Jami Badershall,Staff Writer

RANGELEY – The Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust was recently rewarded for its efforts to protect lakes, rivers, and ponds from aquatic invasive plants.

Now it hopes to expand the zone of protection throughout Franklin County and invites anyone concerned about the health of local lakes and ponds such as Clearwater, Wilson, Porter, Richardson and Embden, to attend a free workshop.

The purpose of the educational workshop, which will take place July 20 at the University of Maine at Farmington, is to promote awareness of invasive aquatic plants. Participants must register by July 17 by contacting RLHT program coordinator Rebecca Kurtz, 864-7311, or via email, [email protected].

RLHT’s program trains and coordinates more than 20 paid and volunteer courtesy boat inspectors (CBI’s) each year. Its CBI’s inspect boats, trailers and fishing gear at nine public ramps on six lakes and ponds. In 2005, its crew of CBI’s inspected nearly 10 percent of all the boats inspected in Maine. Last August inspectors successfully intercepted two samples of invasive Eurasian Watermilfoil as a boat and trailer were preparing to launch on Rangeley Lake.

The program also trains and coordinates volunteers who patrol the shorelines of high-risk coves and boat ramps in their search for invasive plants. Trained to identify native and invasive species, these volunteers collect data and plant samples to establish an inventory of what is growing in the local waterbodies. Fortunately, no invasive plants have been found growing in the region.

In addition to coordinating the CBI and Patroller programs, RLHT also offers educational workshops to lake associations and local businesses. It also promotes awareness at EcoVenture through an activity that it developed and currently implements. Now used by Maine DEP and other educational organizations, this activity will be published in a nationally distributed book later this year.

The Maine Center for Invasive Aquatic Plants (MCIAP) honored RLHT with the 2006 Invasive Plant Prevention Award last month. Kurtz and two program volunteers, Ellie and Willis White, accepted the award at MCIAP’s annual meeting. Having implemented a highly successful regional Courtesy Boat Inspection and Shoreline Survey program for the past five years, RLHT was recognized for having the most comprehensive program in the state. In accepting the award, Kurtz thanked all the program partners and specifically acknowledged the volunteers who are critical to the success of this important program.