The good news first! Our latest survey with the bat monitor on June 7 detected an impressive 5 species of bats living around Lake of the Falls, including some stalwart Little Browns who survived another hibernation in spite of wet nose disease. You can see who and where they were by looking at this map on our Facebook page. Great diversity on our beautiful lake!
The bad news is that Curly Leaf Pondweed has shown up in LOTF in some unexpected places. On June 4th, crew of 4 volunteers spent 2 hours clearing a 15-foot wide patch that we found growing in the channel at the north end of the lake. We’ll go back and check that spot in a couple of weeks for re-growth. But we noticed individual CLP plants growing here and there in the north end of the lake, which will have to be pulled out before they spread. And it’s almost certain that it is growing in other areas. PLEASE continue to check your shorelines, and look down whenever you’re out in your boat. Check this photo to see what you’re looking for. Click here for a close-up. If you’re not sure if you have CLP or something else, let us know, and someone who has experience with it can come and verify it. Or check in this guide, which is hosted on our website. (You can download the guide and keep it on your phone for easy reference.) If you pull it out, make sure you get all the plant parts, including the roots. Or send a note to lofassociation@gmail.com, or through our Facebook group, and we can organize a group of volunteers to go after it.
But, more good news! So far, fourteen LOFA families have promised to check their shorelines regularly for CLP growth, and either pull it out or ask for help if they find any. This is the newest version of our Adopt-A-Shore map. The bad news is that there are still some long stretches that are unaccounted for. If you can add your name to this map to keep an eye on your shore and the areas nearby, contact us and we will put you on the map and provide training if you need it. If we all work together, we can keep CLP under control!