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December 2008 Dear Members,

When asked to serve as president of the Island Falls Lakes Association I was happy to step up to the plate. I am second generation on the pond, spending each and every summer here. The third generation is now young adults bringing with them the fourth generation. I am happy my children enjoy coming to camp. I know with my family, as with many of yours, it is the one place we can relax and enjoy one an­ other. I want to make sure that the enjoyment we derive here remains possible in the fu­ ture. Being active in the Island Falls Lakes As­ sociation helps me do that.

All of the IFLA board members care about the watersheds which make up Pleasant and Mattawamkeag lakes. Many of them donate a significant amount of time to the organization, such as: monthly water quality testing, acting as representatives to COLA, acting as the DEP contact, as well as developing educational pro­ grams for our members. These represent just a few of the activities taken on by the board.

This year the board added a new activity to the mix, a shore­to­shore clean up of both lakes. Bags and bags of debris were col­ lected. My family went to the very end of Pleas­ ant, finding that much of the debris was plastic: bottles, bags, styrofoam, fishing line, even a few kayak paddles. This is an event which I'm sure will be come an annual activity.

I hope that you find this newsletter informa­ tive and consider becoming more active in the organization in the future. In 2009 the Board will be working with COLA, DEP and other agen­ cies to become as informed and proactive as possible to prevent the introduction of invasive species into the lakes. This fall we were notified by DEP of an invasive weed which was recently identified along Mattawamkeag Stream. We will be actively working to eradicate this plant be­ ginning next spring.

I invite all of you to become involved and engaged in the lakes association's projects and program of work. Whether it is volunteering for the kayak race, attending a DEP presentation, or picking up debris, please join us. Bring your children and grandchildren, make it a family af­ fair. That's how I got started.

Candy Guerette President Island Falls Lakes Association

Annual Around the Pond Canoe and Kayak Race: July 26, 2008

On Saturday, July 26 th , the Island Falls Lakes Association (IFLA) sponsored their annual Around the Pond Canoe/Kayak Races at Birch Point Campgrounds on Pleasant Lake. Although only twenty participated, over $270 was raised for the Southern Aroostook County Regional High School’s Dollars for Scholars program. IFLA would like to thank all of the local businesses who donated prizes for the event: Katahdin Trust Company, Katahdin Federal Credit Union, Bishop’s Market, Island Falls One­Stop, Horn of Plenty Res­ taurant, VaJoWa Golf Course, Craig’s Restaurant, Vacationland Estates, Spring Break Maple Syrup, May Mountain Variety, Trail’s End Restaurant, Jerry’s Market, Briar Patch Gifts and Flowers, Katahdin Forest Products, Midnight Auto Repair, Riverside Gifts, RC Logging Supplies, and Whitey’s Market. IFLA would also like to thank Patrick Hunt Law Offices and two IFLA members for their donations to Dollars for Scholars. Please remem­ ber to patronize these businesses as an additional “thank you” for their support.

John’s Tree Care and Removal John Lyons, POBox 193, Smyrna, 04780 (207­

757­8215) has been doing tree work for over 20 years. Give him a call for an estimate!

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2008 Around the Pond Canoe/Kayak Race Winners:

Student Division 1 st Place Nicholas Haggan 18:09 2 nd Place Tyler MacDonald 22:09 3 rd Place Ben Buffington 22:15 4 th Place Cameron Godbout 24:09 5 th Place Ben Donohue 34:57

Men’s Division 1 st Place Jim Pettyjohn 17:28 2 nd Place Glenn McNelly 17:58 3 rd Place Mike Hannigan 20:29

Women’s Division 1 st Place Margaret Chabot 19:20 2 nd Place Sandy Boutilier 22:16 3 rd Place Rosalind Eaton 31:52

Recreation 2 person Division 1 st Place Bob & Aimee Guerette 17:02

Open Division 1 st Place Crystal Nason

Clint Cushman 13:34 (Course record)

Century – Mixed Canoe total years: 143 1 st Place Ena Phipps

Peter Blood 15:24

First Place winners pictured from left: Marga­ ret Chabot, Nicholas Haggan, Clint Cushman and granddaughter Crystal Nason, Peter Blood and Ena Phipps, Jim Pettyjohn, Amy Guerette and her fa­ ther Bob Guerette.

An Invasive Plant Identification Work­ shop was held on Thursday, July 31 st , twenty vol­ unteers gave their time to learn how to identify invasive plants in their lakes. The workshop, or­ ganized by Norm Harte, was sponsored by IFLA and Birch Point Campgrounds and presented by Jackey Bailey and Roberta Hill of the Center for Invasive Aquatic Plants, part of the Maine Volun­ teer Lakes Monitoring Program (ME­VLMP). The volunteers learned how to distinguish Maine’s eleven most “unwanted” invasive aquatic plants from native plants and how to conduct an invasive plant survey of their lakes. The afternoon session consisted of a laboratory activity with hand lenses, field guides, identification keys, and about twenty samples of live aquatic plants, some of which were invasives. Water quality monitors for IFLA, then accompanied VLMP on a Level One sur­ vey of the public boat landings at both Pleasant and Mattawamkeag Lakes. Although no invasive aquatic plants were found, the shell of an invasive Chinese snail had been found previously at Matta­ wamkeag. The large size lakes both have multi­ ple access points and more thorough surveys need to be completed. The workshop participants will return in mid­July of 2009 to recertify, receive advanced training, and survey more of both lakes.

