March Maine Lakes News

In This Issue

Lake Conference Early Bird Registration Open
LakeSmart Updates
Look Out For Loons
Aquatic Invasives Summit
Ice Out Reporting
Spring Cleanup
Summer Lake Jobs
Legislative Update

Lake Conference Early Bird Registration Open

The board and staff of Maine Lakes and Lake Stewards of Maine invite you to join us on the beautiful University of Maine Farmington campus for a full day of learning from each other and from lake experts about ways to work together to protect the health of Maine's amazing lakes.

Our annual lakes conference theme Lakes at the Edge has many interpretations, from the notion that our lakes are at the edge of dramatic health declines, needing work now to keep them from turning green and cloudy in the future, to the reality that much of the most important lake conservation work takes place at the literal lake edge. What can we do in the shoreland zone and surrounding uplands of our lakes to keep them healthy?

No matter how you interpret Lakes at the Edge you are sure to find something at the 2025 lakes conference to pique your interest. The conference committee is still working to finalize plans but see below for a list of topics and speakers.

We hope to see you there!

For on-going conference updates, visit the conference webpage HERE.

Conference highlights include:

Coffee Mixer: Come early to start the day with a coffee and a muffin while you meet your fellow volunteers, association members, and lake activists, facilitated by staff from several different lake programs.

Keynote Speaker: John Maclaine, Coordinator of the Nonpoint Source Training Center, Maine Department of Environmental Protection will discuss an exciting new initiative from the Department of Environmental Protection, OUR SHORE: The Nature-based Shoreline Stabilization Toolkit.

Lake Association Panel: Hear from lake association members about some of the innovative and engaging ways they have strengthened their associations. The panel will energize you and your association!

Lake Advocacy: Building Momentum for a Clean Lake Campaign: Hear an update on the latest policy developments in Augusta, as well as exciting plans by the newly formed Lake Protection Coalition to increase outreach, education, and action around clean and healthy lakes.

Afternoon Speakers (times and schedule TBD):

Insects at the Edge: How can bugs impact lake quality?

Brittany Schappach, Forest Entomologist, Maine Forest Service

Native Shoreline Plantings in Challenging Conditions

Rebecca Jacobs, Boothbay Region Water District

The Impacts of Terrestrial Invasive Plants on Riparian Forests & Watershed Ecosystem Services

Chad Hammer, Invasive Plant Biologist, Maine Natural Areas Program

Building eDNA applications for invasive aquatic species detection to supplement monitoring programs

Sharon Mann, 7 Lakes Alliance

Living on the Edge: Shallow-Water Habitat Condition in Maine Lakes

Jeremy Deeds, Maine Department of Environmental Protection

Visualizing Internal Phosphorus Release from Lake Sediments Using Volunteer-Collected Data

Jennifer Jespersen, CLM, Ecological Instincts

Building Trusts at the Lake’s Edge

Cary James, Meddybemps Lake Land Trust

Silent Auction/Raffle: Bid on native plants, books, art and more! Proceeds go directly to cover conference expenses.

Check the Conference Website for on-going updates, including abstracts for presentations and bios for all our wonderful speakers as well as conference news!

Early bird registration available until April 30th.

Don't wait! Based on early registration numbers so far, we

expect the conference will fill to capacity.

LakeSmart, Water Quality, and Invasive Plant Patrol

volunteers receive a discounted registration rate.

LakeSmart Updates

New LakeSmart property owner Ed and his pup on Green Pond in 2024 (PC: Andrea Stevens)

Maine Lakes’ flagship program, LakeSmart trains and supports lake association volunteers, who visit with neighbors and friends to assess lakeside properties, checking for erosion around structures, in the yard, and along the lake. Property owners receive recommendations for what they can do to reduce erosion and better protect their lake. Whether it’s installing a dripline trench around a structure, reducing lawn size and maintenance, adding more plants to a shoreline buffer, or covering bare areas of soil with erosion-control mulch, there is always something landowners can do to reduce their impact on the lakes. And there is always something for interested LakeSmart volunteers!

Join a LakeSmart Team

If you are interested in learning more about what is involved with being a LakeSmart volunteer or would like to attend a spring training session, email Andrea Stevens, LakeSmart Manager, astevens@lakes.me. The LakeSmart team is always interested in talking to new volunteers and expanding LakeSmart to new lakes. See the map below for the impressive reach of current LakeSmart teams.

Watch the next Winter Webinar: Celebrating 20 Years of LakeSmart!

Join Caroline Seibert, LakeSmart Coordinator at Maine Lakes, for a look back at 20+ years of LakeSmart in the state of Maine, how it has worked to protect lakes, and how it continues to expand and grow to create sustained and lasting impacts on Maine lakes.

Thursday, April 10, 2025, at 6:00 PM

Registration Link HERE

A LakeSmart evaluation at Cold Stream Pond in 2024 (PC: Laurie Fenwood)

A LakeSmart evaluation at Long Pond in 2024 (PC:Russ Sabia)

Active LakeSmart programs in 2024

Look Out For Loons

The Look Out for Loons Season is Launching Soon!

Look Out for Loons (LOFL) a program of the Maine Loon Restoration Project, engages volunteers in outreach efforts to help reduce disturbances and increase the productivity of Maine’s loon pairs.

