Volume L XIII ~ June 2023 | |
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Lake Sunapee Protective Association
Devoted to the Environmental Quality of the Lake Sunapee Watershed
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A Flash Of The Beacon
Welcome to A Flash of the Beacon!
A quick look at what's happening
at the Center for Lake Studies,
highlights of current news and events,
plus what's going on outside in nature.
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The LSPA staff is eager and ready to celebrate our 125th anniversary! Summer schedules are full, water quality equipment has been prepped and tested during the first deep site sampling out on the water, Lake Hosts are in place, interns are in the lab, and guest speakers are ready to present some amazing programs. We are very excited to offer a wide variety of wonderful events, activities, and volunteer opportunities all summer long. Come to the Center for Lake Studies, check out the interactive exhibits, learn about Lake Sunapee's watershed and join us in our mission to enhance and preserve it. There are numerous ways in which to support our Lake Sunapee Watershed. Become a member and protect the beauty and pristine nature of this incredible region. When you join you will get an invitation to the 125th Celebration following the annual meeting. Be part of what it takes to preserve this watershed for the future generations to come!
Click here to become a member.
Click here for volunteer opportunities.
| Meet LSPA's Summer 2023 Interns ~ | This year LSPA has hired additional interns to expand our capacity in the water quality lab and to support important work with our partners, including the Little Lake Sunapee Association and Dartmouth College. During the busy summer season, interns will process water samples for lakes throughout the Lake Sunapee region, help with GIS mapping projects, complete invasive plant surveys, and assist the Dartmouth robotics crew as they deploy their catabot prototype. With so much going on, we are glad to have extra hands on deck! | |
Tehya Kloster is a recent graduate of Paul Smith’s College, located in New York’s Adirondack Park, as of this May. She received her bachelor’s degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Science with a minor in Geographic Information Systems. Originally from Auburn, New York, Tehya enjoys spending a lot of her time outdoors, partaking in activities such as hiking, kayaking, and snowboarding in the winter months. Last summer, Tehya was one of the interns for LSPA and enjoyed it so much that she wanted to come back this summer. She also has previous experience working with the Owasco Lake Watershed Inspection and Protection Division in New York, which first sparked her interest in working with water quality. She is excited to expand upon the knowledge and skills she gained last year and be back in the Sunapee area for the upcoming summer.
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Baley Tremblay is a sophomore at Colby-Sawyer College. She was previously in the nursing program before finding her passion as an Environmental Science major. Baley's interest in the environment has always been strong, shown by the multiple climate marches she attended during her high school years. On top of that, she loves everything outdoors from hiking and swimming to finding a nice spot in nature to draw or paint. While she
loves the adventures that nature provides, she is interested in diving into the science aspect which is why this internship is a perfect choice. She has lab experience from courses she has completed at Colby-Sawyer, especially during her time in the nursing program. She is eager to apply those skills and to learn more about the science of water, as well as to learn from and connect with her peers.
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Samantha Donahue just graduated from Keene State College where she majored in Environmental Studies and Sustainability. She has lived in New Hampshire her whole life, doing activities that involve the outdoors. She likes to spend her time enjoying nature by kayaking, hiking, camping and much more.
Samantha visited Lake Sunapee during her school years, which sparked her interest in
Limnology. She also took courses involving water quality testing, influencing her
interest in the field. She is excited to start an internship with LSPA to expand upon her knowledge. Samantha is very hands-on and is ready for what is to come.
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Isabella Knazik just finished her sophomore year at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, located in the capital district in Troy, NY. She is majoring in both environmental science and sustainability studies, with a concentration in chemistry. She enjoys reading books, swimming, playing the trombone, and painting in her free time. A class field trip to Lake George sparked Isabella's interest in water quality and chemistry. She is now motivated to explore this topic more, and is currently conducting a research project on microplastics in drinking water. Having never been to New Hampshire, she is very excited to explore the area and is eager to learn more about water testing in the lab this summer.
