Hosted By Lake Stewards of Maine & Maine Lakes
Thank you one and all. We are still reeling from the conference’s success. With over 300 registrants, the rooms were packed at the University of Maine at Farmington with volunteers, presenters, panelists, and exhibitors.
Our speakers addressed a wide range of lake-related topics, highlighting both“value” and “legacy.” Keynote speakers Adam Daigneault and Melissa Genoter discussed their recent study “Valuing Maine’s Great Ponds in the 21st Century”. Matt Scott, who has worked on Maine’s lakes for more than 50 years, shared his experiences and knowledge, and emphasized an urgent need for increased efforts to keep our lakes clean.
Other speaker topics included managing trees in the shoreland zone, a research study on PFAS levels in Maine’s loons, a new lake “scorecard” from the Department of Environmental Protection, ways to improve working relationships with municipalities, and much more. Chris Packard, a Maine author, spoke of lake story-telling and mythical lake creatures. Bill Monagle from the Cobbossee Watershed District spoke about the creation of the district and how it has benefited the watershed. A wonderful volunteer panel spoke to the different opportunities and experiences available to anyone with an interest in lake protection.
There was something for everyone, and many opportunities to talk to fellow attendees, share stories and successes, and renew passions for lake protection projects and action. Please see below for abstracts and bios for the presenters, as well as recordings from their talks. You can also see more photos from the conference, and we will post more information about the 2025 conference this fall.
Thanks to generous donors, and bidders, our silent auction, which included native plants, tickets to Maine events, lake décor, and outdoor recreation items raised over $6,000!
The conference brought together, for a second year, two statewide lake conservation organizations, helping the conference reach a broader audience, fostering a larger sense of community and strengthening the collective effort to preserve and protect Maine’s lakes.
Conference Photos
Guest Speakers, Abstracts and Presentation Slides
John Daigle
Biography
Dr. John J. Daigle is a citizen member of the Penobscot Nation and Professor in the School of Forest Resources at the University of Maine, Orono. For the past 15 years he has been working on a project mobilizing diverse interests to address potential threats from invasive species in Maine – the case of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). The research seeks to study and facilitate the ways that Wabanaki, basket-makers, tribes, state and federal foresters, university researchers, landowners and others come together to prevent, detect, and respond to the threat of EAB. He has published research with co-authors on outreach and education, management, and policy. In 2023, the Ash Protection Collaboration Across Wabanakik or (APCAW) was created offering informative webinars and in-person trainings as well as a dedicated APCAW website for recorded sessions and other program information.
The Invasive Emerald Ash Borer (EAB)
Abstract: The invasive emerald ash borer (EAB) poses a potentially devastating threat to all three species of ash (brown, green, and white) found in Maine. The EAB is of particular concern to Maine Indian Basketmakers, who rely on brown ash (Fraxinus nigra) to make Indian ash splint and sweetgrass baskets, the oldest documented arts tradition in New England. The University of Maine has created with other collaborators the Ash Protection Collaboration Across Wabanakik or APCAW and we’ll share current efforts underway building a community of interest and response to an invasive species threatening Maine’s ash trees.
Presentation Slides
Adam Daignault, Keynote Speaker
Biography
Dr. Adam Daigneault is the EL Giddings Associate Professor of Forest Policy and Economics in the University of Maine’s School of Forest Resources. He is a natural resource economist who develops models to value ecosystem services and assess the socioeconomic impacts of environmental and land use policy on the natural resource sectors.
Valuing the Economic Benefits of Maine’s Great Ponds in the 21st Century
Over the past 25 years, the Great Lakes and Ponds of Maine have faced challenges such as development, invasive species, and climate change, prompting a reassessment of their economic value to effectively guide conservation efforts. In response, we conducted a comprehensive economic assessment focused on recreation, water consumption, youth camps, and the impact of water quality on lakefront property values. We estimated that the total net economic value of Maine’s Lakes is nearly $14 billion. An accompanying survey on perceptions of lake water quality highlighted the importance of water clarity in recreation choices, with the average visitor indicating that they choose to visit lakes with water quality that is more than safe for swimming. The survey also highlighted that visitors have positive perceptions of Maine’s lake water quality, but costs and lack of accessibility create barriers to using lakes. Given these findings, our study emphasizes the need for Maine’s water bodies to be managed in a sustainable way that accounts for public perceptions of lakes and preserves or improves their water quality.
Presentation Slides
Julie and Matt Davenport
Biography
Julie Davenport – Maine Forest Service
Julie is a district forester helping western Maine loggers and landowners manage their forests. A second generation forester, Davenport can help with everything from encouraging wildlife to navigating regulations for water quality. When not at work you can find Julie in the garden, hiking a mountain, or on stage playing bluegrass music.
Matt Davenport – MW Davenport Tree Work and Excavation
Matt is the owner and operator behind MW Davenport Tree Work and Excavation. As a licensed arborist, Matt has been removing hazardous trees and working with homeowners to achieve their property goals for over 10 years. Matt spends his free time raising cattle and spending time with family.
