Clearing out invasive water lilies

SEELEY LAKE - Residents and visitors came together Saturday, July 31 to participate in Clearwater Resource Council's second annual Make the Cut Invasive Waterlily Removal Event. Participants competed to cut and bag as many waterlilies as they could within the span of a few hours. In total those involved collected 37 bags equaling 850 pounds of waterlilies, a couple hundred more than the previous year.

According to CRC Executive Director Caryn Miske, waterlilies are "prolific" and push out other native plants in an ecosystem. The benefits of clipping include reducing habitats for nonnative fish, restoring native plant species diversity (with benefits to species up the food chain) and a reduction in mosquito habitat.

CRC Project Manager Heidi Sedivy said she wants to educate people that they should cut off the top of a waterlily and not rip out the plant because root fragments can be released making the problem worse.

"They're almost like bulbs that ... float away and they will sink and create new plants," she said.

Miske estimates that they had slightly more people than last year, hovering around 40 or 50 participants.

"We're trying to reduce the total number of lilies and I will be the first to admit collecting 800 pounds worth of lilies is a small, little dent," she said. "What we really are hoping is that by having events like this, we'll reach more members of the public, more members of the public will become energized to participate and work so that we can have a bigger impact."

Participants began at Big Larch Campground before spreading out across Seeley Lake. CRC provided bags and other equipment.

The group that collected the most won $100 while the two runners-up won CRC swag. Shawn and Michele Holmes placed first, collecting 146 pounds of waterlilies. The Holden family placed second, removing 114 pounds and Raven Romska placed third, cutting 110 pounds. After the competition everyone involved attended an after party.

Participants also had the chance to win one of three gift certificates donated by Rovero's, Stageline Pizza or Heritage Outdoors. They received a raffle ticket for every bag they returned. Sedivy said they had leftover prizes from donors that will be available at future events.

Miske said to see long-term results, a consistent community-wide effort must be made in order to see a reduction in waterlily populations. Even people working on their own property can be beneficial.

"I think for many people, they're really disheartened," she said. "They've been doing this a long time and they haven't been getting the results they wanted. ... And I think, in part, a lot of the efforts that have gone on in the past have been counterproductive and have actually spread lilies. So what we're trying to do is educate the public and get them more energized and get them to understand that there are productive things that you can do to help."

CRC's goal is to host the event twice next year but that will depend on whatever funding they can obtain to support the event.

"I thought it was a success, I would like to see more success," Miske said. "I'd like to see more people, but I think it was a good event. ... In addition to getting some lilies out of the water, I think folks learned a lot about the issue and I think they enjoyed themselves."