Protecting the Lake: Swans and Waterfowl
Swans are spectacularly beautiful but…..can be aggressive, vicious, extremely territorial and are increasing in numbers at an alarming rate! It may surprise you to learn that these birds are considered invasive and federal wildlife refuges prevent them from breeding because they are so aggressive and territorial that other bird species are unable to safely breed…
Read MoreProtecting the Lake: Trees
How Trees Can Save Lakes from Algae Blooms Lake Attitash is blessed with many mature and beautiful trees around its shores. Have you ever wondered why the Conservation Commissions works so hard to protect trees and other vegetation near our lake? Why do we need to protect them? Why should we plant more trees? Trees,…
Read MoreProtecting the Lake: Yard Waste Disposal
We are all smart lake residents who are well informed about how our behavior impacts the lake…for better and for worse! We all know that the nutrients that come from decaying leaves and other yard waste feed the algae in the water and promote cyanobacteria blooms that are a health hazard to humans and animals.…
Read MoreProtecting the Lake: Keep Your Shoreline Clean
We all love living on our lake. We have seen the benefits of the 2019/20 alum treatment. The alum settles on the sediment and seals the nutrients (mostly phosphorus) that have accumulated over many decades into the sediment in the deeper parts of the lake. This alum “blanket” will prevent those nutrients from getting into…
Read MoreProtecting the Lake: Soil Erosion
Believe it or not, the biggest threat to Lake Attitash water quality is plain old dirt, washing into our streams and lake…from our lawns, roads, driveways and construction areas. What’s wrong with soil? It clogs waterways, hurts fishes’ gills, and carries a lot of nutrients from decaying vegetation, fertilizer, pesticides, oil, detergents and other chemicals…
Read MoreProtecting the Lake: Buffer Gardens, Rain Gardens, and Shoreline Planting
Having a “natural” shoreline with native plants and stones is probably the best thing you can do to protect the lake. The Conservation Commissions strongly discourage walls, preferring more natural slopes filled with stone and native plants. A buffer garden is a planted or wild vegetated area along the lake that functions to filter runoff,…
Read MoreProtecting the Lake: Motorized Vehicles, Boats and Other Hazardous Waste
We all live in the watershed of Lake Attitash. We all want clean water that is fun, safe for swimming and boating and beautiful to look at. What about all our motorized cars, boats and more???! In recent years, sources of water pollution like industrial waste from factories have been greatly reduced. Now, more than…
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