Managing Trees in the Shoreland Zone
Dealing with Trees in the Shoreland Zone
There is a lot more to removing trees in the shoreland zone than just cutting them down. Join MFS district forester Julie Davenport for an explanation of what rules apply where and when. Licensed arborist Matt Davenport will discuss how to take care of trees in the shoreland zone and ways to assess damage from storms and potential hazard trees.
Presentation Slides
Jeremy Deeds
Biography
Jeremy Deeds has been an aquatic ecologist with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection since 2014. Prior to that, he worked with the Lakes and Ponds Section of the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation. He has worked on many aspects of water quality and ecological condition, including lake condition assessments, biological community classification, data modeling, and littoral habitat evaluations. He holds an M.S. in Aquatic Ecology from Kent State University and a Ph.D. in Ecology and Environmental Science from the University of Maine.
How is my lake doing? An Interactive Scorecard for Maine Lakes
How is my lake doing? An Interactive Scorecard for Maine Lakes
Jeremy Deeds, Aquatic Ecologist, Maine DEP
“How is my lake doing?” is an important and seemingly simple question, but it’s one that can be difficult to answer concisely. There are numerous interrelated factors that influence lake condition and summarizing that information well can often be challenging. To address this need in lake data communication, we constructed a scorecard for Maine lakes that distills the concept of lake condition into four major categories: Water Quality, Invasive Species, Shoreland and Shallow Water Habitat, and Lake Vulnerability. We applied a simple color-coded three-tier scoring system (Good, Fair, Poor) to provide a basic assessment of each category. The scores of these four major categories are informed by multiple subcategories, which were scored with the same three-tier system and are also represented in the scorecard. The resulting product is an interactive web-based image that contains links to score calculation methods and results specific to individual lakes. The datasets used to build the scorecard were collected by both professional and citizen scientists. This presentation will provide an overview of the data used and a demonstration of the scorecard tool.
Presentation Slides
Gary Fish
Biography
Title: Maine State Horticulturist
Degree: B.S. Forest and Wildlife Management from the University of Maine, College of Forest Resources in 1982, Master of Policy, Planning, and Management 2023.
Experience: State Horticulturist since 2015. Manager, Pesticide Programs for the Board of Pesticides Control for 28 years. Off and on practicing Licensed Professional Forester since 1985, Kents Hill Forestry Services. Former chair of the Arborist Board. Worked as a horticulturist for ChemLawn Services Corporation for 5 years, 1983 – 1988.
Personal: Grew up in Farmington, Maine. An entomologist from birth and was inspired to love plants by my Mother, who always grew beautiful roses and rock gardens. I am also a landscape and nature photographer. (Phish Photography on Etsy) HYPERLINK “https://www.etsy.com/shop/phishphotography” https://www.etsy.com/shop/phishphotography
Addressing Existing and Emerging Invasive Species Challenges
Continuing to do what is currently done makes the State of Maine vulnerable to the increasing rate of new IS invasions. Maine must enhance sustainable, long-term funding for IS programs and ensure staffing resources are available to address existing and emerging IS challenges.
- Seek new, sustainable, dedicated funding sources such as the Lake and River Protection Sticker for other IS taxa groups.
- Add a Senior Planner position at the DACF or other IS management agency to analyze current state resources further and ensure collaboration and coordination among Maine’s IS programs.
- Add an Invasive Species Advisory Council that reports to the Governor’s Office.
- Add an IS management liaison position in each department that manages IS, e.g., DACF, IF&W, DEP, DHHS, MDOT, and DMR.
Conclusion
Maine should consider following in the footsteps of states such as Pennsylvania (https://www.agriculture.pa.gov/Plants_Land_Water/PlantIndustry/GISC/Pages/default.aspx) and Massachusetts (https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/S563) and thoroughly analyze the current invasive species programs and approaches to determine if instituting a more comprehensive approach like that used by the states of New York, and Michigan should be implemented.
Rapid response and control activities are needed to reduce and eliminate new and existing populations of invasive species in Maine.
Cooperation and partnerships at all levels must exist to effectively prevent and manage invasive species beyond rapid response efforts. State agencies cannot fight the battle alone. Diverse and expansive partnerships with local leaders and organizations, such as businesses, industry, town managers, land trusts, environmental NGOs, Soil & Water Conservation Districts, and lake associations, are essential.
The survey respondents clearly stated that more staff and dedicated funding sources are essential. Many supported a comprehensive and collective approach among state, county, municipal, and private entities, such as the Partnerships for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM) model.
The survey also revealed the large number and variety of organizations working on invasive species management and the need for coordination among those groups and abutting land managers.
Presentation Slides
Melissa Genoter, Keynote Speaker
Biography
Melissa Genoter is a 2024 graduate of the University of Maine’s Ecology and Environmental Sciences program. She has been active in lakes conservation since joining Friends of the Cobbossee Watershed in 2019, where she worked as a Youth Conservation Corps member, crew leader, and technical advisor over five field seasons. Throughout her time as an undergrad at UMO, she worked as a research assistant on Adam Daigneault’s team to estimate the current economic value of Maine’s lakes.