Pictured: Jim Timmins from Pleasant Lake, Rowena Harvey from Upper Shinn Pond in Mount Chase, and Candy McKellar, also from Pleasant Lake, use their hand lenses and identification keys to distinguish between invasive Fanwort and na­ tive water marigold.

Join the “Crown of Maine” website! Jeff Clarke, IFLA Board member, has offered free mem­ bership to all IFLA members, a $10 value. Check out the site with its community bulletin board and discussion options, the camera views (from Pleas­ ant Lake to Katahdin to Presque Isle!), and partici­ pate in the cool surveys! Check it out at www.crownofmaine.net or www.iflakes.org/ community. Let us know what you think!

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The 2008 Annual Meeting was held July 19th at Big Valley Sno Club and was preceded by the annual lobster and steak supper which was a big success again this year. President Steve Ed­ wards presided over the meeting. The secretary and treasurer reports were read and accepted. Jeff Clark was nominated and elected to serve on the Board. The election of officers took place: Candy Guerette, President; Peter Powers, Vice­ president; Sherry Pettyjohn, Secretary; Jim Tim­ mins, Treasurer.

In other business, a question was posed as to just what the IFLA really does. Please see the bulleted list of our activities under “Membership Information” on page four. With regard to grant monies being available for road repair projects, a discussion ensued regarding culvert replacement on an access road for Mattawamkeag Lake. A motion was made and passed to authorize funding if the qualifications were met. The Board will re­ view the request.

The web cam that was placed at Pleasant Lake by Crown of Maine has been very popular. A discussion took place regarding the placement of a similar web cam on Mattawamkeag Lake. IFLA expressed interest in the project and is willing to provide financial help. The Board voted to donate $120 to the Crown of Maine website.

A motion was made and passed to allow the IFLA Board of Trustees to expend up to $1000 in any 12 month cycle for the betterment of the As­ sociation.

The Board also voted to donate $500 to the SACH “Dollars for Scholars” scholarship program with $180 coming from canoe race proceeds. The Powers family will match the donation.

2009 Dates To Remember Shore to Shore Lakes Clean­up

July 11 Around the Pond Canoe/Kayak Race

July 25 Annual Meeting and Lobster/Steak Dinner

August 8 Maine COLA has established July 2009 as

Lakes Appreciation Month

Saturday, July 12th IFLA hosted its First An­ nual Shore­to­Shore Lakes Clean­up. Participants met at Birch Point for a hot dog lunch after spend­ ing the morning picking up trash from around both lakes. Pictured below are Suzanne Spruce, Steve Edwards, Bill Ginter, Candy Guerette, Sherry Petty­ john, Bob and Jane Miller, Pam Oliver, and Norm Harte. Also helping were Jim Pettyjohn, Ena Phipps, and Andrea Edwards. Joe McAuliff volun­ teered his truck and time to haul the accumulated trash to the transfer station. Help us get more lakes residents involved next year, July 11th! Mark your 2009 calendars now!

Water Quality Report: The graph below represents accumulated Secchi Disc Transparency data for Pleasant Lake since data has been col­ lected beginning in 1974. This year’s samples av­ eraged 10.5 meters which is the same as 2006­7, although down a bit since 2005’s 11.4 meters.

The graph is interesting for two reasons. First, a trendline for the data seems to indicate that the water clarity is not on a downward path, which is great. Second, ME­VLMP is interested in the long­ term analysis which seems to indicate a cyclical na­ ture to the clarity. Are we on a crest, soon to take a down turn? It remains to be seen.

Due to water level issues on Mattawamkeag Lake this summer, we do not have average SDT values. What we do have indicates clarity values similar to the long term averages.

We are interested in a new septic system sur­ vey of all watershed residences and volunteers to build, install, and monitor loon nesting platforms. Give us a call!

Average Secchi Disc Transparency

0

5

10

15

1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

Year

SDT in m

eters

Visit Birch Point and Trail’s End Restaurant, on Pleasant Lake in Island Falls. Call 207­463­2515

for dinner reservations or information.

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MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION – As an owner of waterfront property your membership and support is essential in preserving the quality of our beautiful lakes. Many thanks to those members who have continually supported IFLA over the years. Won’t you please consider convincing your lake neighbors to become members? Remember: the watershed is huge! All residents of the surrounding local towns should be members too!

What are the benefits of membership? What does IFLA do?

• Monitor lake water quality, submit data to Maine’s Volunteer Lakes Monitoring Program (VLMP) and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)

• Provide grant monies for pollution control projects including roads and septic systems. IFLA may pro­ vide up to 40% of the costs for camp road repairs if at least 75% of the camps served by the road are IFLA members.

• Provide educational material and guest speakers • Send a representative to the Maine Coalition of Lakes Associations (COLA) so that our voice can be

heard at the State level • Place speed/wake control buoys where needed to preserve shoreline property and safety • Assist in maintaining the public boat landings • Place/replace culverts to divert run­off from the lakes • Maintain the informational signage at the public boat landings

Enrollment form: Dues: $10 per person ­ $20 per family. Payable to IFLA, Box 63, Island Fall, ME 04747

Name: _________________________________ Phone: _________________ Address: _________________________________ e­mail:_________________

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Island Falls Lakes Association PO Box 63 Island Falls, ME 04747

IFLA wishes you a Happy New Year!