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The above image shows only half of the phosphorus bottles the interns are testing this week. | |
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New Interns, New Start to Summer 2023 Water Quality Sampling ~
2023 deep site sampling out on the water has begun. The first collection of water samples took place on a calm and relatively warm May morning. The interns were instructed on the use of all the equipment and the necessary protocols to follow. Pictured here are Watershed Director, Geoff Lizotte, with interns Isabella Knazik, Samantha Donahue, Baley Tremblay, and Tehya Kloster.
Photos by Water Quality Lab Manager, Teriko MacConnell.
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Celebrating LSPA
125 YEARS OF CARING FOR OUR WATERS
Illuminate the Past, Enlighten the Present,
and Focus on the Future.
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As we pay tribute to this special milestone,
we invite you to join us in a year of celebrations.
Below are the upcoming June events.
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Tuesday, June 13, 2023
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
at LSPA's Center for Lake Studies
In cooperation with Sunapee Historical Society and the Center for the Arts, this engaging program will immerse you in poetry and images from Visual Verse: The Ripple Effect and Snapshots in Time, publications of the Literary Arts Guild of The Center for the Arts. Photos, both current and historical, are paired with the writings of area poets making for an inspiring evening!
This program is free and open to the public.
Please click here to register.
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Tuesday, June 20, 2023
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Wheeler Hall, Colby Sawyer College (map)
Join Laura Knoy in conversation with lake scientists Dr. Kathleen Weathers (Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies), Dr. Elena Bennett (McGill University) and LSPA’s Executive Director, Dr. Elizabeth Harper. We will discuss LSPA’s past successes, future challenges, and reasons for optimism as we look ahead.
This program is free and open to the public.
Refreshments will be served.
Please click here to register.
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Tuesday, June 27, 2023
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
at LSPA's Center for Lake Studies
With Larry Briggs, Midge Eliassen and Frank Lemay
Have you ever been curious about Lake Sunapee’s lighthouses? This presentation will answer all your questions! How did an inland lake end up with three of New Hampshire’s lighthouses? Who built them? Why does LSPA maintain them? What are the challenges in keeping our lighthouses standing and blinking? What are our current plans for the leaning Herrick Cove lighthouse structure? Join us to “shed light” on these and other questions.
This program is free and open to the public.
Please click here to register.
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Thursday, June 29, 2023
6:30 PM - 7:30 PM
at LSPA's Center for Lake Studies
Why do animals throw up when they're not sick? Why do they gnaw on wood if they don't eat it? With a Squam Lakes Natural Science Center naturalist and live animal ambassadors we'll explore some of wildlife’s unusual behaviors and reveal the benefits of these peculiar habits.
This program is free and open to the public.
Please click here to register.
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Save the Date!
Lake Sunapee Protection Association's
Annual Meeting will be on
Saturday afternoon July 15th
from 4:00 - 5:30 pm
Learn about current lake topics, discover the latest on science and education, and meet with staff and fellow members.
Click here to register.
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On Saturday, after LSPA's Annual Meeting, LSPA members will join together to commemorate the organization's 125th Anniversary with a celebratory reception. Join today and come celebrate LSPA's 125 years of devotion to the environmental quality of the Lake Sunapee Watershed.
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LSPA’s 2020 Watershed
Management Plan ~
LSPA is excited to announce it was officially granted funds in May 2023 for the Kidder Brook Project. The Kidder Brook Project comes under the LSPA 2020 Watershed Management Plan. LSPA will be working cooperatively with Twin Lake Village to complete a project that reaches a mutual goal and achieves pollutant load reductions. This proposed project consists of stabilizing areas using best management practices where stream bank erosion and slumping occur along a stretch of Kidder Brook running through the Twin Lake Village Golf Course. This crucial step will help LSPA progress toward meeting the water quality goal outlined in the watershed plan. Success will be measured upon completion of project and adherence to an operation and maintenance plan by Twin Lake Village over the long term. The environmental outcome of this project is to prevent bank erosion and resulting sedimentation from being washed into Little Sunapee Lake.
