by Mark Patterson • MPA board member
Distant view of a Swollen Bladderwort infestation
Some of you may have seen the disturbing news story posted on WMTW News 8’s website on November 17, 2023. It highlighted the discovery of the invasive plant Swollen Bladderwort in Little Ossipee Lake in nearby Waterboro.
Swollen Bladderwort is a rootless plant that grows in dense mats, “mucking up the water” and making it difficult to swim, boat, and fish on the lake. Like many invasive plants, the property owners around Little Ossipee Lake believe the plant arrived as an aquatic hitchhiker on a prop or boat trailer, or in the ballast tank of a wake surfing boat, or the live well of a bass boat.
Waterboro plans to lower the lake’s level during the winter, in order to freeze and kill some of the plants. Volunteers will be recruited in the spring to harvest any plants that survive. Only time will tell if their proposed solutions do the trick.
With Little Ossipee’s
public boat launch
only 40 short miles
away from the
Moose Pond’s Route 302
launch, this news
has broader implications.
With Little Ossipee’s public boat launch only 40 short miles away from the Moose Pond’s Route 302 launch, this news has broader implications. The diligence of the Courtesy Boat Inspectors, who serve as our first line of defense against invasive species, is paramount to Moose Pond’s continued health. Second, LEA’s efforts to successfully promote the Clean, Drain, and Dry Legislation, LD92, that went into effect on June 16, 2023, requires boaters to remove any hull drain plugs and empty out any water from live wells or ballast tanks before entering Maine’s lakes.Fastidiously draining, cleaning, and drying boats away from any inland water prevents the spread of invasive aquatic species. Lastly, the proactive decision to support the Moose Pond Association by making an annual membership donation keeps our waters safe and pristine. Thank you so much.The stakes are too high to ignore the threats that surround us, and we would encourage all of you who love the lake and call it your home to support the MPA and its ongoing efforts to protect our special lake for all to enjoy for generations to come.