A QUARTERLYL A PUBLICATION K OF ENH LAKES S – Volume I XXIX, D No. 3, FallE 2019 Lake-Friendly Living Goes Statewide! A few years ago, we were told by our posted in community gathering places Improvement Association—were members and partners that NH LAKES in LakeSmart communities to raise trained to deliver the program in their needed to do more to keep our lakes awareness.) If a property doesn’t community! clean and healthy. Our board and staff initially score high, the owner will accepted that challenge and we raised receive recommendations for We have received tremendous positive money, hired more staff, and achieving LakeSmart status. feedback on the launch of LakeSmart, developed new programs. This past and it’s clear we have just scratched summer, NH LAKES did more—in fact, As of mid-September, 75 property the surface of making lake-friendly more than ever before! By launching owners at 21 lakes had taken the living the norm in New Hampshire! our LakeSmart Living Program, we LakeSmart survey and 64 property Stay tuned—this winter we will be also inspired community groups and visits had been conducted. Of these building a LakeSmart program for property owners throughout the state properties, 23 received the LakeSmart service providers. In the meantime, we to do more! Award. In addition, two local invite you to visit nhlakes.org/lakesmart associations—the Clough Pond to take the property owner survey. The NH LAKES LakeSmart Program is Association and the Deering Lake an education and reward program that assists property owners in managing their activities and the landscape in ways that keep our lakes clean and healthy. The program is free, voluntary, and non-regulatory. It begins with an online survey asking property owners questions about their property and activities. Property owners can then request a confidential follow-up site visit with a LakeSmart evaluator. Property owners that don’t wish to have a site visit can submit photos for evaluation. Owners of properties that score high on the evaluation receive the LakeSmart Award—two LakeSmart yard signs and a dock sign. Property owners are asked to display their awards to pique the interest of their friends, neighbors, and others in the community. (LakeSmart signs are also Gerry Cooper (right) of the Kolelemook Lake Protective Association and Andrea LaMoreaux (left) of NH LAKES were pleased to tell Nancy Bower (center) she was the first in the state to receive the NH LAKES LakeSmart Award! Working for clean and healthy lakes LAKESIDE / FALL 2019 NH LAKES Lakeside published quarterly by From the President… NH LAKES 17 Chenell Drive, Suite One What a participate in the AmeriCorps Program Concord, NH 03301 summer we and look forward to expanding our 603.226.0299 had! It’s safe to team next year. nhlakes.org [email protected] say, we were the busiest One recent evening in Wolfeboro, Officers meeting with a group of lakefront Stuart Lord (Silver Lake) we’ve ever Chair been working property owners, I mentioned our John Edie (Meredith) for clean and team included two AmeriCorps Vice Chair healthy lakes. volunteers. I briefly explained that two Bruce Freeman (Strafford) of my children had served with Treasurer We launched John-Michael (JM) Girald (Rye) two new AmeriCorps. I added that one is now a Secretary programs (LakeSmart and forest firefighter on an elite helicopter Kim Godfrey (Holderness) crew in the Pacific Northwest and the At-Large AmeriCorps), more than doubled the size of our Watershed Warrior other is a sailor aboard a wood- Board of Directors program, inspected 85,000+ boats masted tall ship on the Great Lakes. Susan R. Goodwin (Wolfeboro) through the Lake Host Program, and Afterwards, a woman came up to me Shirley Green (Enfield) expanded our aquatic invasive species and commented that the most Andre A. Hunter (Newbury) meaningful part of my story was the Jim Lovell (Ossipee) prevention efforts to include the CD3 Roger F. Murray, III (Wolfeboro) watercraft cleaning station. We did part about my children. She was Robert W. Reed (Chichester) this while also growing our impressed by their AmeriCorps service Robert W. Shaw, Jr. (Moultonborough) membership and preparing for the and what they have gone on to do. I Robert N. Snelling (Holderness) was humbled and reminded how Peter Sorlien (Moultonborough) upcoming 2020 legislative session. Robert W. Varney (Bow) This work was powered by your important it is to share our personal Elaine Warshell (Moultonborough) support, the efforts of hundreds of stories, especially as they relate to our volunteers, the skills of our talented conservation ethic for our lakes and Honorary Directors beyond. Joseph Farrelly (Concord) board and staff, and the service of our AmeriCorps volunteers. Anne Lovett (Holderness) Throughout the summer, I heard Sidney Lovett (Holderness) Speaking of the AmeriCorps program, stories from many of you about your Staff many of you met our members Hollyn efforts