CMU library to host invasive species presentation with tribe
Frogbit, a plant that grows in water covering the surface with lilies, is prevalent around the Great Lakes and Michigan, but it’s not supposed to be.
The invasive species is the subject of Clark Historical Library’s presentation with the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe. The presentation is hosted by Anna Monfils, faculty member and director of the CMU Herbarium, and Chase Stevens, Invasive Species Coordinator for the tribe.
The event is at 7 p.m. on Feb. 18. Students can sign up to join the event by going to their webpage, clicking the event they want to register for, and clicking “register” by “Event Status.”
Boles said that frogbit was brought over from Europe to Canada, thinking it would thrive. It ended up making its way through the Great Lakes and affecting wild rice, which is cultivated by the tribe.
“It’s one small example how globalization affects us even if you don’t really want to be affected by it,” Boles said. “It doesn’t really matter that you don’t care about invasive species — they’ll come anyways.”
Because of the wild rice being affected, the tribe and the library have a “mutual interest,” Boles said, and it was made possible through an American Library Association grant.
“They’re interested in controlling it, perhaps even eradicating it,” he said.
