With all the crises facing our environment, the threat of aquatic invasive species might seem trivial. But the truth is that plant diversity is incredibly important for many reasons, and invasive species are an enormous threat to that diversity. Invasive plants out-compete native populations for sunlight and nutrients. They take over the ponds and streams where they are found and are difficult to dislodge. In taking over so aggressively they reduce a wetland’s ability to mitigate flooding. They destroy the complexity of food webs and make habitat unattractive or unlivable to native wildlife.
Aquatic invasive species like Hydrilla verticillata and Trapa natans (water chestnut) also threaten recreational opportunities, making swimming, boating or fishing impossible in many places that were once ideal for these activities. The removal of these plants can be laborious, but fortunately these efforts are being supported by concerned civilians who see an opportunity to have a real positive impact on the environment, all while spending time on the water communing with nature and connecting with one another.
Volunteers for Water Chestnut Removal
In 2023, Connecticut River Conservancy, one of many organizations working to remove water chestnut from the Connecticut River, enjoyed the help of 98 individual volunteers. In 2024 that number increased to 237. This is a growing team of enthusiastic folks that have found their way to this work via many paths.
“I found out about the [water chestnut pulls] from my mother. She saw a post on Facebook asking for kayak volunteers and she knows I love kayaking, so she sent the info to me” said volunteer Elizabeth Plikaitis. “Despite not knowing anyone and going by myself to volunteer, I was instantly greeted by the staff and spent the morning chatting and making new friends among the other kayakers. There is a definite feeling of comradery among the group and a sense of purpose. I looked forward to my time with this group every week and can’t wait to go back next season. Volunteering with the CRC has quickly become a passion of mine and a favorite way to spend my time.”
Others have already spent some time working on other environmental projects. Amanda DiTaranto says, “I first found the opportunity to volunteer with water chestnut removal while volunteering with CRC in their sea lamprey survey. Pulling invasive water chestnuts quickly became a favorite activity of the summer for me. I enjoy having the opportunity to paddle in areas I may not have known about before, interacting with CRC staff and other volunteers, the physical activity, seeing wildlife in their natural habitat and learning new things from those I'm with.”
The CRC staff who lead the volunteer events also find them cathartic. According to CRC field coordinator, Sarah Manteiga, "working with volunteers to remove water chestnuts restores my hope and inspiration. They give their Saturday mornings and work hard for a good cause, but often express how relaxing, even meditative, the task is." Adelheid Koepfer, a CRC crew member in Connecticut points out that “many people come back again and again to help, even after they have moved away. People come from all different ways of life, and it is so interesting to hear their stories, but the best of all is to see how many friends care about the river, and how much a group of dedicated people can achieve.”
How a Volunteer Event Unfolds
A typical day volunteering at a water chestnut pull begins around 8:30am with the assignment of kayaks to those who cannot bring their own. Personal Floatation devices are distributed, and a few minutes are spent at the water’s edge ensuring that everyone is comfortable and safe paddling their boats. There is usually a short paddle to the site of the infestation and there, water chestnut plants get pulled out of the riverbed and stuffed into five-gallon buckets. Buckets of water chestnut are dumped into barges that are rowed back to shore, their contents composted. The work can be hot during summer and at times the volunteers do get muddy, but the rewards outweigh any hardship.
"At the end of a pull it's a wonderful feeling seeing how much you've actually removed!” -Amanda DiTaranto.
2024 Water Chestnut Results
This year’s impact was tremendous. The seven staff and 237 volunteers that worked on CRC’s projects in 2024 removed 174,000 water chestnut plants from the Connecticut River watershed. This was accomplished over the course of 2,245 labor hours.
Combatting invasive species requires years of dedicated effort and progress can be slow, but progress is certainly being made. According to Connecticut field coordinator Michelle Helming, “it was a great season with great people, and it was a sense of community that brought all these amazing, hardworking individuals together.”
You can learn more about aquatic invasive species and sign up for CRC’s emails to get notified about future volunteer opportunities.