June 2, 2011

Ted Treska
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Green Bay Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office
2661 Scott Tower Drive
New Franken, WI  54229-9565

Dear Ted:

On behalf of the Great Lakes Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species and the Great Lakes Commission, I would like to express my sincere thanks to you and the Wisconsin Chapter American Fisheries Society (AFS) for co-hosting the reception at the spring meeting of the Great Lakes Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species that took place on May 17-18, 2011 at the historic Astor Hotel in downtown Milwaukee.

The reception that AFS generously co-hosted was held at Sweet Water Organics (http://sweetwater-organic.com/) an urban farm located in the Bay View neighborhood of Milwaukee that has re-purposed unused industrial building space; using aquaponics to grow fresh, safe produce and fish for local Milwaukee residents, restaurants and groceries.  All of the food served at the reception, grown on site, was of excellent quality and enjoyed by all. We also received many compliments on the reception venue and tour of the Sweet Water Organics’ aquaponics operation.

Phil Moy, Chair of the Great Lakes Panel, provided brief remarks at the reception, acknowledging the support of Wisconsin Chapter AFS for co-hosting the reception.

One of the many strengths of the Great Lakes Panel comes from the commitment of Panel members to attend the semi-annual meetings which provide opportunities for communication, coordination and collaboration on AIS prevention and control initiatives. The networking capacity provided by the Great Lakes Panel plays an important role in the region’s battle against aquatic invasions. The partnerships formed as a result of the strong participation from the states and provinces are especially essential as we continue to develop and implement new strategies to improve management of AIS problems in the Great Lakes region.

Again, your contributions to the Great Lakes Panel and commitment to the Great Lakes is greatly appreciated!

Sincerely,

Kathe Glassner-Shwayder
Great Lakes Commission
Senior Project Manager