In 2023, Invasive plant patrol volunteers donated 434 hours of their time, the equivalent of $13,801.20. According to the Independent Sector, volunteer time is worth $31.80 per hour in 2023. These hours include outreach, training, transportation, paperwork, and surveying on the water.

“If you live, work, or play on the waterbodies in our region, please stop by our office to learn about aquatic plants that occur naturally in our lakes and the specific invaders – both plants and animals- that we hope to prevent,” said Julia Morin, Headwaters Coordinator. “We need landowners to learn the plants that grow along their properties and call us when they notice something unusual.”

The invasive plant patrol program, overseen statewide by the Lake Stewards of Maine, helps prevent aquatic plants in waterbodies statewide. By patrolling lakes each season, volunteers become familiar with their native flora and can recognize an infestation before it spreads. There are no documented invasive plants in the Rangeley Region thanks to our diligent volunteers.

RLHT would like to thank the Headwaters Lake Protection Program’s Janet Bissell for her hard work as Invasive PP Coordinator. She organizes Lake Leaders and their teams for all waterbodies in the Rangeley region. Janet also surveyed many waterbodies herself, and the 2023 IPP program would not be possible without her.

If you have any questions regarding invasive aquatic species, please contact the 2023 Headwaters Coordinator, Julia Morin, at headwaters@rlht.org.