Invasive species are a growing problem, and European frogbit is no exception. When Kyra Steenbock first read about Amanda Smith’s work with the species, she was struck by several aspects of the situation. The non-native species could potentially choke out wild rice which is important to many Indigenous Peoples of Wisconsin. It also threatens the habitat of many native fauna, such as the American Black Duck, the American Bittern, and the Sedge Wren, shown in the wild rice in the acrylic painting.

However, both Smith and Steenbock wanted to emphasize that invasive species are not inherently bad. The species themselves have no bad intentions; they are simply introduced to new areas, often accidentally by humans, and are able to spread widely and outcompete native species. There is still beauty in European frogbit, as seen by the vibrant green leaves and small white flowers. Originally brought to North America for the water garden industry, European frogbit escaped cultivation in the late 1930s and has been spreading throughout the Great Lakes since then, facilitated by boaters, waterfowl hunters, wildlife, and vectors such as flooding and currents. 

Steenbock hopes that Unintended Consequences portrays and contrasts the beauty and value of both the native and non-native species of Wisconsin while serving as a reminder to water users that they have a responsibility to protect the natural areas they love.