Snapshot Day 2025

Snapshot Day

Snapshot Day is a statewide, one-day event connecting volunteers, water lovers, and local groups in a search for aquatic invasive species (AIS). You can help protect Wisconsin’s rivers, lakes, and wetlands from these invasive plants and animals that may negatively impact habitat, wildlife, recreation and health. This event is coordinated in partnership with UW-Madison Division of Extension, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Wisconsin Sea Grant, and YOU! 

What You'll Do

You will meet at Estabrook Park, hosted by Wisconsin Sea Grant. After a short training on how to identify target aquatic invasive species and how to follow search protocols, volunteers will look for invasive species at critical monitoring sites, and potential invasive species will be verified and cataloged with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to guide species control and conservation management plans. This is a free event and no experience or special equipment is required.

This is event is recommended for ages 8 and up; minors must be accompanied by an adult.

This handbook provides an overview of what to expect when participating as a Snapshot Day Volunteer! It also has information on how to make your own DIY hand scoop that you can bring to Snapshot Day to search for invasive species in the sand/muck/sediment.

A virtual volunteer training was held on August 2nd. It was recorded and can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/4tx4Ls6FCBQ
It is strongly recommended to view the training video prior to the event. 

Schedule – Day Of

8:30 AM    –   9:00 AM    Sign in at your Estabrook Park and receive monitoring site assignments.

9:00 AM    –   9:30 AM     Brief training tailored to your monitoring sites.

9:30 AM    – 11:30 AM     Search for aquatic invasive species at monitoring sites.

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM     Return to you Estabrook Park to report your finds!

Locations

We'll be meeting at Estabrook Park before visiting monitoring sites throughout northeast Milwaukee County. Check out the Snapshot Day website for other participating locations. 

Registration coming soon.