Lovell Invasive Plant Prevention Committee (LIPPC)
**CONTACT US HERE FOR LIPPC QUERY OR TO VOLUNTEER**
The public is invited to attend meetings, which are held on the 3rd Thursday of the month in the lower level meeting room of the Charlotte Hobbs Memorial Library. Meetings start at 7:00 pm and are concluded around 9:00 pm.
 John McPhedran, from Maine DEP, (L, in white top) met with LIPPC to discuss, among other things, the Rapid Response protocol, launched when an invasive species is discovered. (Photo by Ed Nista, LIPPC)
The Lovell Invasive Plant Prevention Committee (LIPPC) a Town committee, works toward the goal of preventing the further introduction or spread of non-native invasive aquatic plants in the Kezar Lake Watershed. The
committee organizes and maintains a program of boat inspections, informational signs and brochures at boat landings as well as a program of public education and awareness.
The highly invasive plant, variable leafed watermilfoil was found in Cushman Pond, one of the ten water bodies in the Kezar Lake Watershed, in 1995. An intensive program carried on since that time
has resulted in not only the control of milfoil in Cushman Pond, but no further introduction or spread of any invasive plants in the watershed. (The bi-annual, since 2002, watershed surveys, commissioned
by LIPPC, found no new infestations of invasive plants within the Kezar Lake Watershed.)
In accordance with our mission statement, this program is constantly being updated and enhanced to take advantage of the latest information from state and private organizations whose objectives
parallel ours, which is to control the further introduction or spread of invasive aquatic plants of all types, in our lakes, streams and ponds.
By-laws (adopted May 28, 2011)
Posted December 1, 2011:
Bud Gallie, one of the early members of the Milfoil Committee, died on November 20. Ed Nista, who served with him, passed this on:
"Bud was one of the original members of LIPPC and served as chair of the committee after the original chairman George Scala moved to Waterford.
I knew Bud and the Gallie family for many years and his mother, Mavis Gallie lived in the house directly adjacent to the Lovell town office on Main Street in Center Lovell. Bud was a witty guy and one of the most conservative - fiscal conservatives I’ve every met and those of us who knew him will miss his humor and charm."
To read his obituary, which appeared in the Conway Daily Sun, go HERE: http://www.conwaydailysun.com/obituaries/story/obituary-walston-bud-chubb-gallie
Posted November 16, 2011:
Completed Invasive Aquatic Plant Survey of Kezar + 6 ponds + Cushman Stream can be seen HERE.
Posted October 28, 2011:
This report, updating the summer activities of LIPPC, appeared in the Lakes Environmental Association 'Update on Milfoil".
Posted May 16, 2011:
Vital Signs, a division within the Gulf of Maine Marine Research Institute Program and a 'vital' component of our Eyes on the Water initiative, has a new link from their program to ours. Check it out HERE. It not only is an invitation for people to get involved in looking for unwanted invasive aquatic plants, but explains, stepwise, the process of collecting and reporting. Our program dates are cross-listed in this VitalSigns link.
Posted September 28, 2011:
 New signage at the Narrows boat launch and at other unattended launch sites throughout the watershed will raise awareness of the importance of self-inspection of watercraft. These signs were donated by a true believer! Thank you!
Posted May 3, 2011:
COURTESY BOAT INSPECTION PROGRAM
The Courtesy Boat Inspection (CBI) effort is underway. Headed by Marty Prox, the CBI team will involve some paid summer staff as well as volunteers from the community. During May, inspectors will be on duty from Thursday thru Sunday, and during the summer we will have coverage for the entire week, from 6 am to 5 pm. There are Self-Inspection kiosks for times and places when a CBI person is not there.
BOATERS:
- Make sure you have your boat stickers on your boat. They may be purchased at the Town Office or at Lovell Bait & Tackle OR White Birch Guide Service. ($20 for boats registered out-of-state, $10 for boats registered in Maine). Money from the sticker program is split 60/40 between Maine Departments of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Inland Fish & Wildlife (IF&W), for funding for invasive aquatic plant prevention and for the Maine Warden Service.
- Check your boats, motors, trailers and equipment to make sure you're not transporting weeds. (There is a $250.00 fine for transporting aquatic plants...).
- You may be asked to take the prop off of your trolling motor. You can do it on site, or, better yet, take it off (and clean the shaft) before you arrive. KNOW HOW TO DO THIS!
Link: To look at the Courtesy Boat Inspection Handbook, or to download it.
 
This is what we have...
This is what we're trying to avoid!!
