Invasive Plant Patrollers play a vital role in the early detection of invasives by keeping a watchful eye for suspicious plants growing in their lakes and ponds. Both infestations in our watershed were first found by volunteers.  

In this 3-hour, online Invasive Plant Patrol 101 class by Lake Stewards of Maine (LSM), you’ll learn the background of Aquatic Invasive Plants in Maine, key identification features of species on Maine's watch list, and how to support early detection efforts.

For those interested in becoming certified patrollers, completing IPP 101 is the first step. The second step is attending a Live Plant I.D. workshop, which we’ll be hosting at the Kents Hill School Alpine Center in July!

When: Thursday, May 14th, 9AM

Where: Virtual (Zoom) 

Register here

When we experience a drier growing season like last year’s, lower water levels can result in more plant growth and more vegetation exposed above the water’s surface. Over the course of the winter, these plants can loosen, get cut by ice, and break free. In the spring, when ice breaks up, providing more open water for wind and wave action, this material naturally breaks off and accumulates along the shore. 

This accumulation is known as “freshwater wrack.” It’s a mix of aquatic plants, sticks, and leaf litter similar to what you see with seaweed and other debris along an ocean beach. While the amount of wrack can vary depending on conditions, it is a normal and important part of the lake ecosystem. 

Wrack buildup is influenced by many factors; wave exposure, shoreline shape, water level changes, and the amount of vegetation. When plant growth is higher and water levels have fluctuated, we may see more wrack than normal. 

Can it be removed?

As long as the material is not rooted vegetation, it can legally be removed. However, removal should be done in moderation. While this wrack may not be the aesthetic you’re used to, it serves as habitat and a food source for many lake organisms that play a key role in the natural nutrient cycling. These organisms support the lake’s food web, including its fisheries and loons! Leaving some natural freshwater wrack in place is important to maintaining a healthy, balanced ecosystem. 

Photo: Freshwater wrack along the shore of Androscoggin Lake, April 2026 (Betsy Clark)

This weekend is your last chance to order live stakes for spring planting. Live stakes are an easy, cost-effective way to strengthen your shoreline buffer and protect water quality. Live stakes are woody shrub-cuttings from established native plants that, once planted, root quickly to stabilize soil, reduce erosion, and grow into healthy buffers for years to come.

Available species include meadowsweet, arrowwood, dogwoods, and willows – all great options for sprucing up your shoreline this season. You are welcome to plant the live stakes yourself, but if you won’t be present on your property until later in the season or would prefer assistance, 30 Mile staff are happy to help with installation and care tips. Click here to place your order! The form will close at the end of the day Sunday, April 26th.

Interested in learning more about livestaking? See our Live Stake Demonstration listed below, led by the Maine Forest Service in partnership with the Kennebec County Soil and Water Conservation District and 30 Mile. If you prefer to place an order later in the year, please note that the live stake request form will reopen this summer for fall orders.

Thanks to all of you who supported bills this legislative session. We appreciate all of your testimony, calls and emails to legislators, and signatures on every sign-on letter. We’re proud that so many of the names on the lists of supporters are from our watershed! Here is a short summary of a few lake-related bills we followed this year: 

✅ LD 1904: An Act to Establish the Municipal Shoreline Protection Legal Fund

This bill creates a state legal fund to help Maine municipalities cover court costs when enforcing shoreland zoning laws. Towns draw from the fund to pursue violations and repay it if they win. The bill received $100,000 in initial funding plus DEP staff support. This is a huge win for towns enforcing shoreland zoning violations. 

✅ LD 646: Resolve, Establishing the Commission to Study Unmanaged Storm Water Pollution

This bill creates a commission to study stormwater pollution and issue a report by the end of 2026. The report would cover health and environmental impacts, mitigation strategies, gaps in existing regulations, and barriers to stronger protective policies. Policy improvement as a result of this report will protect the future of Maine's lakes. 

❌ LD 2141: An Act Regarding Enforcement of the Annual Reporting Requirement of the Laws Governing Unclaimed Beverage Container Deposits

The original version of LD 2141 would have directed $4 million in unredeemed bottle deposits to lake and farmland protection. The bill drew broad public support — more than 120 people submitted testimony, and many others contacted their legislators in the final weeks of the session. Ultimately, it lacked enough votes in the Senate to pass and was amended to remove the funding. Important enforcement language was retained: initiators of deposit must now report annually to the DEP or face a ban on selling or distributing beverages. This amended version was signed into law. 

Finding a sustainable funding source for lake protection remains a top priority for the Lake Protection Coalition, of which 30 Mile is a part, and we hope you'll join us in the years ahead.

Support 30 Mile! Your gift today will make a difference in protecting our lakes from phosphorus pollution, invasive species, and other threats. Find the giving level that works for you.