Help fight the spread of milfoil in Grand Lake
- Sarah Mayes
- Aug 12, 2020
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 12
Eurasian milfoil is an invasive aquatic plant native to Europe, Asia, and northern Africa. Introduced to North America in the 19th century, it is now one of the most widely distributed invasive aquatic plants on the continent.
Outside its native range, Eurasian milfoil has spread across every continent except Antarctica. A report prepared by the Federation des Lacs de Val-des-Monts in conjunction with the municipality first reported the invasive plant in Grand Lake in 2014.
Why is milfoil a concern?
Eurasian milfoil and other invasive aquatic plants can pose a serious threat to the environment. Because they are a foreign plant with no natural predators, they compete fiercely with indigenous plants, and can alter the makeup of ecosystems and disturb local biodiversity. Milfoil forms thick mats making activities such as fishing, canoeing, and swimming difficult. It also sheds fragments when disturbed by motors and paddles. Even a small piece of milfoil can take root and grow into another plant.
What is the Grand Lake Association doing to fight milfoil?
The fight against Eurasian milfoil, as with any invasive species, will be ongoing. It’s only through the cooperation of all cottagers, and the help of many volunteers, that this scourge will be kept under control.
The Grand Lake Association, in partnership with federal, provincial, and local governments, is working to monitor and mitigate the impacts of milfoil on our lake. A new report by Stéphanie Milot of the Féderation des lacs de Val-des-Monts shows the areas of Grand Lake with the largest milfoil infestations (see the map in the Resources section below).
To keep the spread of milfoil under control, we urge all cottagers (and visitors to our lake) to please, follow these rules:
When coming from another lake or river, clean your boat, kayak, canoe – any watercraft!
Check your motor during and after use to ensure that no milfoil has been caught in it.
Follow Grand Lake's recommended boating speed limits in to avoid churning up milfoil.
Pick up any pieces of milfoil that you find and keep the area around your property as milfoil-free as possible. Be vigilant!
Dispose of milfoil in your garbage.
Do not let milfoil dry out on your dock or shore – a dead plant can blow away, take root again, and grow. That’s why milfoil is often called the “zombie plant”.
Keep away from the areas marked with the white milfoil warning buoys (pictured above). No swimming or watercraft in these areas please!
Refer to the milfoil areas on the map in your Grand Lake Directory, and in the Resources section below, and plan your boating or other recreational activities to avoid these areas.
Remember: disturbing the plant can break it and allow it to spread.
Most importantly, your Association is here to help us all keep the spread of milfoil under control. There is no magic cure, so please stay vigilant and let the executive know if you have any concerns or suggestions to help stop the spread of this invasive species in our lake.
Resources:
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