Editor,
Nearly one year ago, the Little Sebago Lake Association contacted me with a shared concern from the Lakes Region-state actions to stem the spread of milfoil statewide.
As the State Representative for parts of Windham and Gray, and as a former member of the Legislature’s Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee, I have been closely monitoring Maine’s efforts to rid our lakes and ponds of invasive plants.
I recently brought along officials from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries of Wildlife to offer detailed information to the annual Westwood Extension Road Association meeting, but I would like to provide an update on our state’s work to date on this important issue.
Though we all are aware of the dangers milfoil presents to our inland waters, we must remember that Maine has taken action very early on addressing this problem. Out of more than 5,000 Maine lakes covering more than one million acres, only 26 have been identified as having been infested by milfoil or its more aggressive counterpart, hydrilla. Milfoil stickers pay for monitoring efforts, as well as education programs and volunteer outreach, and have provided more than $4 million since the program’s inception to fight milfoil infestations.
Our neighbors in New Hampshire first noticed milfoil in 1965, but the real spreading didn’t occur for years. When it did, it was exponential, and it now invades as many as three or four new lakes each year. Other New England states have spent millions each during the last 20 years to combat milfoil, but only after the problems grew so significant that they were forced to take action.
We still have much more work to do to keep milfoil from damaging the health of our lakes as well as our tourist economy. Lake associations in our area have really led the way in their work to protect Maine lakes from milfoil, and I’m always interested to hear about and from these community groups who work so hard to preserve our quality of life. If I can provide more information to you or your lake or road association on milfoil efforts or any other state issue, please feel free to call me at home at 892-6591, or e-mail me at RepMarkBryant@yahoo.com.
Rep. Mark Bryant
Parts of Windham, Gray
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