_3457-R1_ML&P_LSLA_Web_SummerNewsletter

Summer of 2015 Milfoil Militia Program Pam Wilkinson 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 LOCATION

TOTAL 1,468 376.25

271

215

390

187

178

86.5

314.5 25.75

180.25

UPPER BASIN-GRAY TWIN BROOKS-GRAY BEAVER COVE-GRAY MUMFORD COVE-GRAY LOWER BASIN WINDHAM

55 91

62 63 97

58

54

17

50 16

54.5

9

2

7

49

15 28

252 671 7,067.75 6 10,553

133 710

296 967

47

16

20.5 954

33.5

1,332

1,491

500

760.75

353

0

0

0

0

0

3

3

0

BEAN ISLAND BAG TOTALS AMOUNT SPENT VOLUNTEER TIME TOTAL

1,260 740.5 67,296.36 55,651.90 51,580.26 67,265.60 48,350.18 46,253.82 51,507.84 43,,292.63 9,255.00 9,260.00 13,786.00 17,046.42 12,466.32 13,300.68 13,909.84 13,000.00 76,551.36 64,911.90 65,366.26 84,312.02 60,816.50 59,554.50 65,417.68 56,926.33 431,832.29 102,024.26 533,856.55 Little Sebago Lake yearly comparison of milfoil bags removed-associated costs. Each bag equals approx. 20 pounds dry weight. 2014 less than one ton removed; to date approx. 98 tons removed from 2007 to 2014. 1,769 1,778 1,889 735 1,180 1,201.75

Our program has been successful in reducing the dense beds in the lake. But it is guarded success. The variable milfoil is still lurking on the bottom of the lake waiting for the summer sun to allow it to lift from the bottom or developing root structures on the bottom for further growth. That is why it is important to get all the root when extracting. While we have mostly eliminated the threat of boats running through the tall milfoil creating fragmentation for regrowth, the smaller ones are harder to find and takes as much time to hand pull and feed into the suction dredge called HIPPO (Hydraulic Invasive Plant Processing Operation). The Milfoil Militia will become scouts in late June surveying, documenting and planning our approach. If you see green noodles floating in a certain area, that means we have marked plants and will come back to extract. The good news is that this year we had to stop the operation at the end of August due to the fact we were not getting enough plants to justify the use of the HIPPO’s. The invasive plants are there, they are scattered and if left alone will once again

become the dense bed we once had. This is why we need to continue with a different plan of attack and be vigilant. The breakdown of the amount of milfoil extracted is below. One has only to think about what would happen to our lake and property values if this operation had not begun almost 15 years ago. Lastly, I need to thank all the volunteers who made this operation happen. Countless hours of strategizing; use of land for boat docking; allowing the crew to invade their spot early mornings and afternoons; maintaining, putting the fleet to bed and getting them out for use, and surveying reported sighting are just a few of the things that volunteers have given to protect our lake. If you think you have milfoil in your area please contact me using our phone or email addresses and we will check it out for you. In the perfect world we would have a coordinator become familiar with VLMP’s Plant Patrol recommendations, quadrant the lake with identified patrollers and patrol areas periodically. Remember to keep the native plants so the invasive will not grow in your area.

Plant Give Away at the Annual Meeting Once again – with the help of O’Donal’s Nursery we will be providing 100 large 10 inch potted native plants for you to improve your buffer with. First come – first served to any dues paying member.

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