#dnr: faq

[weedooboats]

Weed-Free Lakes Without Poison - How Mechanical Harvesting Is Changing the Game

The Problem with the "Spray and Pray" Approach

For decades, the standard solution for invasive aquatic weeds has been simple: Spray herbicides and hope for the best. Glyphosate, in particular, has been a favorite because it’s cheap, easy to apply, and kills weeds quickly.

But as we now know, this "quick fix" comes with hidden costs:

Dead fish from oxygen depletion

Toxic algae blooms fueled by decaying plants

Chemical residues lingering in sediments

Potential health risks for swimmers and nearby communities

Thankfully, a growing number of communities are ditching herbicides in favor of a smarter, cleaner solution: mechanical weed harvesting.

How Mechanical Harvesting Works

Imagine a giant aquatic lawnmower that cuts and removes weeds instead of poisoning them. That’s essentially what aquatic weed harvesters do. These specialized barges are equipped with cutting blades and conveyor belts that:

Cut invasive plants below the water’s surface

Collect and remove them from the lake

Transport the weeds to shore for composting or disposal

Unlike herbicides, this method introduces no chemicals and leaves the water immediately usable for swimming, fishing, and boating.

The Benefits of Going Herbicide-Free

1. Since the weeds are physically removed, they don’t decay in the water and suck out oxygen.

2. Fish kills become far less likely.

 3. Every ton of harvested weeds is a ton of phosphorus and nitrogen permanently removed from the lake. 4. This reduces the fuel for future algae blooms.

5. No glyphosate. No AMPA. No worrying about long-term contamination.

6. Unlike herbicides, which leave weeds to slowly brown and die, harvesting clears the water immediately. 7. While the upfront cost of a harvester may seem high, it pays off over time by reducing the need for repeated herbicide treatments.

Real-World Success Stories

Michigan Townships have reported cost savings after switching from chemical treatments to mechanical harvesting.

Florida Communities near algae-plagued lakes are pushing for herbicide-free management.

Power Plants use harvesters to keep intake canals clear without risking chemical contamination in their cooling systems.

Beyond Harvesting: A Holistic Approach

For the best results, mechanical harvesting can be combined with:

Grass carp (sterilized fish that eat invasive plants)

Buffer strips to filter nutrient runoff

Community education on reducing fertilizer use

The Bottom Line

We don’t have to keep poisoning our lakes for the sake of convenience. Mechanical harvesting offers a proven, sustainable alternative — one that keeps water clean, protects wildlife, and safeguards public health.

What You Can Do:

Ask your local officials about herbicide-free weed control.

Support policies that fund mechanical harvesting.

Spread the word — many people don’t even realize glyphosate is being used in their favorite lakes!

Sources:

1. North American Lake Management Society – Use of Herbicides in Lakes

2. The News-Press (Florida) – Example of Glyphosate Use on Lake Okeechobee

3. LakeMat (aquatic management company) – Drawbacks of Aquatic Herbicides (oxygen depletion and sediment)

4. Aquarius Systems (aquatic services) – Glyphosate and Algae Blooms in Lake Okeechobee

5. Aquarius Systems – Advantages of Mechanical Harvesting (nutrient removal, etc.)

6. U.S. Geological Survey – Glyphosate in Streams Study (widespread detection in water)

7. NPR News – Bayer to Pay $10 Billion in Roundup Settlement (125,000+ lawsuits, WHO classification)

8. Wisconsin DNR – Glyphosate Fact Sheet (environmental persistence and regulatory info)

9. Hamburg Township, MI – Aquatic Weed Control Program FAQ (cost of mechanical vs. chemical)

10. Aquarius Systems – Mechanical Harvesting Benefits (selectivity, long-term effects)

11. Aquarius Systems – Integrated Approach (Harvest then Herbicide)

12. Aquarius Systems – Composting Harvested Weeds

13. Aquarius Systems – Herbicide Suspension in Florida .

[botanyshitposts]

pinned post: FAQ

welcome to BSP! i’m quill, i love plant science, we are all here to have a good time.

BEFORE SENDING AN ASK:

-i do not do plant identifications. this is because plant ID down to the species can be pretty tricky and takes time, and its best to have the plant in front of you while you do it, not to mention that i’m only well-versed in iowa plants (my home state). if you’re in the USA, it’s likely your local/state DNR or USDA office will have a key to local plants up on their website. i’m in the process of compiling a resource list for plant ID state-by-state in the US and US territories, I’ll get that up as soon as i can

-plant care stuff is similar, mostly because even though i know a lot about plants on a scientific level, im TERRIBLE at taking care of actual plants. i’m actually best versed in commercial greenhouse care and diseases/plant pathology on a wider scale. at some point i’ll try to get a basic resource list for better plant care stuff up, too

-i don’t check my dms unless you send me an ask specifically pointing it out; i do, however, read every ask i get, although i get enough that i can’t respond to all of them!!

