadian province except Nunavut and Yukon. There are three lineages of phragmites in North America. Learn more about Phragmites here:

AERF Resources The Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Foundation (AERF) has collected a variety of resources for site visitors, including a Best Management Practices Handbook, a list of state regulatory contacts, and information on how to obtain funding for student internships. These resources are design...

04/21/2025

A special Thank you to Gold Level Donor Cygnet Enterprises - Company Overview: Cygnet Enterprises, Inc. is the largest, single source distributor of aquatic management products in the United States. With offices and warehouses in Michigan, Indiana, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, California, and Idaho you are assured quick access to any product you may need for your lake, pond, reservoir, or irrigation district. Cygnet’s main office is centrally located in Flint, Michigan. A large warehousing network assures lake and irrigation managers that they will receive prompt delivery of the products needed to manage our valuable water resources.
www.cygnetenterprises.com