Exploring lake user and manager knowledge of aquatic invasive species in New Hampshire freshwater lake systems, USA

Aquatic invasive species (AIS) threaten freshwater ecosystem structure and function worldwide. Such changes trigger a variety of negative impacts on lake recreation and the economics of individuals, towns, and states. Recent studies suggest environmental educational efforts have been an effective tool in raising public awareness of AIS; however, we lack a more general understanding of how public versus manager knowledge of invasive species and their threats to freshwater ecosystems and human livelihoods. To fill this gap, we surveyed New Hampshire lake users and interviewed lake managers to 1) identify the key issues surrounding AIS management; and 2) assess public awareness of the AIS problem and their management at three lakes in New Hampshire. Our interviews with managers suggest that educational outreach is a key mechanism for combatting the AIS problem. The general public surveys further differentiated respondents into two groups that differed demography and in AIS knowledge and concern. Together, our results indicate that AIS management efforts depend heavily on funding, regional cooperation, and commitment of individual managers and lake-users. Blanket outreach campaigns have been effective in expanding the knowledge reach of AIS, but they remain too general to engage the public in AIS spread prevention and eradication. Instead, integrating practices of rapid response and appeals to responsibility norms among lake users is paramount for combatting the AIS problem in this region.