-because i started this blog in high school, some of the older posts on here can be inaccurate or poorly worded; typically my newer posts are better sourced and executed and stuff imo.

THE BEST POSTS ON THIS BLOG (under construction as i remember more i really like):

- “Can u tell me about moss“ (moss crash course post)

- ”what's the dumbest piece of plant anatomy. where do you look at a plant and you're like "why did evolution do this instead of literally anything else"” and (similar topic) ”so when i see museum paleobotany illustration like especially pre-cenozoic most of the plants look intuitively 'simpler' to me; more cartoonish than modern plants, even modulo the overall realism of the illustration. i vaguely assumed this was because they were based on degraded fossil evidence, but lately i was thinking it's not inconceivable that morphology actually tended simpler in the past. any insight?”

- ”Whats a lichen if not a plant“ and (similar topic) “What exactly IS a lichen?? Pls im just an artist who only knows that plants are pretty” (closest current post to a lichen crash course)

- ”A little while ago you made a remark about ferns along the lines of "God really left you unfinished huh?". Can you please elaborate on that?”

- ”OH! about double fertilisation: bls explain the polar nucleii”

[comparativelysuperlative]

There is a fictional one-sided contract called "LoadBear's Instrument of Precommitment", dictating under what terms the person writing it would agree to be instantiated and employed as an em. It occurred to me that having the text of it available for law schools and textbooks to reference and argue enforceability etc., might actually lead to it being a standard reference for contracts. Could this happen? Has something similar *happened already?*

Has the Instrument itself ever been written up? All I found was the FAQ, which got the story across pretty well.

Anyway, yes! And no!

I don't think this really fits in a law school. Not only is it super unenforceable (I think it's not even meant to be enforceable in-universe; the main remedy if you breach the terms is "it hurts your reputation"), there isn't really an obvious place to try to fit it in.

Like, you could try to stretch the definitions of a contract, or an IP license, or maybe even a will. Make that a living will/DNR request; that sounds less ridiculous. But all of these would miss the interesting point, which is that this is between the user and the software. Original human LoadBear is pretty much irrelevant.

If I wanted to get this into textbooks, I'd try writing a law review article on it and hoping it gets excerpted somewhere. Very slow, very long shot, unlikely to catch on. Or even work with the author to edit the piece itself and submit that to law reviews, hoping someone likes the gimmick. Even less likely, but more fun.

No, if you want this taught in law schools your best chance is to get it accepted by whoever is likely to create ems, and let the lawyers pick it up from them as "industry standard." I don't really see a way to sell them on it hard enough that the people actually doing it get affected.

[starscreamstims]

Rules and DNI!

Feel free to send in questions if you see something on here you’re confused about!

Please remember I am only one person! Sometimes it’s easier for me to post than other times.

Just because it’s not on the DNR does not guarantee I’ll do it, I don’t know every piece of media out there and if while researching for what a character is about I find that I’m uncomfortable making the board, I won’t.

Do Not Interact:

MAP blogs 

TERF blogs

ANY sort of hate blogs or if you have a hateful sideblog

Pro eating disorder blogs or if you have a pro eating disorder sideblog

Discourse blogs 

NSFW blogs

Do Not Request:

Real People - Examples: Billie Eilish, Benedict Cumberbatch. Fictional characters played by real people are fine.

Attack on Titan

Hetalia

Voltron

Sexual/Kink themes

Youtuber/Vine/Instagrammer personas - Examples: Darkiplier, Sanders Sides

IRL Gore - Fake, stylized or cartoon gore is OK, but will be posted at discretion

Whole Series - I have no problem with doing any media not listed here, but just “Can you do a Star Wars board?” is far too broad.

Racist Caricatures - Example: Characters from the disney film Song of the South

FAQ: Q: Will you do a stimboard of my pet/OC?  A: Yes! Send me a message with an image and I’ll do my best. If it’s an OC, I prefer if you include a bit about what they like/do, or  Q: Will you do a stimboard of me/my blog? A: Sorry, no. Q: Did you get my request? A: Probably yes. If it’s not posted, It’s either in the queue, or I didn’t feel comfortable doing it.

Q: If a media is on the DNR do you think it is problematic? A: Possibly. Or I just really don’t like it and don’t want to make content for it.

[cupidmarwani-archive]

Hey, i sent a message recently and i don't know if it got lost or not, if it didn't feel free to ignore this one, i just wanted to ask if you'd write barmaro where barba has anxiety? idk if you take requests like that, but thanks either way

As it says in my FAQ, I delete requests I’m not inspired for or fall under my DNR list. I also delete guilt-trip requests (although that’s not explicitly stated)

[ofmdrarepairweek]

FAQ

What pairings are allowed?

Any ship except Stede/Edward and Edward/Izzy because both had reached the # of fics cut off on ao3 without other ships tagged.

I used the tag but my fic/art was not shared?

