Farewell & Thanks to a Fabulous Intern

Fall is in the air, and with that, we say farewell to Ava Pfeffer, our 2017 La Crosse Area Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Intern. Ava teamed up with Scott Caven (our La Crosse Area AIS Coordinator) this summer to tackle AIS issues on the Mississippi River and major tributaries in La Crosse, Trempealeau and Buffalo Counties.

Ava had an action-packed summer, spending hundreds of hours conducting Clean Boats Clean Waters watercraft inspections at high-traffic boat landings, participating in statewide AIS initiatives like the Landing Blitz, Drain Campaign, Bait Dealer Initiative, Project RED (Riverine Early Detectors) and Aquatic Invasive Species Snapshot Day, educating tournament anglers about AIS at major fishing tournaments on the Upper Mississippi River including the Fishing League Worldwide (FLW) Pro Tour and Bass Fishing League (BFL), and assisting at presentations, trainings and educational outreach events, like Youth Outdoor Fest in La Crosse.

When asked to reflect upon her AIS Internship this summer, it was obvious that Ava is passionate about preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species and doing her part to protect Wisconsin’s water resources:

“During my AIS Internship with the River Alliance of Wisconsin, not only did I learn a lot about aquatic invasive species, but equally as important, I learned how to relay the AIS prevention message to the public. It was refreshing to see how important the local waters are to La Crosse area sportsmen, river goers and other outdoor enthusiasts. They truly care about protecting our natural resources and I really enjoyed sharing my knowledge about invasive species with them.”

So, would Ava recommend the River Alliance AIS Internship to others?

“Absolutely, I would highly recommend it. This internship gave me the opportunity to make a positive impact on both the well-being of local waterways and the communities that depend on them.”

Thanks, Ava, for your positive impact on western Wisconsin’s water resources and the greater La Crosse community!