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The LSPA Buoy ~
The LSPA buoy can now be found at its summer site out by Loon Island. Virginia Tech Lab Manager and Technician Adrienne Breef-Pilz and LSPA's Research Director Kak Weathers joined Watershed Director Geoff Lizotte in helping secure and connect the buoy and ensure the transmission of data. Instruments on LSPA’s water quality buoy record air and water data (weather and in-lake conditions) and sends it to LSPA's Center For Lake Studies via radio transmitter every ten minutes, round-the-clock, 365 days of the year. The recorded data from the buoy is sent to the Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network (GLEON), an organization that works to understand, predict and communicate the role and response of lakes in a changing global environment. For live buoy data click here.
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Lake Sunapee Tri-Town
Watershed Initiative ~
A Lake Sunapee Tri-Town Watershed Initiative group was recently formed by Newbury Resident Jack Kutner who will serve as Chairman. The group includes selectboard members Bebe Casey of New London, Kristen Schultz of Newbury, and Carol Wallace of Sunapee, as well as LSPA Executive Director Elizabeth Harper, and Co-chair of LSPA’s Watershed Committee Stu Greer. The group plans to meet monthly at LSPA’s Center for Lake Studies to work collaboratively on issues that affect water quality in Lake Sunapee.
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LSPA is looking for
Invasive Watch Volunteers!
Want a fun way to get involved with keeping Lake Sunapee clean and clear and be out on the water? Come join the Invasive Watch Program! The Invasive Watch Program consists of volunteers who are on the lookout for invasive plants or animals in the lake. Volunteers perform monthly surveys every year from July to September when swimming, kayaking, stand up paddleboarding (SUP), or snorkeling in the water. The purpose of this program is to find and remove any aquatic invasive plant or animal before it spreads in Lake Sunapee. These volunteers are the "eyes" of Lake Sunapee and the more volunteers we have to monitor the 30+ mile shoreline, the less likely an invasive species will become established. Volunteers are especially needed in the following areas: 1A, 8, 11A, 11B and 22A.
Be part of the solution! Protect what you love!
Click here for more information: Invasive Watch.
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Support the Lake Sunapee Watershed
by becoming a Watershed Wise Partner this Summer ~
The purpose of the program is to encourage good land stewardship practices that protect the water quality of streams, lakes and ponds within the Lake Sunapee Watershed. There are many simple steps that you can implement on your property that reduce or eliminate pollutants from reaching our streams, lakes and ponds. Good practices include, but are not limited to, adding a buffer to prevent erosion, managing stormwater, and reducing or eliminating road salt, fertilizer and herbicide/pesticide use. For more information check out LSPA’s Watershed Wise Program
Need Advisory Assistance?
LSPA provides advisory services and information on a variety of watershed protection topics and works with local, state and regional partners including landowners, local businesses, municipalities and other non-profit organizations. For more information contact Watershed Director, Geoff Lizotte: geoff@lakesunapee.org
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Let's Be Clear!
Have you seen LSPA's "Let's Be Clear" video yet? Please take a few minutes to watch this moving video about the Lake Sunapee region. LSPA’s Watershed Committee worked with videographer Peter Bloch to create this beautiful reminder of why we love our lakes and what we can do to protect them. Please share with friends and family.
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LSPA Educators ~
LSPA educators had a busy May. They especially enjoyed releasing brook trout (raised during the Trout-in-the-Classroom project) with several schools over the past few weeks. Healthy habitats were observed by the students as they took note of the stream's water quality while releasing their individual trout.
