Water: an important natural resource.

Invasive aquatic plants affect water adversely in the following ways:

• Block navigation
• Impede flood control
• Hinder fishing and other recreational activities
• Provide mosquito breeding sites
• Stunt fish populations
• Accelerate sedimentation and lake aging
• Degrade native plant habitat
• Impede potable water, irrigation and hydropower supplies

Join MSAPMS
Become a Sustaining Member, a Regular Member, or a Student Member. Click here for more information.

The MidSouth Aquatic Plant Management
Society (MSAPMS) is a non-profit
organization of scientists, educators, students, resource managers, administrators, and concerned individuals interested in the management and study of aquatic plants in the MidSouth region. Membership reflects a diversity of federal, state, and local agencies; universities and colleges; corporations; and small businesses. MSAPMS is a chapter of the national Aquatic Plant Management Society.

The MidSouth Aquatic Plant Management Society had its beginnings in May 1979, when a group of representatives from various federal, state, and private organizations within Alabama met at Auburn University, Auburn, AL to discuss common weed problems and potential solutions. The Aquatic Plant Management Society, Inc. agreed to sponsor the formation of a chapter named The MidSouth Aquatic Plant Management Society and an organizational meeting was held at Auburn University, Montgomery, AL in February 1982. David Bayne was elected the Society's first President. The first annual meeting of The MidSouth Aquatic Plant Management Society was held in October 1982, at Lake Guntersville State Park, AL.

National Invasive Species Awareness Week - Washington, DC - February 26 - March 3, 2012
A week of activities, briefings, workshops and events focused on strategizing solutions to address invasive species prevention, detection, monitoring, control, and management issues at local, state, tribal, regional, national and international scales.

Events include:

• Grassroots Invasive Species Forum and Webinar
• Urban Invasive Species Issues Workshop
• Wildlife Conservation and NISAW Reception on Capitol Hill
• Public Meeting of the National Invasive Species Council
• Invasive species updates from EPA, the Coast Guard, Department of the Interior and USDA
• Invasive Species and the Green Economy from the International Perspective
• National Environmental Coalition on Invasive Species (NECIS) Brownbag
• Kids Invasive Species Day at the US Botanic Garden

Please check www.nisaw.org for additional information, including hotel information and registration.

To the Membership:

Folks, times are changing fast; regulations, research and industry are just a few of the things you will catch up on at the upcoming 30th annual MidSouth Aquatic Plant Management Society Meeting. Come join us at Lake Guntersville State Park Lodge, Guntersville, AL for our annual meeting October 4-6, 2011. With all the change, and sometimes turmoil, in the industry this will be the best regional opportunity to educate yourself on how it will all affect your operations. As in previous years, we will hold an aquatic plant management workshop on Tuesday, October 4, in the afternoon to earn CEU credits towards applicator licensure.

As our 2011 application season comes to an end, our industry is just ramping up for the 2012 season. All of the upcoming meetings keep many folks busy, which is all voluntary work in addition to our real jobs. Meetings like the MidSouth cannot happen without the efforts of many folks. I would like to thank three of them because they are the leading edge of this meeting. Sherry Whitaker, Ryan Wersal and Troy Goldsby have made this an easy job for me this past year as your president. Easy for me and hectic for them; I owe them my thanks and most likely an apology or two.

This meeting will provide a great amount of information and those valuable CEU’s we all need. Come and see us for a great meeting this October at Lake Guntersville State Park.

Thanks you,
Harry Knight
President