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Photo courtesy of Maine Dept. of Environmental Protection |
Photo courtesy of Maine Center for Invasive Aquatic Plants. Please visit their site for a gallery of invasive pictures from Maine. |
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| Invasive species are non-native organisms which are self-regenerating, spreading, and take possession of an area. In most cases invasives cause problems for native species and established natural systems. Invasive species can often thrive and take over because there is no natural control to their population growth (such as predators or a limiting resource). These species may be introduced accidentally by movement of the organism from an area where the species is native to one where it is not (such as movement of a species in the ballast water of a boat), or may be introduced intentionally by humans who desire the species for some reason (such as a plant that has a nice flower and grows well, or a fish species that is a personal favorite of an angler).
Invasive plant species can have devastating effects on lake ecosystems and on human communities that surround and use the lake. They may out-compete native species, altering natural systems, and change or limit recreational opportunities on the lake. Once an invasive species has taken hold in a lake, it is very difficult if not impossible to get rid of it. Invasive plant species in lakes cost landowners money in lost property value and costs to control the spread and growth of the species. Maine is fortunate at this time that aquatic infestations of invasive plant species have been quite limited. Most other states have not been so lucky. According to a report by scientists at the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, other New England states are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to manage and control the spread of aquatic invasives. Nationally, hundreds of millions of dollars are spent each year in efforts to control aquatic invasives. New research in Vermont found that invasive plants can cost shoreline owners over $12,000 each in lost property values on infested lakes. For these reasons, the quest to keep aquatic invasives out of lakes in Maine has gathered momentum, leading to the development of several statewide programs designed to tackle the issue. The development of the Maine Center for Invasive Aquatic Plants, and efforts by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection are among the leaders in this fight to keep invasives out of Maine lakes. Please check out their websites for more detailed information on this issue. Links to information on aquatic invasive plants: Maine Center for Invasive Aquatic Plants Maine Department of Environmental Protection
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