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Mount Royal first and second graders explored Dewey Woods last week, observing and identifying native trees. And fifth graders from Sullivan County's Farm to School Day learned the definition of watershed and the vital importance of our precious resource - water! | |
Working at Camp Coniston each year is always a highlight for the LSPA educators. Teaching from a treehouse, exploring a bog, and investigating the danger of erosion in a watershed were a few of the activities they shared with fifth graders from the Kearsarge School District during the day long event. | |
Students engage in identifying pitcher plants and examining what kind of insects find themselves trapped inside. | Story hours and nature walks at LSPA on Tuesday mornings are full of activity. Featuring stories like camouflaged fawns and why insects are so important, children and adults explore the natural world and discover its wonder and beauty. | |
Shout out to the New London 4th Graders who were star performers in this year's Gift of the Glacier Play! They entertained and educated their peers, parents and teachers about the history and ecology of the the Lake Sunapee Region. | |
During a quiet writing session at The Fells, and by simply sitting silently surrounded by the beautiful natural setting of Lake Sunapee, 4th Graders from Kearsarge described what they experienced with acrostic poetry. | |
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2023 Volunteer Lake Assessment Programs (VLAP) Workshop
It was a beautiful day at the Center for Lake Studies for the 2023 VLAP Workshop. LSPA was grateful to partner with NHDES's staff who gave updates on water quality monitoring, cyanobacteria tracking, shoreland protection and permitting, Soak Up the Rain resources, aquatic invasive species identification, and watershed management planning. Thank you to all VLAP participants for your valuable contributions, dedication of time in gathering important water quality data, and support for New Hampshire waters! Thank you to our partners at NH Department of Environmental Services for their excellent presentations!
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Forecasting Lake And Reservoir Ecosystems (FLARE)
LSPA’s Center for Lake Studies hosted a workshop for lake scientists working on CIBR-FLARE, a collaborative project funded by the National Science Foundation. Researchers from the Cary Institute, Virginia Tech, and the University of Florida have been mentoring a group of seven graduate students with expertise in lake ecology and computer science as they develop models to predict future lake conditions. This group has been meeting for years (since before Covid!) over Zoom and we were thrilled that they were all able to meet in person for the first time at the Center for Lake Studies. LSPA staff and board members learned about their research at a poster session on May 16th.
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Weed Watch Training ~
LSPA hosted an important Weed Watcher training presented by Amy Smagula, Limnologist/Exotic Species Program Coordinator with NH Department of Environmental Services. This critical program has been essential over the years in helping identify and keeping an eye out for aquatic invasive species. NHDES underscores the issue on invasive aquatic plants noting, “Because they are not native, they have no predators or diseases, which allows them to grow quickly and dominate freshwater systems and native plants, fish and aquatic insects already present.” There are numerous affects that aquatic invasive plants can cause, such as: reduced shorefront property values, water quality impairments and problems with the aesthetic and recreational values of waterbodies. Special thanks to Amy for a wonderful presentation and to the many volunteers from the various lakes and ponds in the area who attended! Here’s to another summer without any sightings of invasive species in Lake Sunapee. If you are interested in becoming a weed watcher on Lake Sunapee, send an email to Susie Burbidge at susieb@lakesunapee.org. For more information on invasives click here.
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Hopkinton Honor's Biology students visit LSPA ~
Hopkinton High School Biology students visited LSPA's Center for Lake Studies for an afternoon engaged in learning about the plankton, cyanobacteria and macroinvertebrates that live in Lake Sunapee. This program was developed in partnership with Sara Baroody, Hopkinton HS and Geoff Cook, Professor at New England College (NEC). Students sampled the lake water and bottom sediments, then examined specimens under microscopes to learn about the variety of species commonly found here. Students also were able to participate in sample collection for Professor Cook's research on eDNA. (Fun fact: Environmental DNA (eDNA) is organismal DNA that can be found in the environment. Environmental DNA originates from cellular material shed by organisms (via skin, excrement, etc.) into aquatic or terrestrial environments that can be sampled and monitored using new molecular methods.)
To read more about the collaboration, bioinformatics and what the students are learning: Click Here.
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Lake Sunapee Food Web ~
Dylan Wang is a Dartmouth undergrad researching and constructing a food web for the plankton community. Dylan worked with Dr. Jessica Trout-Haney, LSPA's 2022 Rolf Eliassen Fellow, to gather data about the cyanobacteria, zooplankton and phytoplankton found in Lake Sunapee.
Click here to read the summary progress report.
Click here to view an interactive slideshow on what is currently known about the food web of Lake Sunapee. This slideshow was created by Mike Staiger, a 2019 Midge Eliassen Fellow grantee. Information as it is learned and acquired will be added on an ongoing basis.
