The Michigan Lake and Stream Association Annual Conference coming to Crystal Mountain in April.

This is an opportunity to learn about efforts to deal with invasive species in a location convenient to Leelanau County.

The conference is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, April 21 and 22. Find out more in the following press release.

THOMPSONVILLE — The Michigan Lake and Stream Associations Annual Conference represents a great opportunity for lakefront property wwners to learn how to work as a team to prevent and manage aquatic invasive species (AIS) and improve the quality of their lake.

Michigan Lake & Stream Associations (ML&SA) 56th annual conference “Bridging the Resource Gaps: Enhancing the Ability of Lakefront Communities to Prevent and Manage Aquatic Invasive Species” is dedicated to providing participants with the knowledge, information, and ideas they need to improve the collective ability of their lakefront communities to prevent and/or manage aquatic invasive species.

The ML&SA conference also represents an outstanding opportunity for participants to learn about the latest efforts to control invasive mussel populations, the status of starry stonewort in Michigan waters, purple loosestrife management initiatives, and the efforts of the Michigan Swimmers Itch Partnership in working to find a solution to a serious problem that has plagued lake users for decades.

The conference will open on Friday, April 21, at 10 a.m. with keynote addresses by Jon Allan, Director of the Michigan Office of the Great Lakes, and Lisa Brush, Executive Director of the Michigan Stewardship Network, who will discuss state and local efforts to prevent and manage aquatic invasive species. Conference attendees will also have an opportunity to attend workshops and sessions ranging in topic from applying for invasive species prevention and management grants from the Michigan Invasive Species Grant Program (MISGP) to working effectively with local government officials, and lake management professionals.

Conference attendees are also encouraged to participate in open panel discussions dedicated to exploring issues related to Michigan’s need to establish an equitable and sustainable system of public funding for aquatic invasive species management projects; and to learn about preventing and managing invasive species from regional water resource commissioners, and lake association leaders. Participants can also learn about the latest federal, state, and district court cases that have had an impact on riparian rights and water law from noted Attorney Clifford H. Bloom, senior partner in the firm Bloom Sluggett Morgan Law of Grand Rapids.

Created in 1961, ML&SA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation, protection, and wise use and management of Michigan’s vast treasure of high quality inland lakes and streams. ML&SA achieves its mission by supporting the educational, stewardship, and conservation focused initiatives and goals of our public and private collaborative partners, members, and affiliated organizations. For more information contact Scott Brown at 989-831-5100 Ext. 105, or e-mail him.

To register for the ML&SA conference, visit the website