Check your boats / vessels and your shoreline.

Invasive plants have damaged lakes and waterways as close as Messalonskee Lake (Snow Pond) and the Belgrades, causing millions in damages. All it takes is a piece of stray plant attaching to a boat that’s moved from one waterway to another to wreak havoc. But it’s easy to prevent: simply check your boat/vessel and trailer before and after you visit any waterway and remove any plants you see. (It’s illegal in Maine to have plants on your boat in transit.)

And if you’re a camp owner, get to know the plants on your shoreline, and check ~2-3 times per summer to see if you spot any newcomers.

Learn more about Maine’s invasive plant species here.

And reach out for your free Lake Wesserunsett Invasive Plant Cheat Sheet:

Watch your runoff.

Phosphorous buildup also threatens the lake. This is caused by runoff from yard and household products. To address this, add diverts to roads and driveways to ensure runoff doesn’t end up in the lake, create a barrier of plants between your yard and the lake, and make sure your septic is secure.

We support two programs to help you do more with your property to protect the lake. Reach out to:

• Have a road expert come by and assess your camp road

• Be connected to the Lake Smart program to evaluate your shorefront