While much research has been devoted to understanding how to prevent the spread of AIS by boaters and anglers, little research has explored the impact of AIS on lakeshore property owners. As a consequence, it is important to understand how lakefront property owners perceive the risks and benefits of AIS management approaches as well as their overall attitudes towards invasive species. A survey of 747 lakefront property owners in Wisconsin revealed that, while most lakefront property owners know about AIS, they are less familiar with the ways to manage them once they appear in their lakes. Additionally, a significant proportion of respondents reported not being familiar with common management approaches such as mechanical harvesting or chemical treatment. It was also found that chemical treatments were perceived to be the riskiest, with 20% of respondents believing that the risks outweighed the benefits. The least risky approach was found to be manual removal, with 48% believing the benefits outweighed the risks. Additionally, those who believed their lake had AIS were more likely to perceive greater benefits vs risks of chemical treatment compared to those who did not believe their lake had AIS. Implications for communicating with lakeshore property owners will be discussed.
Co-authors include: Dominique Brossard & Tim Campbell