CharlotteNews:CharlotteConservationCurrents ByLizHollenbach, May17,2012,page17 Wanted:VolunteerLakePaddlersforShorelineWeeding OnanearlyJunemorninglastsummer,LakeChamplainwascalm,theairclearandcool.It wasaperfectmorningtobeoutonthewater.EightvolunteersandSueSmith,2011 volunteercoordinator,paddledintotheTownFarmBaywetland,astateheritagesite.The chatterofamarshwrenandaredwingblackbirdwereheardalongtheshorelinewhile aheadaVirginiarailwithchicksintowswamoutofthecattails.Abaldeaglesoared overhead. Inthebay,workersreachedoutovertheedgesoftheircanoesandkayaks,usinghandtools topullfrogbitfromthewaterssurfaceandcollectitinbuckets.Europeanfrogbit (hydrocharismosrusranae)isafloatingannualplantthatresemblesaquaticwaterlilies.It isaninvasivespeciesfirstspottedinTownFarmBayin2007.Volunteershavebeen removingfrogbiteverysummersincethen.

n. Afterseveralhoursharvestingfrogbitthevolunteergroupglidedtoshorewherethey sharedsnacksandobservationsofwildlife.Newspecieswereaddedtothenaturelog. Frogbit,afreefloatingplantwithheartshapedleaves,formssmallwhiteflowerswith threepetalsandayellowcenter.Theplantreproducesbydevelopingstolons,thickcord likepiecesthatgrowoutfromthemainplant.Attachedtotheendofstolonsareturions, smallbudsthatdropinthefall,settlingtothebottomofthewetlandtoreemergeinspring andproduceanotherseasonsplants.Plantgrowthisrapid,andaplantthatstartsathalfan inchcangrowtoover40inchesineightweeks.Frogbitreproducesquicklybecauseasingle plantproducesupto100turions;eachturioncangrowanewplant. Largedensematsoffrogbitdecreaselightpenetrationintothewetlands,pushoutnative species,changenitrogen,oxygenandothernutrientlevels,thusdecreasingnaturalwetland biodiversity.Inshallowareas,decomposingfrogbitdecreasesthedissolvedoxygencontent inthewater,disruptingnativeplantandanimallife. AsthefifthlargestlakeinthecontinentalUnitedStatesitisimportanttomonitorLake Champlainshealth,removeinvasivespecies,andworktoprotectnativespecies.Thelakeis avaluablehabitatforplantsandanimalsaswellasarecreationaljewel. TownFarmBay,locatedatthesouthwestcornerofCharlotte,isoneofthetownsmost significantenvironmentalassets.ThorpandKimballBrooksflowintothelakehereand formalarge,diversewetland,providinghabitattobirds,mammalsandreptiles.Thesame characteristicsthatdrawnativeplantsandanimalsherealsoprovideaprotectedareawith slowmovingwaterthatinvasivefrogbitplantsfindfavorable. Now,startingitsfourthyear,thefrogbitprojectaimstocontinueremovingtheinvasive planttomaintainthehealthanddiversityofthebayandwetland.PointBayMarinahas activelysupportedtheprojectandbeeninvolvedsincethebeginning.Theprojectsfirst

threeyearsincludedbothpaidstaffandvolunteers,fundedbyLewisCreekAssociation, stateandfederalfunds,whileaprivatelandownerhasgenerouslyofferedshorelineaccess tocontinuethisannualwork.Overthistimefrogbitlevelshavebeenreducedandcannow bemaintainedbyanallvolunteercrewduringtheJuneandJulyharvestingseason. VolunteersdeposittheweededfrogbitonascowthatPointBayMarinastaffregularlytows, emptiesandcompoststhefrogbit. Aspartoftheproject,volunteershavecreatedanaturalhistorylog,alistofplantsand animalsspottedinthebay.Thelogincludes38typesofbirds,sevenmammals,tenreptiles, twofishand31plants.Somehighlightsincludebeaverseatinglilyroots,muskratbuilding homesofcattails,andpaintedturtlesrestingonafloatinglog.Detailsaboutthenatural historylogareavailableatlewiscreek.org. ReserveyourvolunteerspotintheFrogbitProjecttoday! TheFrogbitProjectislookingfornewvolunteers.TheLewisCreekAssociationprovidesall boats,equipmentandinstruction.StartinginearlyJune,crewsarepaddlingTuesday mornings,ThursdaylateafternoonsandoccasionalSaturdays.Itsagreatwaytospend timeonLakeChamplainandobservewildlife.Ifyouareinterestedinvolunteeringor wouldlikemoreinformation,pleasecontactlizhollenbach@hotmail.com.or9221843. Readtheoriginalarticlehere: http://www.thecharlottenews.org/pages/charlotteconservationcurrents2690.html