https://lnt.org/blog/clean-your-bottom

Clean Your Bottom!

Springfield, MO--Springtime invites you to take advantage of the sunshine and dancing waterways; but after a day of paddling, don't forget to clean your bottom!  

Your boat's bottom, that is.  Giving your boat a good scrub before heading back home can help eliminate the spread of invasive species, invasive species that may be trying to hitchhike their way into new ecosystems.  Do your best to remove all small seeds and micro-organisms; if accidentally transferred, these hitchhikers may be introduced to a new area/region creating an imbalance.  42% of endangered species are actually put out by invasive species each year and in attempt to eradicate these invasive species, more than $138 billion dollars are spent annually (Marion 2014).  

 

As recreationists and lovers of the outdoors, it is important to understand our role in the spread of invasive species so we can continue doing our favorite outdoor activities for years and generations to come.

See you on the trail (or water!).

Katelyn and Blake

Leave No Trace’s Katelyn and Blake are part of the 2016 Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainer Program that provides free, mobile education to communities across the country. Proud partners of this program include Subaru of America, Deuter, Eagle's Nest Outfitters, Smartwool, and REI.

- See more at: https://lnt.org/blog/clean-your-bottom