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Loon News ~
Loons have started nesting on Lake Sunapee! Fingers-crossed we have a few loon chicks this year. Observing loons from a distance with binoculars is a wonderful experience that so many of us enjoy. Please be mindful that these beautiful waterbirds are quite sensitive to human activity. And especially now during nesting season extra vigilance about respecting their space needs to be taken. Please photograph from a safe distance (at least 150′ - the no wake distance) without disturbing the loons. Drone users should avoid the nesting sites altogether.
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services offers these tips for drones:
- Do not fly over or near wildlife as this can create stress that may cause significant harm, and even death.
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Pursuit, harassment, or an intentional disturbance of animals during breeding, nesting, rearing of young, or other critical life history functions is prohibited.
To watch LPC's Live Loon Cam of the 2023 season click here.
We love our loons! Please delight in their presence and help keep them safe.
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Watershed Wise! To Spray or Not To Spray...
The chemicals in herbicides, pesticides, and insecticides are harmful to people, pets and wildlife. Look for safe alternatives or use integrated pest management practices which can minimize the environmental harm and risk. Rodenticides can maim or kill non-targeted wildlife and pets that eat poisoned bait or ingest poisoned rodents such as owls, hawks and foxes. Rodenticides can also contaminate ground and surface waters when harmful chemicals get released from animals that die and decompose outside. Chemicals applied on your property for mosquito and tick control are very harmful to birds, frogs and pollinators critical in our food production. Insecticides that wash into the lake’s water systems kill the aquatic bugs that are a key component to the food chain for fish and a host of other animals. To reduce your environmental impact, wear pants, long sleeves, nets and/or apply repellents to your clothing instead of spraying your yard. Consider other non-toxic pest control methods safe for wildlife and water.
Pollinator Week is June 21st - 26th.
National Pollinator Week is an annual opportunity to celebrate pollinators and learn how to support pollinator health in our community!
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Prevent Light Pollution!
The nocturnal green Luna moths, with their beautiful long tails, can be found drawn to lights left on and can sometimes be seen sleeping on the screen door the next day. Although our days are getting longer, the nighttime, the night sky, and the darkness remain essential to the host of nocturnal animals in the area. Scientists have stated that light pollution is now among the most chronic environmental disturbances on Earth. The good news, according to The International Dark-Sky Association, is that “light pollution, unlike many other pollutions, is reversible and each one of us can make a difference.” We can start by minimizing the light from our homes at night. Check out these links for more information about the night sky and ways you can prevent light pollution.
How Light Pollution Affects the Sunapee Watershed
International Dark-Sky Association
National Geographic Light Pollution
Globe at Night
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 |  | The month of June welcomes the long-awaited days of summer. On the 21st we celebrate the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. The sun’s influence on animal and plant activity can be noted by the wide variety of animals that are on the move. This time of year, honeybees often swarm, leaving the hive with the old queen and then a new queen emerges from the old hive and begins anew. Hummingbirds have returned and are glorying in the array of flowers and nectar that both humans and nature have provided. These little birds get protein from eating the insects that get trapped in the nectar and have even been known to steal them from spider webs. Beavers, bears, deer (to name a few) send their young, who they have been nurturing for the last 18 months or so, off to venture on their own. These young ones often look a little lost or frightened as they now navigate the world for the first time by themselves. Fawns, which are born without a scent, are left hidden to sleep and grow while their mothers keep watch nearby. Fawns are often mistaken for being abandoned, when, in actuality, they are being protected by the stillness in which they can lie. Their camouflage spots and their scentless bodies act as protection against key predators. One wildlife officer referred to June as the “fox month.” That's because he gets so many calls about sightings of the normally nocturnal fox who is out hunting during daylight hours to provide food for the new and very hungry kits back in their dens. As you celebrate the month of June, celebrate the arrival of the beautiful dragonflies! These colorful insects are indeed worthy of doing a “happy dance” over! A natural predator, dragonflies can consume hundreds of mosquitoes and black flies each day! Summer blooms are everywhere! Look for gorgeous fields of lupine all along the roadsides as you venture out. Enjoy getting outside during this beautiful month, brave the insects, and marvel at the clear blue waters and the newness and greenery all around you!