Committee Members:
- Tom Hughes, Chair (Horseshoe Pond)
- Lou Olmsted, Secretary (Lovell, Ladies Delight)
- Diane Caracciolo (Lovell, Middle Bay-W)
- Tim Cyr (Middle Bay-W)
- Bob Drew (Lovell Selectman)
- Sue Hamlin (Lovell, Middle Bay-W)
- Wes Huntress (Middle Bay-W)
- Lucy LaCasse (Hut Rd) [Chair, Education Committee]
- Dave Mills (Lovell, Middle Bay-W)
- Gerry Nelson (Lovell, Cushman Pond)
- Ed Nista (Lovell) [Chair, Communications/Liasons Committee]
- Ed Poliquin (Timber Bay Shores) [Chair, Volunteer Coordinator; Fundraising Committee]
- Marty Prox (CBI Coordinator)
- Anna Romer (Lovell)
- Ray Senecal (Timber Bay Shores)
- Gene Spender, (Lovell, Northeast Cove)
- Ralph Tedesco (Pleasant Point)
- Ann Williams (Lovell, Middle Bay-W)
Friends of LIPPC:
- Doug Faille (Cushman Pond)
- Andy Feld (Upper Bay)
- Larry Hall (Lovell, Quisisana)
- Peter & Joyce Koop (Middle Bay)
- Kitty & Harry Mohla (Lower Bay)
- Jim & Lucia Owen (Keewaydin; GLLT)
- Tripp Turner (Lovell)
Check under the drop-down menu for the committees, their members and their goals/objectives. Information will be updated regularly.
VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED!!
Join Us In Our Fight Against Invasive Aquatic Plants!!
Lovell Invasive Plant Protection Committee (LIPPC) &
Kezar Lake Watershed Association
What Are ‘Invasive Aquatic Plants’? Why Should I Care?
- Invasive aquatic plants, which hitchhike from an infested lake or pond on boats and motors, fishing gear, and wildlife, disrupt the ecology of the lake significantly.
- Once introduced, these invasive plants are practically impossible to eradicate, especially if they have gone undetected for a year or two.
- These invasive aquatic plants spread quickly, doubling or tripling the area of infestation each year.
- Once a body of water is infected, the most common way to manage these invasive plants is by manual harvesting, the laying of benthic barriers, or with herbicides. Treatment can be very expensive and must be ongoing.
- Eleven invasive species threaten Maine waters.
- Thirty-five bodies of water in Maine are already infested with one or more species of invasive aquatic plants. Several of these lakes are within 30 miles or less of the Kezar Lake watershed.
- Once established, invasive aquatic plants form dense mats, making boating and swimming very difficult if not impossible.
- There has been at least one death attributed to drowning by entrapment in Eurasian milfoil.
- Established colonies crowd out native species.
- Real estate values for waterfront properties decline when aquatic invasive plants become established. This has ramifications not only for the property owner, but the tax base of the entire town: as the value of waterfront property erodes, taxes of off-lake properties will increase. Local businesses will be negatively impacted.
What Can I Do to Help?
Volunteer as a Courtesy Boat Inspector:
- The Courtesy Boat Inspection (CBI) program needs volunteers at public landings on Kezar Lake.
- The goal is to have every boat entering the lake visually inspected by a CBI volunteer, who will also take a brief history of where the boat has recently been, and talk with each operator about the importance of keeping his/her boat clean and free of all weeds.
- Visual inspection has been found to be the most effective tool in preventing the introduction of invasive aquatic plants into a body of water.
- A CBI inspector made a ‘save’ at the Narrows boat launch when he stopped a boat because of weedy debris; the weeds were determined by Maine DEP to be Eurasion Milfoil, one of the ‘worst’.
Educate Yourself:
- Attend an Eyes on the Water program, to be held several times throughout this summer.
- SPREAD THE WORD!! Get involved!! Tell your friends and neighbors!!
*To volunteer as a Courtesy Boat Inspector, please contact:
Ed Poliquin: (603) 356-6168 (Chair, Volunteer Committee)
Diane Caracciolo: 205-925-1193 (Volunteer Committee)
Tom Hughes: 207-925-6846 (Volunteer Committee)
Help us in our efforts to keep our watershed free of these invasive aquatic plants!
THANK YOU!!!
For information or to volunteer, see the link at the top of this page, or visit the KLWA website
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Posted March 17, 2011
As INFORMATION that we feel would be useful in our education becomes known, it will be posted HERE.
- Northeast Aquatic Nuisance Species Panel: http://www.northeastans.org/online-guide/---good id sheets.
- Courtesy Boat Inspection Handbook
Posted March 14, 2011:
New Courtesy Boat Inspector Announced!
The search team and interview team are pleased to announce that the Lovell Invasive Plant Protection Committee has hired Mr. Martin Prox to fill the position of Courtesy Boat Inspection Program Coordinator. Marty is a resident of Denmark Maine and is a retiree of United Airlines with almost 30 years of dedicated experience. He is an avid outdoorsman, especially fishing and pleasure boating and is keenly aware of the dangers presented by invasive and non-native species of plants and animals. The team is very happy to have Marty join our LIPPC team.
Lucy LaCasse
Ed Poliquin
Tom Hughes
Gene Spender
Meetings
The Committee meets at various times during the year and the meeting dates can generally be found on the Town Events & Meeting Calendar. Minutes will be posted below as they are approved.
2009
2010
2011
2012
Resources & Documents
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