Sorry! I’m only 1 person so I’m sure things will slip through the cracks. Please message @ofmdrarepairwk on Twitter or @ofmdrarepairweek on tumblr and I will be sure to share!

Link to the ao3 collection?

What if I don’t want my fic/art shared on the official social media account?

No worries! Just don’t use the tag ofmdrarepair23 and/or add DNR (do not retweet/reblog)/add “do not share” to your fic submission tags

OFMD Rare Pair Week 2023

Hi all! Rare Pair Week is in 1 month (Feb 12-18)! This week is devoted to celebrating under-appreciated and/or non-canon ships! (For example Karl and Olivia is an under-appreciated ship, meanwhile Roach x Fang is a non-canon ship)

The Rules:

1. Only rare pairings allowed! These ships can contain characters from other fandoms. Throples and polycules welcome!

2. Your submissions must be original. Please don’t repost something you shared 2 months ago or anything belonging to someone else.

3. Do not harass anyone for any ship or character they draw/write for rarepair week. Badminton x Kylo Ren may be odd but we aren’t judging.

4. Ships considered rare are anything except Ed/Izzy, SteadyHands, and Ed/Stede because they have reached the 1k milestone on ao3. Oluwande/Jim and Lucius/Pete are allowed because although they’ve also hit the milestone, they’re very commonly only background pairings.

Use the tag #ofmdrarepair23 on Twitter or Tumblr and we will share it here! You can also add your fics to a rarepair week 2023 AO3 collection that will be linked in our bio closer to the week we begin. (I will try to share everything, feel free to tag this account as well to help me find it!)

Prompts:

Day 1: Coffee Shops / Roommates / Confessions

Day 2: Tattoos / Piercings / First Time

Day 3: Soulmates / Heartbreak / (Found) Families

Day 4: Enemies to Lovers / Mermaids / Sci-fi

Day 5: Paranormal / High Fantasy / Only One Bed

Day 6: Music / Magic / Fake Dating

Day 7: Free Day!

You only need to use one prompt but if you manage to get all three prompts in one day I will add you to a Hall of Fame post at the end of the week!

If you want to make your Rare Pair Week extra spicy~

1: Daddy

2: Leather

3: BDSM

4: Tentacles

5: Marking (branding or biting)

6: Choking

7: Free Kink!

Let me know if you have any questions! I hope everyone enjoys Rare Pair Week!

[espmxapec-blog]

Getting “Out” the word on clean water

In Minnesota, people love spending time outdoors. In 2012, nearly 8 million people spent time on state land, with 97 sites including water access (1). It makes sense, especially given that more than 2.5 million acres of land in the state are covered by deep water such as lakes or streams (2). Recreational users of water resources expect the water to be clean, safe, and usable for their favorite aquatic pastimes.

Researchers in Finland found that an improvement in water quality, specifically a one meter improvement in water clarity, would make users happier; both swimmers and fishers saw increases in their utility from better quality water resources (3). This positive impact from high water quality is reflected in the choices of bodies of water visited by Minnesotans: three of the top 5 lakes in Minnesota are located in the northern part of the state and are renowned for their clarity (4).

The value of Minnesota’s outdoor recreation industry was $16.7 billion in 2017, employing over 140,000 people. Those jobs and that money are tied to the quality of the land, air, and water that they use for recreational activities. This just goes to show that conserving clean water and improving its quality are not just good for people, they’re good for business. Higher water quality water means more people will want to use Minnesota’s water resources for swimming, fishing, boating, and enjoying the outdoors; the revenue they generate, as well as the memories they’ll create, are huge benefits to taking simple steps to conserve this most precious resource.

References:

1. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. State Parks - Minnesota DNR. https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/faq/mnfacts/state_parks.html (Accessed Mar. 31, 2019).

2. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Lakes, rivers and wetlands - Minnesota DNR. https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/faq/mnfacts/water.html (Accessed Mar. 31, 2019).

3. Vesterinen, J.; Pouta, E.; Huhtala, A.; Neuvonen, M. Impacts of Changes in Water Quality on Recreation Behavior and Benefits in Finland. Journal of Environmental Management [Online] 2010, 91, 4, 984-994. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301479709004022  (Accessed Mar. 31, 2019).

4. Marks, Meghan. Travel Guide to the Best Lakes in Minnesota - WCCO | CBS Minnesota. https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/guide/travel-guide-to-the-best-lakes-in-minnesota/ (Accessed Mar. 31, 2019).

5. Outdoor Industry Association. Minnesota Outdoor Recreation Economy Report. https://outdoorindustry.org/resource/minnesota-outdoor-recreation-economy-report/ (Accessed Mar. 31, 2019).

[destroyandrebuildrp-blog]

Can you do the character aesthetic by making graphics of like moodboards etc?

Definitely. Maybe include some clarification, but if we have any questions we’ll contact you!

~Nat