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LSPA's Summer Discoveries page has an abundance of resources for adults to explore the local area during these beautiful summer days. Following LSPA's theme of "discovery, learning, and research" you'll find this page shares information not only on what and where to explore safely, but wildlife links, webinars, courses and much more!
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Resources ~
Check out LSPA's Resource Page for ideas, articles, things to do, and other resource information!
This month LSPA Kid's Ecology Corner page highlights a wide variety of activities. Find out about what to plant and wonderful wildflowers, plus, what birds are singing and what many animals are doing during these active summer months. Facts about frogs, bugs, and gardening are also shared. Summer is a wonderful time to explore the outdoors!
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Recreate Responsibly on the Water ~
Our friends at the Society for the Protection of NH Forests share tips on how to recreate responsibly whether you are out in a canoe, kayak, or other boat types.
Click here to find resources and tips on boating safety.
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Read, Listen and Participate in Local Ecology ~ | |
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PCB contamination in
New Hampshire's Waters
This is an interesting (and alarming!) read about PCB contamination in New Hampshire. This is an issue impacting our surface waters - the article reports: "...PCBs have impaired 104 water bodies in New Hampshire, at least 63,000 acres of surface water, and at least 2.3 linear miles of the Souhegan River. Contaminated loon eggs have been identified in more than 20 lakes, the highest levels of PCBs being at Squam Lake."
The Governor has proposed a $6 million PCB Assistance Fund in the state budget that is currently being negotiated. Click here to read more.
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Healthcare Workers for NH Climate Action presents
Parenting in a changing climate: How parents can support their children (and themselves) in a warming world.
Monday, June 5th
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
This webinar is cosponsored by the NH Public Health Association -
Register here: www.nhclimatehealth.org/our-events
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Hay Family Picnic on Sunset Hill
June 17, 2023
11:00 AM to 2:30 PM
One of the beloved events of the Hay family was to enjoy a picnic on the top of Sunset Hill on the Forest Society Hay Forest Reservation.
Join Dave Anderson of the Forest Society and members of the Hay Estate staff for a traditional Hay Family picnic at the top of Sunset Hill.
Co-sponsored by Society for the Protection of NH Forests and The Fells.
*Important note: this event will meet at the Gatehouse Kiosk.
Please bring your own picnic lunch and water.
Registration: Forest Society and Fells members and children: free!
not-yet-members: $10.
Advance registration required, call 603-763-4789 x3 or visit www.thefells.org
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THE FORGOTTEN FOREST PRIMEVAL:
Rediscovering Mount Sunapee’s Old Growth
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Monday, June 19th at 7:00 PM
Center Meeting House, Newbury
A screening of the documentary entitled, THE FORGOTTEN FOREST PRIMEVAL: Rediscovering Mount Sunapee's Old Growth will be held at the Newbury Center Meeting House. The film documents the rare exemplary forest on Mount Sunapee as well as the early history of its protection as the Forest Society's first reservation in 1911. Following the screening, the filmmaker, Ray Asselin, and others involved in the film will discuss how this project came to be.
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Explore Sunapee's Watershed and beyond thanks to Ausbon Sargent's Trails
Hiking trails on some Ausbon Sargent protected properties are open to the public and listed by town and by easement donor name here on their website.
Many of these trails cross privately owned, conserved land. The landowners have generously granted public access and are available for pedestrian uses only (hiking, skiing, and snowshoeing). Please respect the generosity of the landowner and “leave no trace” by practicing a carry in/carry out policy. If you bring your dog, be sure they are under your control at all times and, of course, please clean up after them.
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Photo by Midge Eliassen - May 2023 full moon | |
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Do you have any spectacular photos of Lake Sunapee’s watershed to share with our readers? Send them along to Nancy via her email - nancy@lakesunapee.org
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Lake Sunapee Protective Association
Center for Lake Studies
63 Main Street
Sunapee, NH 03782
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