Beaver Lake Saved from Milfoil by Lake Host Program!

On July 23 a plant was pulled from a boat by Lake Host Caroline Sennott and sent to the state for analysis. It turns out that WEED was the exotic species Variable Milfoil. This is exactly why we run this program and why Beaver Lake continues to be exotic weed free. The boat had just come from Milfoil infested Lake Massabesic and the boater had a very low awareness of Exotic Species and their devastating effects on lakes like ours. Had this weed made it into the lake (and it was just about to), it would have nestled itself into the phosphorous rich bottom of Beaver Lake and begun to reproduce at an alarming rate. All I can say is “Phew”!

In 2011 our Lake Hosts, Kevin Konstant, and Caroline Sennott, worked at the ramp for 50 hours every week for ten weeks greeting boaters at the ramp, educating them about the hazards of Exotic Weeds and physically checking each boat. We checked a total of 1086 boats this year. Last year we checked 1301 but had Lake Hosts 60 hour per week as opposed to 50 this year. We had to cut back hours due to lack of funding. We also had 90 hours of volunteer work, which added $1871.00 of match to our grant from the NH Lakes Association. We are required to provide an in-kind match of 50% for the original $1750.00 grant. With the $2000.00 the town of Derry gives us, the money the BLIA puts in and our volunteer hours, the BLIA had a 319% match this year. Not too shabby. Thanks to Tim Pellegrino, Sam Grey, Jane Troy and Guy Corricelli for volunteering their time in this valuable service. All totaled, including volunteer match, $6656.00 was dedicated to the Lake Host Program at Beaver Lake in 2011.

At the risk of beating a dead horse, if you are not a member of the BLIA, or have cut back on your giving recently, this incident is exactly why you need to join and give. We are spending money on valuable programs and will continue to do so as long as we can.

-Rob Tompkins, Jr.