Lake Waukewan’s Lake Host Program is looking for volunteer hosts

MEREDITH — Again this summer, Lake Waukewan is being protected from variable milfoil and other exotic aquatic plants through the efforts of three paid lake hosts and eight volunteer hosts working at Waukewan’s public boat launching ramp. However, more volunteer coverage is needed.

Variable milfoil and other invasive plants are a serious problem in New Hampshire. Once these weeds are fully established in a body of water, it’s almost impossible to eradicate them. Milfoil seriously compromises the recreational, ecological and economic value of a lake, costing tens of thousands of dollars to control annually.

The objectives of the NH LAKES Lake Host program are “to place trained lake hosts at public motorized boat launch sites to:

• educate visiting boaters about exotic plants by distributing brochures, answering questions, and completing a brief boater survey;

• conduct courtesy boat and trailer inspections of vessels both entering and leaving public waters;

• show boaters where to look for hitch-hiking plant fragments on boats and trailers and encourage them to conduct self-inspections;

• remove and properly dispose of all plant material found, and send samples of suspicious plants removed from vessels to the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services or identification.” (NH Lakes document)

The Lake Waukewan Lake Host Program needs volunteers to work on July and August weekdays. A host’s time spent manning the Lake Waukewan ramp can range from 0-4 hours per week, according to your schedule. An hour of training will be provided for each host.

Contact Tim Whiting, Lake Waukewan’s lake host point person, at 279-7834, for further information — or email tlwhiting68@gmail.com to sign up as a Waukewan Lake Host Volunteer.