The discovery of an invasive aquatic plant (IAP) is bad news for any lake, which is why the Friends of Worthley Pond focuses its efforts and funding on prevention and early detection programs.

Our first line of defense against IAPs is to prevent them from entering the pond via the FWP Courtesy Boat Inspection (CBI) program.  We also encourage boaters to self-inspect their boats before launching them at any location where an official inspector is not available.

Our second line of defense against IAPs is early detection via Invasive Plant Patrols, which include annual surveillance of the shallow shoreline areas of the pond and vulnerable areas such as boat ramps, beaches, and protected areas that provide viable plant habitat.  For years, the FWP has relied on Charlie Day and his assistants to survey the pond for invasive plants.  To date, NONE FOUND.  Many, many thanks to Charlie for his efforts!!

This year, the FWP has invited its Courtesy Boat Inspectors to join the team of Shoreline Stewards and help with the pond’s Invasive Plant Patrol (IPP) work.  Interested in volunteering as a Shoreline Steward?  Great!  Here’s how:

  1. The Lake Stewards of Maine offers in-person Invasive Plant Patrol workshops throughout the summer.  Updated Information about these workshops, i.e. content, timing, and location, and a registration form can be found on the Lakes Stewards of Maine website, under Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention.
  2. The Lake Stewards of Maine also hosts an Invasive Plant Patrol 101 webinar on May 9, 2024, 9am-12pm, where attendees will learn how to identify each of Maine’s 15 potentially invasive plants and their native lookalikes, proper surveying methods, and how to properly report and submit findings.  Click here for more information and to register for the webinar.
  3. Once you have your IPP Certification, the FWP will give you an IPP Toolkit and assign a section of the pond for you to patrol.

Also, the Lake Stewards of Maine offers an app for $2.99, called the Maine Field Guide to Aquatic Phenomena, that can be downloaded onto your phone and used to help identify invasive as well as native aquatic plants anywhere, anytime . . . by anyone.  No formal training required!  So, if you are curious or concerned about some of the aquatic plants that appear on the Worthley Pond shoreline, simply look them up via this app.  You’ll know in a jiffy whether they are native or invasive.

Questions??  Please contact the Friends of Worthley Pond.