Forest Lake News – Spring 2012 (PDF)
Milfoil Update
As I wrote in our last newsletter, our native milfoil explosion appears to be over (note, if you are new to this issue, we have low water milfoil in Forest Lake, not one of the non-native, invasive milfoils that are on the state’s watch list) . Most of the plants in these colonies have turned brown and are lying dormant. Plant experts we talked to last year speculated that this might happen—that the colonies would become so dense they would crowd themselves out and die. This event is called a “bloom and doom.” It may happen again, but at least now we know what it looks like and how short the growth cycle is likely to be. Thanks to everyone who helped study it over the past couple of years. Ed Keenan and the Plant Patrollers, in particular, did a great job of mapping and marking the colonies to prevent spreading.
During the plant patrol surveys this summer, we found that our regular lake plants (various species of naiad and bladderwort, in particular), had moved back into the areas where the milfoil growth has died. This is evidence of a much healthier, more balanced lake ecosystem.
Although we seem to have dodged the bullet on this one, we still need to be vigilant. Invasive, non-native milfoils are still are problem in lakes all over the country, and the best we can do is educate people on what to look for and how to avoid bringing plant fragments into our lake.
You can help—come to the annual meeting where we’ll have plant samples to look at so you can identify any plant growth in front of your home. Or join the Plant Patrollers and get trained in species identification. In particular, we need volunteers who can snorkel or scuba dive. For more information on volunteering and a training schedule, contact Ed Keenan at 657-6463.
You can also attend the FREE annual maine milfoil summit (info. below). You can read the full story of Forest Lake’s native plants population and short-lived native milfoil explosion in archived newsletters on our website.
13th Annual Maine Milfoil Summit
Friday, March 2, 8:30 a.m.
Sponsored by LEA, the summit brings together people from across the state who are working to prevent and control invasive aquatic plants. It’s held at the Lewiston-Auburn campus of the University of Southern Maine, 51 Westminster Street, Lewiston. The summit is free and open to the public.