LEA has been working since 2003 on controlling variable leaf milfoil, one of Maine’s most invasive aquatic plants, on the Songo River and Brandy Pond. Previous to this work, much of the Songo River was infested with this plant, making it nearly impossible to travel through this busy waterway without boating through it. Fragments of milfoil, which can form new colonies, were continually being chopped up and redistributed in the river, downstream to Sebago Lake, and up to Brandy Pond. After more than a dozen tough years, we have finally brought this infestation under control in both the river and Brandy Pond. Our milfoil control crew is now primarily doing maintenance sweeps for new plants that root in both these waters. However, Sebago still has numerous sites infested with Milfoil and our crew is now working on the worst patches in Sebago Lake and Sebago Cove. This work is a long-term project and we hope that by working on Sebago we can further reduce infestations in upstream waters and across the state. Since the discovery of a dense patch of milfoil in Long Lake a few summers ago, our team continues to remove plants and monitor this area and uses extensive surveying to identify and prevent new infestations from taking root. Our effort on these waterways has also shown us that large infestations can be brought under control with experience, funding, and commitment. If you think this work is important, please donate toward the cause by clicking the link below.
Donate to the Milfoil Fund directly by selecting “milfoil” program in the dropdown menu