2020 Friends of Messalonskee annual report

Friends of Messalonskee was able to continue work on the Messalonskee Lake watershed during the 2020 pandemic. In addition to the work our milfoil crew completed, we contracted with New England Milfoil to bolster removal efforts. The virus threw many extra challenges our way, but we were able to adapt and keep workers safe throughout the season. Thank you to New England Milfoil, the FOM staff, and all the volunteers who pitched in to help. 2020

Year in Review
  • 10,856 square feet of new barriers installed
  • 7,060 gallons of variable leaf milfoil removed by New England Milfoil
  • 13,925 lbs. (278.5 bags) of milfoil removed by the FOM milfoil crew
  • 2,399,258 square feet of completed milfoil/plant survey & plant removal completed within the watershed
  • 2,723 boat inspections completed
  • 14 invasive plant stops
  • 4 new Lakesmart property evaluations were completed by FOM volunteers
  • One property has been Lakesmart-certified

One of the most important programs FOM offers is the courtesy boat inspections at the Sidney and Oakland boat launches. We are looking for volunteers to help with inspections in 2021. This is a fun way to make a significant impact on the entire Belgrade Lakes watershed. We provide the training and would welcome new volunteers to the program. If you are interested in learning more, contact us at friendsofmessalonskee@gmail.com.

Recently, FOM worked with Pan Am Railways to remove the old railroad ties that were leaching chemicals into the lake. Pan Am removed eight loads of old and rotting ties from the Belgrade and Oakland shorelines of the lake. A special thank you to Town Manager Anthony Wilson and board members Janna Townsend and Linda Warner for their work in getting the ties removed from tracks.

Join us! To become a member of FOM, friendsofmessalonskee.com and check out our popular Facebook page. We’ll see you on the lake this spring!

Respectfully submitted,

Mike Guarino, FOM President