Be a Weed Watcher…

Help keep Manchaug Pond free of invasive species!  Share the mission of our Aquatic Plant Survey Teams at the boat ramp, dock, campsites, roadsides and along the shore and in the water!

Early detection and removal is the key!

  If we all monitor the pond, we can remove invasives before they spread!

If you see it…

• pull it or cut it out
• bag it
• and dispose of it away from the lake
• note the location where you found it and contact the MPF Aquatic Plant Survey Teams

Invasives ~ Know thy lake’s enemy!

What are invasive species?

Invasive species, Asian Clam, can be successfully controlled with lake-level drawdown.

Our lakes and ponds contain a wide variety of native plants and animals that are essential to a healthy ecosystem.  These native species originated here in new England and are well adapted to our climate and to other species that live here.  however, many “non-native” or “exotic species have been brought here from other parts of the country and the world. Some of these species are considered “invasive” because they are able to dominate or significantly alter an area’s ecology.  Once established, they continue to spread to additional locations by hitching rides on boats, trailers, gear, and in bait buckets.

When invasive species enter a water body, they can have a devastating impact.  Since the local ecosystems has not developed natural controls (animals or other plants to limit their growth) invasive species may spread rapidly.

Why are they harmful?

• Many invasive plants form dense mats of vegetation that can restrict boating, fishing, and swimming, and make the waterways entirely impassable.
• Many native plants and animals cannot compete for space or food with exotic species, and are crowded out or eliminated from the area.
• The aesthetic appeal, recreational value, and surrounding property values may quickly decline as the invasives species take over.
• The microscopic larval stage of Zebra Mussel and Asian Clam can easily travel undetected in bilge bait and livewell water.  They can proliferate at an alarming rate and frequently destroy boat motors, buoys, and fishing gear.  Their razor sharp shells often create a hazard for beach visitors.
  

  

• Once invasive plants and animals are established, they are almost impossible to eradicate.

How can you help?   Know that your activities make a difference!

Your activities matter: at home, at the campground, at the lake, on the water, or living in the watershed: 

Before you visit:

• Clean your boats before bringing to the lake. Remove all plants and animals from your boat motor, trailer, anchors, fishing gear, and dive gear and dispose of them on dry land, well away from the water or in a trash can.
• Flush engines and dispose of live-well, bait bucket, and cooling water away from the shore after each use.
• Never release any plant or animal into a body of water unless it came out of that body of water.
• Never empty aquariums into a water-body.
• Inspect and wash your boat, preferably with hot water, and allow it to completely dry before entering another body of water.
• Be a weed watcher while you’re at the lake and/or join the MPF’s survey teams.

Information courtesy of Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Lakes and Ponds Program

Curly-leaf Pondweed

Waterweed

Purple Loosestrife

Zebra Mussels

Asian Clam

Fanwort

Variable Milfoil

Yellow Flag Iris

Common Reed