The discovery of an invasive aquatic plant (IAP) is bad news for any lake, which is why the Friends of Worthley Pond established an Invasive Species Response Fund in 2024.
The purpose of the fund is to ensure an aggressive response IF – and most likely WHEN – an invasive plant species is found in Worthley Pond. It will provide monies to fund initial activities to control an outbreak and to leverage State of Maine funding to develop and execute a comprehensive mitigation and eradication program.
The Invasive Species Response Fund was announced at the 2024 Member Appreciation Pancake Breakfast and Annual Meeting. The presentation included an eye-opening discussion of just how pervasive invasive species outbreaks are among ponds in western Maine and an overview of what the FWP is doing to not only avert an invasive species outbreak, but also to maintain the outstanding water clarity levels in our pond. The four-pronged prevention approach includes Courtesy Boat Inspections, Invasive Plant Patrols, the LakeSmart Program, and Water Quality Monitoring.
How will the Invasive Species Response Fund be funded? Initial funding of $25,000 came from the FWP checking account. Most recently, a generous donation In Memory of John Dickson was received. Future funding options include individual donations and fundraisers. If you would like to provide a special donation to the Invasive Species Response Fund, please contact Brent West.
The Water Quality Committee of the Board, led by Brent West, includes board members Bill LaFleur, Bob Burke, and Annette Nash, and Senior Advisors Charlie Day and Jim Denholm. FWP members are encouraged to contact this committee with thoughts and/or questions regarding efforts to preserve Worthley Pond’s water quality, to understand how to best be ready for an invasive species outbreak, and to ensure that funding is available to address a future invasive species outbreak.