Was Summer Back?
Was it just me? Or was summer BACK?
Part of that feeling, for me, came from the time I spent on and around the water as part of my new post with 7 Lakes Alliance. With an insider’s view, I’m even more impressed by the yeoman’s work this small nonprofit performs to conserve the region’s waters and the lands. To wit:
- Our Youth Conservation Corps have completed about 100 projects to stymie erosion and prevent dirt from carrying phosphorus into streams and lakes. These young people spread mountains of mulch, planted a figurative forest of lakeshore vegetation, and fortified shorelines with riches of riprap. Outstanding!
- Using clean water grants, 7 Lakes has facilitated the rebuilding of three miles of town and camp gravel roads, some of them within 200 feet of the lake, along with some bridge and culvert improvements. That work is minimizing erosion into North Pond, Great Pond, McGrath Pond and Salmon Lake. Progress!
- The herbicide treatment in Great Meadow Stream did the trick. The milfoil has been beaten back, allowing native aquatic flora and fauna to flourish. That doesn’t mean milfoil is defeated. But the treatment gives our divers a puncher’s chance as they continue to pull the weeds manually. And the divers have prevented the spread of curly-leaf pondweed in the Serpentine stream between East and North ponds. Hallelujah!
- Our educational and recreational programming was plentiful, diverse and well-executed, thanks in large measure to Colby College super-interns Margo Kenyon and Tamra Benson. Their creativity and resourcefulness resulted in oodles of opportunity for enlightenment. Phenomenal!
- North Pond’s watershed-based management plan is in the works. The data gathered will shed light on the sources of the lake’s algal blooms, and how that might best be mitigated. Erosion-control recommendations from the plan may be eligible for more clean water grants. Onward!
- 7 Lakes is fortunate to have a generous donor matching the money collected during our annual summer appeal, dollar for dollar, up to $25,000. We appreciate the generosity of all of our benefactors who give of their time, talents and treasures. Thankful!
- Lastly, you have an incredible squad working on behalf of the lakes. The 7 Lakes team is wicked smaht — did I pronounce that right, y’all? — uber-passionate, well-springs of goodwill, impressive in their expertise and efforts, pillars of credibility, and indefatigable. In a word, they are: Marvelous!
The work of conservation does not end with the summer; it stretches into the fall, then winter, then spring. After which, we anticipate seeing you again next summer. Excelsior!
Anthony Wilson is the 7 Lakes Alliance’s communication director. You can write to him at anthony.wilson@7lakesalliance.org.
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