Phil Hunsicker, left, president of the Crow Wing County Lakes and Rivers Alliance, stood with Clyde Clement, of Breezy Point. Hunsicker held the poem he wrote for Clement, winner of the Water Warrior Award for 2010. Clement held the print by Baxter artist Jan Finger that he received.

Clyde Clement received the Water Warrior Award, sponsored by the Crow Wing County Lakes and Rivers Alliance (LARA) and 1,000 Friends of Minnesota. It was presented at LARA's annual meeting at Lake Edward Town Hall.

The award recognizes an individual or organization that has worked tirelessly and selflessly for the preservation of Crow Wing County's most precious natural resource - its water.

Clement, who helped form the Brainerd Lakes Area Aquatic Invasive Species Task Force (BLAISTF), said more important than the award and recognition are the educational efforts being put forth to block the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) in area lakes.

Clement was instrumental in developing seminars for lake service professionals - from fishing guides to boat, watercraft and dock dealers and installers - to teach them how to monitor the lakes and prevent the spread of all AIS.

The seminars teach recommended actions to prevent the spread of AIS and how to report new sightings.

Clement commended the following area service professionals who have attended such training seminars for their interest in combating AIS:

Bait Box Marina, BW Professional Caretakers, Cabin Care, Central Lakes Dock Service, Clasen Property Management, Lake Fun Rentals, Mauer's Lakeside Service, Minnesota Shoreline Restoration, Otterness Dock Service, Personal Touch Property Services, RR Handyman/Aquatic Weed Harvest, Willey's Marine Inc., Bradow Dock Service, Gryphon Enterprises, Brainerd Sports & Marine, Point Marine Service, C & C Boat Works, Cabin Care, D.H. Docks, Gryphon Enterprises, Lake Bertha Boatworks, Inc., Lake Restoration, Inc., Lenny Hodgson, Marv Koep, Moe's Hardware & Docks, John Niskanen, Neighborhood Landscaping & Development, Nisswa Dock Co, Nisswa Marine, Norlake Dock Service, PLM Professional Lake and Land Management, Ricka Mfg., Royal Karels and Walleye Dan Eigen of Walleye Dan Guide Service.

Clement is a member of BLAISTF, which he said got its start when there was a near miss of zebra mussels being introduced to Pelican Lake.

Someone was moving a boat lift from Lake Ossawinnamakee, which has zebra mussels, to Pelican Lake, and just as the lift was being put into the lake someone noticed tiny mussels on it.

Clement advises people moving boat lifts or docks from one lake to another to let the piece sit out over winter to ensure any AIS are killed.

Last year's Water Warrior Award recipient was Ron Meyer, of the Pine River Watershed Alliance (PRWA) and Whitefish Area Property Owners Association (WAPOA).

Other past recipients include Ted Sateropolis, who helped found LARA; Ed Larsen, former Crow Wing County commissioner for District 2; Paula West, of the Minnesota Lakes Association (now Minnesota Waters); Tom Beaver, LARA; Bonnie Finnerty, former county planner; Sandy Holm, LARA; and Jack Wallschlaeger, of WAPOA and PRWA.