to conserve our lakes. Thank Tom O’Brien and Julia this past summer. While they you for sharing your stories with us President and for being part of the NH LAKES Andrea LaMoreaux were hosted by NH LAKES full-time Vice President for nearly 23 weeks, they were part of team doing more than ever for clean Martha Lovejoy the 20-person Lakes Region and healthy lakes. Director of Finance and Development Conservation Corps AmeriCorps team Kelly Buchanan On behalf of NH LAKES, Advocacy Program Coordinator administered by the Squam Lakes Krystal Costa Association. In addition to the Tom O’Brien, President Conservation Program Coordinator important work Hollyn and Julia did for Erin Graichen NH LAKES, they became certified Membership Program Coordinator Erin Mastine Weed Control Divers and Wilderness Outreach Program Coordinator First Aid responders, and participated Leave a Legacy in land conservation projects Lakeside Printing throughout the Lakes Region. We’re Please remember NH LAKES in your Speedy Printing grateful to have been invited to will. To do this, simply share this Concord, NH sentence with your attorney or financial planner: Lakeside Layout Tracey George, Speedy Printing Concord, NH I bequeath $___ or ___% of my estate to: New Hampshire Lakes Association, Inc., 17 Chenell Drive, Suite One, Concord, NH 03301. Our tax identification number is NH LAKES operations are funded in part 22-2668396. If you have chosen to by a grant from the New Hampshire include NH LAKES in your estate Charitable Foundation. plans, please let us know. Thank you! 2 Working for clean and healthy lakes NH LAKES LAKESIDE / FALL 2019 NH LAKES Advocacy Update by Kelly Buchanan, Advocacy Program Coordinator, NH LAKES quality affect us all in many ways. NHDES is responsible for Poor water quality in our lakes can administering the decal program and cause reductions in property values, will make an announcement when the increases in algal blooms, and decals are ready to purchase. increases in toxic cyanobacteria blooms. Woodland buffers and Best Available Technology for shoreline vegetation are the best lines Preventing Aquatic Invasive Species of defense against polluted runoff (AIS): House Bill 325, requiring water. Under the existing standards of boaters to use the best available the SWQPA, some woodland buffers technology to prevent the spread of have been reduced or removed to a AIS, became law and goes into effect point where our lakes are not January 1, 2020. Boaters will only be adequately protected, especially on or required to use technologies or tools if below steep slopes. Our legislative they are available at public access proposal would strengthen vegetation sites. standards for new development in the Wake Boat Study Commission: protected shoreland area and address House Bill 137 established a study several administrative clarifications for commission to examine impacts of NHDES. wake boats on shoreline erosion, NH LAKES is taking the lead to 2019 Legislative Session Impacts private property, the safety of strengthen New Hampshire’s As you may remember, the 2019 swimmers and other boaters, the Shoreland Water Quality Protection legislative session gave NH LAKES the spread of AIS, and the recreational Act (SWQPA) during the upcoming opportunity to develop and support boating economy. The first meeting of 2020 legislative session. We’re three lake-friendly bills. Those bills, this commission was held on working with key legislators to submit which became law this past summer, September 23. Please let NH LAKES a bill designed to reduce polluted will help New Hampshire’s lakes stay know if you would like to make your runoff water in the protected clean and healthy for years to come. voice heard on wake boats during this shoreland area. NH LAKES needs the As these new laws go into effect, here study. support of New Hampshire’s is what they will accomplish: legislators and you and your It’s Time to Take the NH LAKES community to move this water quality Funding for AIS Prevention and Legislative Advocacy Survey! protection initiative forward. Management: House Bill 625, relative The NH LAKES 2019 Legislative to an aquatic invasive species (AIS) Advocacy Survey is now live! Please Polluted Runoff Water: According to decal, requires boaters who register weigh in on our legislative properties the New Hampshire Department of their watercraft in other states, but so that we can better represent you Environmental Services (NHDES), over who use their boats in New and our lakes at the State House. To 90 percent of the water pollution Hampshire’s freshwater, to purchase access this quick and easy survey, visit problems in the state are caused by the $20 decal each calendar year. nhlakes.org/advocacy. runoff water. Lakes with poor water In Memoriam Evelyn ‘Evie’ Hammerman, passed away on July 1, 2019. Evie was a longtime coordinator for the Lake Host Program with the Thorndike Pond Conservation Program in Jaffrey.