Environmental Programs
There have been outbreaks of invasive water plants in many areas of Maine, and the Community Lakes Association area is not immune to this problem. Our efforts to control the outbreak of variable water milfoil have been productive, yet the battle continues. Thanks to the countless hours turned in by our volunteers, we have made progress on the two ponds with problems.
A major function of the CLA is the ongoing control of milfoil infestation, in Shagg Pond, as well as one small area in Lake Christopher. In 2017 we implemented a new strategy for milfoil control in Shagg Pond. The harvest total for the year was 8,890 gallons, which was a 400% increase over the previous year of 2,200 gallons. We will be redeploying this process this year, beginning immediately after Memorial Day for another full season of harvesting. The total anticipated project cost for 2018 is $44k with an anticipated $19K of that coming from a State of Maine DEP grant. The remaining funds are contributed by the Towns of Woodstock and Greenwood, Spruce Mountain Wind Project/Patriot Renewables, membership donations, and, importantly, in-kind services from volunteers.
In 2018, we installed a kiosk at Lake Christopher with comprehensive information, which includes a presentation on boater responsibility in preventing the transportation of invasive plants from one location to another. The plan is to have kiosks at all boat ramps in town.
Additional resources about invasive plants and other environmental concerns can be found in the Links Section of the Resources page. CLA Environmental Program updates can be found on the following pages: