Maine Lakes Society

TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE OF MAINE'S LAKES, BOTH TODAY AND LONG INTO THE FUTURE. OUR PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES PROMOTE HEALTHY LAKES FOR ALL LAKE USERS, INCLUDING RESIDENTS, VISITORS, LAKE ASSOCIATIONS, COMMUNITIES, AND THE NEXT GENERATION OF LAKE STEWARDS.

LAKESMART: LAKESMART IS MAINE LAKES' FLAGSHIP PROGRAM THAT USES TEAMS OF TRAINED VOLUNTEERS TO VISIT, EDUCATE AND REWARD LAKEFRONT HOMEOWNERS WHO MANAGE THEIR PROPERTIES IN WAYS THAT PROTECT WATER QUALITY, AQUATIC HABITAT, PROPERTY VALUES, AND THE RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES HEALTHY LAKES PROVIDE. IN 2021, THE PROGRAM RECOVERED SLIGHTLY FROM PANDEMIC EFFECTS. IN PERSON TRAININGS WERE STILL REDUCED, AND THE BULK OF TRAINING FOCUSED ON ONLINE AND VIRTUAL EXPERIENCES, WHICH WERE EFFECTIVE BUT CHALLENGING. SIXTY-THREE NEW EVALUATORS ATTENDED VIRTUAL TRAININGS. LAKESMART EVALUATIONS WERE COMPLETED ON 215 PROPERTIES ON 42 DIFFERENT LAKES, WITH 84 LAKESMART AWARDS GRANTED. THREE LAKES RECEIVED "LAKESMART GOLD" STATUS FOR BRINGING 15% OF THEIR SHORELAND PROPERTIES INTO THE LAKESMART PROGRAM. THE KEY TO SUCCESS FOR LAKESMART IS CONTINUING PROGRAM MOMENTUM ON LAKES WITH ESTABLISHED PROGRAMS, CREATING A BEHAVIORAL NORM AMONG LAKEFRONT HOMEOWNERS THAT THE RIGHT THING, IN FACT THE ONLY THING TO DO, IS TO STOP EROSION AND PROTECT WATER QUALITY.

CONFERENCE: MAINE LAKES USUALLY HOSTS AN ANNUAL MAINE LAKES CONFERENCE EVERY JUNE BUT DUE THE PANDEMIC, WE ONCE AGAIN PIVOTED OUR SPEAKERS TO ONLINE WEBINARS. THE 10 WEBINARS ADDRESSED AN ARRAY OF TOPICS THAT RELATED TOPICS IN OUR NEWLY REVISED LAKE BOOK. THE BROAD ARRAY OF TOPICS INCLUDED CLIMATE CHANGE, CYANOBACTERIA, THE NATURE GAP HIGHLIGHTING DIMINISHED ACCESS TO GREEN AND OUTDOOR SPACES FOR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, DROUGHT, FOREST MANAGEMENT, AND WINTER LAKE ECOLOGY. THE WEBINARS HAD OVER 1,000 ATTENDEES, WITH MORE THAN 200 ADDITIONAL VIEWS OF RECORDINGS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE.

EDUCATION: MAINE LAKES WORKED ON SEVERAL EDUCATION PLANNING AND OUTREACH EFFORTS IN 2021 BUT DID NOT DO ANY ACTIVE, IN-PERSON OR ON-LINE WORK WITH YOUTH. LAKES ALIVE, OUR YOUTH EDUCATION PROGRAM, WAS OFFICIALLY RETIRED AND OUR 30-FOOT PONTOON BOAT THE MELINDA ANN WAS SOLD. WE DID INVEST IN SEVERAL NEW PUBLICATIONS (DESIGNED, PRODUCED AND PRINTED) COVERING SEPTIC CARE AND SHORELINE BUFFERS. WE ALSO WORKED ON A NEW EDITION OF THE LAKE BOOK WHICH WILL BE FINALIZED AND PRINTED IN 2022. WE PUBLISHED TWO NEWSLETTERS THAT COVERED TOPICS OF INTEREST TO LAKE DWELLERS TO HELP THEM BECOME MORE INFORMED AND TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT THEIR LAKES.

OTHER PROGRAMS