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L&W Home > Monitoring & Assessment > Lakes > Invasives > How to report

How to report invasive plants

If you think there is an invasive plant growing in your lake --

Observe and record your observations:

    1. When did you first notice the plant.

    2. Have you seen the plant in the lake in the past?

    3. Has it grown at a rapid rate?

    4. How large is the plant and how large an area does it cover?

    5. If you think you have found one of the four target species in your lake, please contact the Maine Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program (VLMP) office.

Contact:

    1. The VLMP office phone number is (207) 783-7733. If no one is there to take your call, leave a message on the answering machine, and someone will return your call within 72 hours.

    2. Be prepared to give a brief description of the plant in question.

    3. You may be asked to send a sample to the office.

    4. A visit to your lake may also be necessary in some cases.

Collecting the plant:

  1. You will need to be very careful when collecting a plant specimen.   Fragmentation could result in the plant spreading to other areas of the lake.

  2. A small section of the stem that includes leaves and needles is frequently needed for identification.

  3. The flower and fruits of many aquatic plants are important in the identification process.   If possible, collect the flowers.

  4. Wash the plant in clean water away from the lake, to remove all debris.  Don't allow the plant to dry out.

  5. Document the date, location, collector’s name and address and some details about the collection site.

Preparing the plant for mailing:

  1. Be sure the plant is washed thoroughly.

  2. Place the plant in a water-tight plastic bag. (such as Ziploc) with enough water to cushion the plant and keep it wet.

  3. Place the baggie (make sure it's sealed tight) in a small box with newspaper packing. Padded envelopes do not work well.

  4. Include your name, address, E-mail address, telephone, and a copy of the notes you made when collecting the plant.

  5. Mail the plant on a Monday to minimize the transit time of the specimen.

Send your plants to:

        Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program
       24 Maple Hill Road
.......Auburn, Maine 04210

        E-mail: vlmp@mainevlmp.org

After we receive the plant, we will contact you within 72 hours. We will identify the plant and confirm whether or not it is an invasive species.

Thank you for helping to keep Maine lakes free of invasive aquatic plants!