WSSA and APMS Leaders Strategize to Thwart Hydrilla and Harmful Algae Blooms

Recent Aquatic Plant Management Society Meetings explore aquatic invasive weed research and funding solutions

WESTMINSTER, Colo., July 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Several Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) representatives recently took part in the Aquatic Plant Management Society (APMS) annual meeting in Providence, Rhode Island, July 14-17. The program agenda featured multiple-day, cutting-edge aquatic plant and algae management research presentations.

"We were very happy to have Hilary Sandler, WSSA president, and Lee Van Wychen, WSSA's executive director of science policy, with us in Providence – this provided a great opportunity for collaboration, cross-pollination, and network-building between our societies," says Lyn Gettys, Ph.D., University of Florida associate professor and incoming APMS president. "This year's program had two special plenary sessions: 1) "The Novel Hydrilla in the Northeast" and 2) "Launch of the APMS-Led Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB's) Paper."

The novel hydrilla session started with a recorded presentation from Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), in which he expressed strong support and gratitude for APMS members' work on hydrilla research and control efforts. "The session was rounded out with live presentations by Greg Bugbee and Jeremiah Foley, both researchers at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, and recorded presentations by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers personnel Keith Hannon and Ben Sperry," says Gettys.

The main policy issue discussed at the meeting concerned U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works (USACE-CW) funding, specifically for aquatic plant control research (APCR). "The program has been funded between $5 to $7 million since 2018," notes WSSA's Van Wychen. "Both the House and Senate included money for APCR in their 2025 appropriations bills, but the USACE-CW did not include it in their FY 2025 workplan because the full year continuing resolution (P.L. 119-4) allowed USACE-CW to omit funding programs not in the President's FY 2025 budget."

The Aquatic Plant Control program, authorized by the 1958 River and Harbor Act, has not been in the President's budget request since 1996. However, Congress has provided funding for the Aquatic Plant Control program every year since.

"There was a glimmer of hope for renewed funding recently when the House Appropriations Committee marked up the Energy and Water Bill," adds Van Wychen. "The House provided $3 million for APCR for FY 2026 and $3 million for flowering rush and hydrilla research and control. We'll have to wait to see when and what the Senate does."

Harmful algae growth research funding would help support APMS and WSSA efforts to manage invasive weeds such as northern hydrilla, which were also addressed at the meeting. "The APMS-led CAST HABs paper session was coordinated by our APMS/CAST representative Gray Turnage, who has spent considerable time guiding the production and completion of this white paper on harmful algae blooms through the CAST publication process," says Gettys. "CAST CEO Chris Boomsma was in attendance and discussed the importance of collaborative efforts between APMS and CAST in addressing this and other important topics. The session included live presentations by HABs paper chair Dail Laughinghouse, Heather Raymond, and West Bishop, and a recorded presentation by Triantafyllos Kaloudis, who was unable to attend in person."

In addition to these special sessions, APMS had an excellent representation from among the best students in academia. "Our students contributed 15 oral and 9 poster presentations, all of which were thoughtful, scientifically rigorous, and extremely well planned, executed, and presented," says Gettys. "Judges for the student competitions had a challenging time selecting winners from this group of talented young scientists, and we are fortunate to be able to have our industry so well-represented by these students."

The 66^th annual APMS conference is scheduled for July 13-16, 2026, in Phoenix, AZ. "WSSA will again participate with its APMS friends and colleagues at the conference, and our member-scientists are excited about opportunities for future collaborations," says WSSA's Sandler, who took part in the APMS Board meeting, and attended the mixers, the Tuesday plenary session on the novel hydrilla in the northeast, Regional Chapters Luncheon, poster sessions, Tuesday night reception and the Wednesday APMS-led CAST HABs paper launch session.

More information about next year's APMS conference can be found at this website, and peer-reviewed literature on aquatic plant management is available online at the APMS journal. For more information from WSSA about aquatic invasive weed management, visit this weblink.

About the Weed Science Society of America 
The Weed Science Society of America (WSSA), a nonprofit scientific society, was founded in 1956 to encourage and promote the development of knowledge concerning weeds and their impact on the environment. The Society promotes research, education and extension outreach activities related to weeds, provides science-based information to the public and policy makers, fosters awareness of weeds and their impact on managed and natural ecosystems, and promotes cooperation among weed science organizations across the nation and around the world. For more information, visit www.wssa.net.

SOURCE Weed Science Society of America