Variegated milfoil? Water naiads? Chinese mystery snail, Asian clam, zebra mussels and spiny water fleas? What do these all have in common? We don’t want them in our lakes and rivers! These aquatic invasive species can tangle our feet when we swim, hamper passage for our boats, destroy habitat for native species, and worse.
On Saturday, July 10 from 7:30-9:30AM, join Chocorua Lake Conservancy Stewardship Director Lynne Flaccus for a leisurely paddle on Chocorua Little Lake, down to the dam and back. We’ll leave from the Grove on Chocorua Lake Road, just off Route 16, and explore the vegetated buffer along the water’s edge with its many nooks and crannies. We’ll see what insects, reptiles and amphibians we can find and learn what plants grow with their “feet” in wet soils at the lake’s edge or on the bottom.
While exploring the native flora and fauna, we’ll be on the lookout for signs of exotic aquatic species that could create problems in the lake if they become established. We’ll have with us some Weed Watcher Kits from the NH Department of Environmental Services (DES) to help with our searches and identification. Chocorua Lake is home to many native aquatic plants, and looking for clues to identification can help us all be more aware of what is around us.
Want to learn more in advance about what we can be looking for, both the species that belong here and the ones that cause trouble? Amy Smagula, Exotic Species Program Coordinator at DES, joined us last year for a webinar on “Protecting Our Lakes from Aquatic Invasive Species.” You can watch the webinar at chocorualake.org/gallery to learn how to identify the native plants in Chocorua Lake and on the shore, and what the ones we’re hoping never to find look like!
If you have not yet been vaccinated, or are less than two weeks from your last shot, please bring a mask for moments when social distancing is not possible. Participants must bring their own canoe or kayak, and paddles, and life jackets are required. Be sure to bring sun and bug protection, a water bottle, and snacks. Please email lflaccus@chocorualake.org with your phone number to let us know you will be coming so that we can let you know of any changes in the schedule.
Naturalist Lynne Flaccus has 30+ years of experience in land conservation and stewardship, managing protected properties, studying wildlife, and educating adults and children.
Banner image: A group of canoes and kayaks on Chocorua Little Lake. Photo: Lynne Flaccus