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Inside This Newsletter
May 12, 2025
Grounds and Gratitude!
Support LSM
LSM's Events Calendar
Water Quality Program
WQ Workshops Registration
DO Meter Inspection
Ice-Out is happening!
Join Us!
Aquatic Invasive Species Program
Community WQ Technical Discussion
Survey123 for IPPers
Travel Team Orientation Webinar
Looking for Volunteers!
How to Lead a Plant Paddle Webinar
Recordings Available
Support LSM
Notices from our Partners
Office Hours
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Our sponsor and featured coffee at LSM's "Grounds and Gratitude" social gathering on May 19th will be Moses Dyer Coffee Roasters!
Grounds and Gratitude
Monday, May 19
9:30-11:00 am
LSM Office - 24 Maple Hill Rd. Auburn
Moses Dyer Coffee Roasters is a micro-roastery in Harpswell, Maine. The co-owners share a science background that has translated well to the world of coffee, as they are both persistent in their attention to detail and process. They enjoy the continuous learning experience of roasting coffee and developing methodical approaches to produce a consistent, high-quality product. As a commitment to the environment and communities that grow the coffee, Moses Dyer uses only fair trade organic certified coffee.
The goal at Moses Dyer Coffee is to make outstanding coffee for their neighbors while doing their small part to reduce environmental impact and support social equality in coffee regions of the world and in their home area.
Grounds and Gratitude social gatherings will be held the third Monday of each month (May-August), from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM. Stop by the LSM office for coffee (or tea), conversation, and community.- no agenda, just a chance to connect!
Moses Dyer Coffee Roasters website.
IG: mosesdyercoffee
FB: mosesdyercoffeeroasters
Warmly,
The LSM Team
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🌿 Love Maine’s Lakes?
Summer is on its way—and what better way to celebrate than by giving back to the lakes that give us so much?
Join the movement to protect Maine’s waters by becoming a volunteer with Lake Stewards of Maine! Whether you're passionate about monitoring Water Quality (WQ) or keeping an eye out for Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS), there’s a role for you in our stewardship family.
💙Not able to volunteer? You can still make waves by donating! Your support helps expand our programs, train more stewards, and protect more lakes across Maine. Every dollar makes a difference.
💧 Get involved. Make a difference. Be a Lake Steward.
| | LSM's Trainings and Outreach Calendar | |
Water Quality Program
To learn more about LSM's Water Quality Program, please visit our website.
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Next Community Water Quality Technical Discussions
🗓️ Our next session will be on May 22nd, at 3:30 PM. - Learn More
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There’s Still Time to Register for Water Quality Workshops!
Spots are still open for our FREE Water Quality Monitor Training Workshops! Learn how to monitor Maine’s lakes and contribute to vital long-term data. Whether you're brand new or due for recertification, we’d love to have you join us this season.
Upcoming trainings:
✅ Megunticook - Tuesday, May 13
✅ Anasagunticook - Monday, May 19
✅ Crescent/Rattlesnake Lake (#3696) - Wednesday, May 21
✅ Pushaw - Friday, May 23
✅ Bauneg Beg - Tuesday, May 27
🗓️ Don’t wait—sessions are filling up fast!
🔗 Get more details and sign up in the button below.
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DO Meter Inspections
Did you miss MeterFest this year?
Don't worry!
Please reach out to stewards@lakestewardsme.org to schedule an alternative time to have your meter checked. It takes longer when not participating in MeterFest, but we want to make sure all DO monitors have the chance to have their meters inspected.
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Ice-Out!
Some Maine lakes have already welcomed spring by losing their ice, but others, particularly in the North, are still clinging to winter. Tracking ice-out is essential to improve our understanding of lake health, including potential impacts on anoxia levels, cyanobacteria blooms, watershed snowpack reserves, and maximum summer temperatures.
If your lake’s ice cover is changing, please let us know! You can help by reporting your observations to LSM through:
✅ Our online submission form
✅ Email: stewards@lakestewardsme.org
✅ Phone: (207) 783-7733
If calling or emailing, please include:
- Your name
- The lake name (MIDAS number, if available)
- The town and county where the lake is located
- The date of ice-out
- Your email (kept private, used only for follow-up)
To view current ice cover reports visit: Ice-In/Ice-Out Tracking Map
If you need help determining ice-out please check out our guide: Ice-In/Ice-Out Tracking
Thank you for contributing to this important effort!
