Another Professional Documentation Summary

Published by the Water Quality Division of the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, the publication, A Key to Common Vermont Aquatic Plant Species, is an exercise designed to familiarize readers with thirty-eight of the most common aquatic plant species found in Vermont. This list is comprised of both native and invasive species, with invasive species labeled as so. The main objective of this key is to increase plant identification knowledge and skill of the public, but to also locate possible invasive species attacks to the Vermont watershed. The key's introduction includes instructions should the reader correctly identify an invasive plant:

[Invasive] species threaten the natural biodiversity and water quality of Vermont’s water systems. If you believe you have identified an aquatic invasive species, notify the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation immediately. If you have questions or would like the identity of a plant confirmed, you are encouraged to send a plant sample to the Lakes and Ponds Section. Wrap the plant in damp paper towels, seal it in a plastic bag, and label it with the location where it was collected. Mail it along with your telephone number, e-mail address, and home address to:

Lakes and Ponds Section
Water Quality Division
Department of Environmental Conservation
103 South Main Street, 10 North
Waterbury, VT 05671

Additionally, the key continues to explain that there are invasive species that are not currently in Vermont, but are of great concern should they enter Vermont water bodies, and lists them for the reader, i.e.fanwort, anacharis, hydrilla, parrot feather (vtwaterquality.org, 2010).
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Personally, I believe that the agenda of this publication is extremely purposeful in that it increases public awareness of an invasive species problem and goes so far to offer clear, concise instructions on what to do when one finds an invasive plant. As an environmental science student and member of the Rubenstein community, it is hard to believe that some are completely unaware of any sort of problems to the Lake, let alone the profound repercussions of non-native plant species on the lake's ecosystem. So, it is important to keep the general public knowledgeable, encourage them take action, and most importantly, impart them with the skills necessary to better their community and the environment.

The publication can be found at the following link:
A Key to Common Vermont Aquatic Plant Species

Works Cited

vtwaterquality.org. In (2010). Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation. Retrieved from http://www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/waterq/lakes/docs/lp_KeyToComAquaticPlants.pdf