We are excited to welcome back James Reddoch, LOFL Project Manager, in 2025! Many of you have likely met or corresponded with James over the past two summers. Like all of us at Maine Lakes, you will surely appreciate having his energy and passion back at the helm of the project. You can email James with questions about the upcoming season or how to get involved. Welcome back, James!

There are two virtual gatherings for you to learn about and get involved in the LOFL program:

Introduction to the Look Out for Loons Program

This session is for those new to LOFL. Participants will hear updates on the project’s goals and accomplishments. Most importantly, you'll learn how you can help.

Wednesday, April 2 | 5:00–6:00 PM, Register HERE

Check-In and Refresher Training for Past Participants

This session is for returning LOFL volunteers. It will provide updates and set goals for the 2025 season.

Wednesday, April 16 | 12:00–1:00 PM, Register HERE

Wednesday, April 16 | 5:00–6:00 PM, Register HERE

We hope to see you there!

Aquatic Invasives Summit

Attendees at the 2024 summit ask questions of the presenters. (PC: LEA)

Our colleagues at the Lakes Environmental Association are hosting the annual Maine Aquatic Invasive Species Summit on Friday, April 18th from 8:30 to noon at the Lewiston/Auburn Campus of USM, 51 Westminster Street in Lewiston.

Previously called the “Milfoil Summit”, the gathering is a great opportunity to hear a variety of updates and speakers who will share the latest news about what is happening in the fight against invasive aquatic species in Maine. Many lake association representatives will be there, and Maine Lakes will have a table of information to share. A CBI coordinator training will follow the summit. The summit is free but registration is required.

For more information and to register, CLICK HERE

Ice Out Reporting

Ice-In & Ice-Out Tracking, Lake Stewards of Maine website

As temperatures rise in March and April, lakes across Maine begin to lose their ice cover. These “ice-out” events provide valuable insights into lake health, including potential impacts on anoxia levels, cyanobacteria blooms, watershed snowpack reserves, and maximum summer temperatures. Our colleagues at Lake Stewards of Maine could use your help in tracking ice-out.

To learn more, check out the Ice-In/Ice-Out Tracking Resource Page.

To view current ice cover reports visit the Ice-In/Ice-Out Tracking Map.

To submit ice-out data, visit the online submission form or email stewards@lakestewardsme.org with the following information: your name, lake name (and MIDAS number if known), town/county where the lake is located, and the date of ice-out.

Thank you for contributing to this important effort!

Spring Cleanup

Installing an Open Top Culvert, Healthy Lake Video Series, Maine Lakes

Thanks to Roy Lambert, LakeSmart volunteer from Woods Pond/Lakes Environmental Association, for pulling together these tips for protecting your lake as you get ready to spring clean!

Yard Clean Up

Pine needles, leaves, and even downed branches add to the important duff layer, helping infiltrate storm water, support plant growth, and provide wildlife habitat on your property. Leave as much of this natural layer as possible while still being able to enjoy your property.

Pine needles and leaves: Minimize raking this material up other than clearing an area around your fire pit or maintaining your (hopefully minimal) lawn. Regarding lawns generally: Please avoid importing suburban aesthetics to lakeside Maine.

Downed branches and other debris: Leave to the extent practical, removing only in areas where you recreate or walk.

Maintain Your Septic Tank

Here's an action item that needs no action! Septic tanks naturally activate after the winter. Rid-X and similar bacterial enzyme additives interfere with natural bacterial action, causing an accelerated breakdown of solids that can then plug up your leach field. So don't waste money on septic tank products. No additive is needed to get its bacterial process started in the spring!

Maintain Water Diverters

Spring is a good time to inspect and clear out open top culverts, rubber razors, swales, and other areas that hold or divert stormwater. Runoff into these diverters carries silt which builds up over time and can reduce or eliminate the diverter’s capacity to function.

Summer Lake Jobs

Youth Conservation Corp from China Lakes Region Lakes Alliance

Do you know of a high school or college student who has a passion for clean water and is looking for a summer job on a beautiful Maine lake? Visit the Maine Lakes job page HERE for a current listing of lake and watershed jobs around the state.

Have a job you’d like to list on the lake job page? Email us your job information, including a website link.

Legislative Updates

Thank you to all of who have spoken up for healthy lakes in the legislature so far this session. It is heartening to read your testimony, and it is always a joy to see you in person in the committee rooms. There are still several months to go, and a couple more lake bills coming up before committees. If you want to hear the latest news, and receive calls for action when it’s time to reach out to your legislator, please add legislative alerts to your email preferences HERE. You can also visit our Advocacy page HERE for more information and regular updates on specific bills.

We will be putting out a call soon for action on behalf of LD 173, a bill that as amended would reduce the Lake and River Protection Sticker Fee for canoes and kayaks with small motors. While we are completely behind the idea of removing barriers to boating, especially for those boaters with very small investments in boating equipment, the proposal to reduce the sticker fee was in a verbal amendment made at the last minute before the committee vote took place and without any feedback from the public or agencies. It is worth noting that 40 out of 41 pieces of submitted testimony were opposed to this bill, and no proponents spoke at the public hearing. FMI, visit our Advocacy page HERE.

Thank you for speaking up for Maine's lakes!

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