Wanted: Lake Host Volunteers in M'boro

[Lakegeezer]

Resent from the Milfoil Committee:

The Moultonborough Milfoil Committee is looking for volunteers for the Lake Host Program. Please forward this to anyone who might be available to volunteer a few hours a week or month. It's time well spent in protecting our lake.

Lake Hosts will play a key role in the effort to prevent invasive aquatic plants (primarily Milfoil) from being transported in or out of Moultonborough waterways. Lake Host volunteers represent our town's commitment to a high quality of water in our lakes and streams.

Training will occur June 5-6 at 9:00 AM at Lee's Mills and 1:00 PM at Long Island on both Saturday and Sunday. You are encouraged to bring a guest who will volunteer hours to combat milfoil.

The trainer is Billy Threthaway. He has worked in the Lake Host program for three years and was recommended to us by the NH Lakes Association as a good candidate to run our program the first year. Billy is a UNH student with a major in Marine Biology.

It is best to learn more about the NH Lakes Association’s Lake Host Program prior to your class, click here to watch the Lake Host Program video. You can also click here to go to the NH Lakes Association’s Lake Host Program website.

We are planning to cover the following ramps this season from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, on Saturdays, Sundays and two holidays.

· Lee's Mills,
· Long Island,
· Harilla Landing,
· State's Landing (as often as possible)

If you have a preference for the ramps, please let Billy know at the training class.

Also, if you have questions please call.

The Moultonborough Milfoil Committee would like to thank you for your willingness to be part of our effort to make Moultonborough's water resources clean, healthy and something we can all be proud of.

Thanks,

Nancy Wright
Moultonborough Milfoil Committee
476-5625

[Jeanzb1]

....Do you happen to know if this is being done in other lake towns as well?
For example, Meredith, Gilford, Alton?

[Argie's Wife]

It is being done also in Alton....

volunteers needed
Alton needs volunteers for Milfoil Committee & Lake Host Program
The Alton Milfoil Committee is actively working hard to address the concerns and challenges of milfoil in our town water bodies and is asking for help. This is a working committee; we get out and do things: identify milfoil locations and plot them on the town map; apply for and receive grants; educate the public, etc. and more hands make the work load easier and the committee's goals attainable. The Committee meets one or two times per month and is truly making a difference. If you would like to contribute your time and ideas toward keeping our greatest natural resource, the lakes, free of milfoil please contact the Alton Parks and Recreation Department at 875-0109; parksrec@alton.mh.gov or stop by the Alton Town Hall for a committee application.

The Milfoil Committee is also implementing the N.H. Lake Host Program in Alton Bay at the Town Boat Ramp this summer and is looking for help in staffing the boat ramp and educating the lake users about milfoil and lake weeds. Volunteers receive training and a staff shirt and meet and greet fisher-men, boaters, and those using the boat ramp. Milfoil is identified and ways to check the water craft before and after leaving the water are demonstrated. A group of 10-12 volunteers are needed to donate 2-4 hours per week from May 30-September 5. If you would like to be a part of the team to promote healthy lakes please contact the Alton Parks and Recreation Department at 875-0109 or parksrec@alton.nh.gov. We need volunteer support to make the program work.

[Lakegeezer]

The Lake Host training for Moultonborough ramps will be held again this Saturday, June 12'th at the Loon Center (near Lees Mills). Two sessions; 9AM and 1PM. Volunteers are still needed for a few 4-5 hour shifts over the summer.

[Rag Top Daze]

I thought we approved $10,000 for this project. Why are these people not paid for this service? On what is the money being spent, if volunteers are doing the work?

[Lakegeezer]

Originally Posted by Rag Top Daze

I thought we approved $10,000 for this project. Why are these people not paid for this service? On what is the money being spent, if volunteers are doing the work?

There are paid workers too. I don't have all the details, but understand there will be one paid and one volunteer per ramp on weekends. They want two people on duty. Volunteers help the funding for the paid folks go farther and there is some matching funds that come in based on hours that volunteers put in.

[Merrymeeting]

Originally Posted by Rag Top Daze

I thought we approved $10,000 for this project. Why are these people not paid for this service? On what is the money being spent, if volunteers are doing the work?

I can't speak for Moultonborough, but we have a Lake Host program on Merrymeeting too. If you want to cover the majority of the time that boats are going in and out, and especially catch the early morning put-ins, there are far more hours to cover than the budgets will allow.

So, as Lakegeezer stated, the coverage is done using a combination of paid hosts (usually students) and volunteers.

[LIforrelaxin]

Originally Posted by Lakegeezer

The Lake Host training for Moultonborough ramps will be held again this Saturday, June 12'th at the Loon Center (near Lees Mills). Two sessions; 9AM and 1PM. Volunteers are still needed for a few 4-5 hour shifts over the summer.

Ok so I am reading this and thinking a trip to the loon Center this weekend might be doable.... However I can't volunteer for 4 - 5 hours at a time.... I love this lake... but volunteering for 4-5 hours on a weekend is a little much.... I live on long Island and would be willing to go to either the Harrilla Landing launch or the Beach launch for a few hours a couple of Sunday mornings over the summer... But 4 -5 hours.... lets get reasonable.....

Finding Volunteers doesn't work when you ask them to give to much.

[Lakegeezer]

Originally Posted by LIforrelaxin

Ok so I am reading this and thinking a trip to the loon Center this weekend might be doable.... However I can't volunteer for 4 - 5 hours at a time.... I love this lake... but volunteering for 4-5 hours on a weekend is a little much.... I live on long Island and would be willing to go to either the Harrilla Landing launch or the Beach launch for a few hours a couple of Sunday mornings over the summer... But 4 -5 hours.... lets get reasonable.....

Finding Volunteers doesn't work when you ask them to give to much.

Unless the program becomes overwhelmed with volunteers (not a problem yet), it is difficult to find enough people to fill 2 hour shifts. But I can see your point. Four hours takes a good chunk out of the weekend.

The volunteer shifts are 8-12 or 12-4. No 5 hour shifts. The locations are Lees Mill, Long Island, Harilla and States Landing. Volunteering for even one or two shifts all summer is appreciated. Training will also be held tomorrow (June 12'th) and next Saturday, June 19'th at 9 or 1 at the Loon Center (Rain or Shine).

There is a sign-up sheet available, so you can pick your time. I'm attending a training session tomorrow and hope there are Sunday mornings open to sign up for my shift. :-)

It is a good opportunity to learn something from a UNH marine biology student and meet some folks concerned about lake quality.

The Lake Hosts program is a state wide effort, and the program info can be found here.