Since 1992
Print and digital marketing
PHOTO: Boat inspectors on the job. (Submitted photo)
GARDINER — Each year, local watershed organizations including the Friends of the Cobbossee Watershed, 30 Mile River Watershed Association and 7 Lakes Alliance hire seasonal team members to assist in the Courtesy Boat Inspection Program, invasive aquatic plant survey and removal and the Youth Conservation Corps.
The Courtesy Boat Inspection Program is the first line of defense against invasive aquatic species. Boat Inspectors work at boat launches throughout the statee to prevent the introduction of invasive species by doing visual inspections of all watercraft entering and leaving a water bodies. Early detection can be the difference between eradicating a threat or an invasive species taking over a lake. Plant survey team members spend their days paddling, boating and snorkeling, looking for signs of invasive aquatic species. If an invasive aquatic species becomes established, removal teams work to restore our freshwater habitats.
Invasive aquatic plant survey and removal team members receive training needed to carry out their roles, and these positions are best suited for college students interested in the environmental field or anyone who has a passion for hands-on lake protection work.
Youth Conservation Corps crews work with shorefront property owners to prevent erosion and runoff, safeguarding our lakes, ponds, and streams from non-point source pollution, which can cause harmful algal blooms and other water quality problems. This is a hands-on, labor-intensive, and rewarding opportunity for high school and college students who want to get their hands dirty while protecting lakes.
For more information, contact Friends of the Cobbossee Watershed, at watershedfriends.com (Litchfield, Manchester, Mount Vernon, Monmouth, Readfield, Richmond, West Gardiner, Winthrop); 30 Mile River Watershed Association at 30mileriver.org (Chesterville, Fayette, Leeds, Mount Vernon, Readfield, Vienna, Wayne); 7 Lakes Alliance, 7lakesalliance.org (Belgrade, Mercer, Mount Vernon, Oakland, Rome, Smithfield, Sidney). For other organizations throughout the state doing similar work, visit lakes.me.
