Paul Skawinski

Bio

Paul serves as the Statewide Citizen Lake Monitoring Network Educator as part of the Extension Lakes team. He helps develop protocols used by volunteers when assessing a variety of lake water quality parameters and conducts training for volunteers and water resource professionals. Volunteers with the Citizen Lake Monitoring Network monitor some or all of the following on their lakes:

• Water clarity
• Phosphorus concentrations
• Chlorophyll concentrations (a measure of algae concentrations)
• Dissolved oxygen
• Aquatic invasive species
• Native aquatic plant communities
• Ice on/ice off dates
• Lake level fluctuation
• Other special projects

Contact Paul for information about the volunteer programs available through the Citizen Lake Monitoring Network.

Paul holds a B.S. in Soil Science and Waste Management, and an M.S. in Watershed Management. He is the author and photographer of the popular field guide Aquatic Plants of the Upper Midwest, now in its fourth edition. In addition to his position at Extension Lakes, Paul also teaches Aquatic Plant Taxonomy at UW-Stevens Point and has been working with aquatic ecosystem management for nearly 20 years. He is an Honorary Board Member and past-President of the Central Wisconsin chapter of Wild Ones. In his free time, Paul enjoys kayak fishing, snorkeling, photography, gardening with native plants, and spending time on lakes and streams with his family.