Image: Portage Lake ice cover, April 25, 2025 (photo credit Bruce Laveway)
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Aquatic Invasive Species Program
To learn more about LSM's Aquatic Invasive Species Program, please visit our website.
| | For any questions related to IPP workshops, registration, or the aquatic invasive species program, please email stewards@lakestewardsme.org. | | |
Survey123 for IPPers
Date: May 15th, 2025
Time: 1:00 PM
Survey123 is a powerful geographic information system (GIS) tool used in tracking volunteer surveys. In this program, Becky Schaffner of Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) demonstrates the basics of Survey123, how volunteers can record aquatic invasive plant survey data, and how Lake Stewards of Maine’s AIS Survey Screening forms relate to how to use Survey123. The program will also cover new additions to Survey123 for 2025, and how the program can be used to more accurately record survey data.
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Travel Team Orientation Webinar
This webinar is about Lake Stewards of Maine’s IPP Travel Team, a group of dedicated invasive plant patrollers who venture from their home lakes to address aquatic invasive species issues across Maine.
Date: May 22nd, 2025
Time: 9:00 AM
The Travel Team has proven itself to be one of LSM’s most powerful tools in confronting the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) in Maine. In this program, volunteers will learn about the work the Travel Team does in surveying lakes for AIS, assisting with rapid response and mapping surveys, educating others, and providing support for budding invasive plant patrol teams across the state. Guests will also learn about upcoming Travel Team volunteer opportunities, see how the Travel Team visits truly remarkable and beautiful places across Maine, and how everybody has something to contribute to the work of this community of dedicated volunteer scientists.
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Looking for more volunteers!
Volunteers are needed to join LSM staff on a five-day survey expedition to Big Lake in Washington County from June 23 to 27.
LSM is returning to Big Lake in Washington County to assist the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township in surveying and mapping variable water milfoil, an invasive species threatening the lake’s ecosystem. This is a unique chance to contribute to conservation efforts, learn valuable field skills, and be part of an incredible team! Volunteers will be provided housing during the survey.
Next Planning Meeting Date: May 28, please email stewards@lakestewardsme.org for more info.
Survey Expedition Dates: June 23 - 27, 2025
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How to Lead a Plant Paddle Webinar
This webinar instructs invasive plant patrol (IPP) team leaders how to conduct a plant paddle workshop for volunteers.
Date: May 29th, 2025
Time: 9:00 AM
This “train the trainers” webinar teaches volunteers how to instruct others how to survey for and rule out suspicious aquatic plants. The program focuses on how to organize a class, basic survey methods for absolute beginners, the importance of reviewing and quality assurance of volunteer survey data, submitting team data to LSM, and how to motivate and encourage others to become IPPers.
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Notice from our Partners, Colleagues and Collaborators
If you have any questions regarding the information below,
please contact the organization mentioned in post directly.
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Notice: Maine DEP Planning Grant RFA#202501013
Please be advised that due to an administrative error, RFA #202501013 - Nonpoint Source Grant for Pollution Control Projects Watershed-based Plan Development HAS BEEN CANCELLED. It will be replaced by RFA #202505068.
RFA #202505068 – Nonpoint Source Grant for Pollution Control Projects Watershed-based Plan Development has been released on the Department of Financial Services website:
https://www.maine.gov/dafs/bbm/procurementservices/vendors/grants. Type “DEP” in the Search box to filter results.
This release REPLACES RFA#202501013. Please be sure to reference the new RFA and the information it contains when submitting an application.
New Question Deadline: 5/14/25
New Proposal Deadline: 5/26/25
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Report Smoke Sightings – Help Improve Maine’s Air Quality Forecasts
From the Bureau of Air Quality – Maine DEP
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection’s Bureau of Air Quality is calling on local observers to help improve air quality forecasts by reporting smoke sightings across the state.
Documenting smoke from wildfires settling over lakes, valleys, and forested areas helps monitor air quality. Your early observations can make a big difference!
How You Can Help:
📍 If you see wildfire smoke in your area, please fill out this quick and simple Smoke Survey:
👉 https://www.maine.gov/dep/air/forecast/smokesurvey.html
The survey can be submitted multiple times throughout the season and will remain open into the fall.
Your input helps enhance the accuracy of air quality alerts and supports a healthier Maine for all.
Thank you for staying observant and involved!
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Caught a Tagged Fish? Report It!
Fish tagging studies are underway across Maine! If you catch a fish with a yellow, orange, or green tag near its dorsal fin, you’ve found important data in the making.
These “Floy Tags” help biologists track fish movement, growth, and survival—but they only work with your reports.
When reporting a tagged fish, anglers are asked to provide the following information:
- The tag ID number
- Whether the fish was harvested or released
- The fish's length
- The location where it was caught
Visit mefishwildlife.com/tag to report a tagged fish.
Your input helps enhance fishery management and the future of Maine’s waters!
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Monday - Thursday
8:30 AM -4:30 PM
Closed Fridays
(staff working remotely)
We recommend calling ahead,
(207) 783-7733.
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If you would like to support Lake Stewards of Maine,
kindly click on the button below. Thank you!
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