Valuing the Economic Benefits of Maine’s Great Ponds in the 21st Century
Over the past 25 years, the Great Lakes and Ponds of Maine have faced challenges such as development, invasive species, and climate change, prompting a reassessment of their economic value to effectively guide conservation efforts. In response, we conducted a comprehensive economic assessment focused on recreation, water consumption, youth camps, and the impact of water quality on lakefront property values. We estimated that the total net economic value of Maine’s Lakes is nearly $14 billion. An accompanying survey on perceptions of lake water quality highlighted the importance of water clarity in recreation choices, with the average visitor indicating that they choose to visit lakes with water quality that is more than safe for swimming. The survey also highlighted that visitors have positive perceptions of Maine’s lake water quality, but costs and lack of accessibility create barriers to using lakes. Given these findings, our study emphasizes the need for Maine’s water bodies to be managed in a sustainable way that accounts for public perceptions of lakes and preserves or improves their water quality.
Presentation Slides
LLoyd Irland
Biography
Lloyd Irland is founder and president of the Irland Group. He has been a forestry consultant to industry, governments, trade and environmental groups since 1987. From 2003 to 2010 he taught at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. He served with the U.S. Forest Service and the Maine state government and in the U.S. Army in Vietnam.
Irland is author of five books and was a junior author of the timber chapter of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005). He participated in the U.S. National Assessment on Climate Change and attended the global climate summits at Copenhagen and Cancun. A Fellow of the Society of American Foresters, his work on forests has brought him to China, India, Germany, Austria, Greece, Bhutan, France, Yugoslavia, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Ukraine.
Irland earned his B.S. from Michigan State University, his M.S. from the University of Arizona and his Ph.D. from Yale University.
Maine’s Rivers and lakes: 430 Towns, 30 Plantations
Maine’s Rivers and lakes: 430 Towns, 30 Plantations
Maine’s Rivers and Lakes suffer from too many levels of local government, but too little governance. We do not have the institutions that will work. The DEP is too busy. Too much is done through an uncoordinated non-system of grants. This talk amplifies the argument.
Governance…the issue of the 2030s. The issue is not on anybody’s issue list because it is in our bones arising from the late Middle Ages in England. It leads to governance at the wrong level for almost every river and lake in Maine. People who like it are those who own homes – especially overcrowded ones at the lake — and would be happy to see no more of them built. And no Septic Inspectors poking around. It’s not working — 127 lakes are on the DEP Watch list. Face it — Maine is a gigantic sprawl machine and it can’t be stopped. One solution is at our fingertips: the county, but nobody likes that! But ingredients could work.
Presentation Slides
Micah Miller
Biography
Micah Miller, Loon Program Director, Biodiversity Research Institute
Micah is a broadly skilled avian biologist and toxicologist, with a background in waterbird research and conservation. His current research focuses on understanding large-scale threats to birds and their habitats, such as determining the sources and implications of legacy and emerging contaminants in lakes and ponds. Much of his research is in Maine, but he and others at BRI work on conservation efforts across the globe.
PFAS exposure in Maine loons and eagles – indicators of lake health?
PFAS exposure in Maine loons and eagles – indicators of lake health?
Speaker: Micah Miller
Co-authors: Chris DeSorbo, Chris Persico, Emily Fellows, Helen Yurek, Logan Route, Lucas Savoy, and Dave Evers
Abstract:
Loons and eagles are icons of the wild, viewed and cherished by many. Their role as important fish-eating predators exposes them to contaminants through their diets, making them ideal indicators of environmental health. Emerging contaminants, such as PFAS, are of high concern in Maine, so we explored how concentrations of PFAS in blood of eagles and loons varied across the state. Despite expecting to find high levels only at sites with known PFAS contamination, we actually found elevated levels at many locations throughout Maine, the sources of which are currently unknown. Loons and eagles appear to be good indicators of environmental PFAS patterns, and our future work will focus on identifying the implications of PFAS on the health of these iconic birds and the habitats in which they live.
Presentation Slides
Presentation Slides
Bill Monagle
Biography
Bill Monagle has been Executive Director of the Cobbossee Watershed District (CWD) in Winthrop, Maine, a position he has held since 1992. He received his M.S. degree in Zoology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a focus on the limnology of Lake Michigan. After graduation he worked for Baystate Environmental Consultants in East Longmeadow, MA, a firm that specialized in Lake Diagnostic and Feasibility studies. At CWD, in addition to his executive responsibilities, he has been involved with or managed numerous lake and watershed assessment and implementation projects and provided technical assistance to member towns of the CWD as well as the general public. He is a former member and Past-President of the Lake Stewards of Maine’s board of directors.
A Half Century of Lake and Watershed Management in the Maine’s Only Watershed District
A Half Century of Lake and Watershed Management in the Maine’s Only Watershed District.
In response to declining water quality in several lakes of the Cobbosseecontee Stream drainage, the Maine legislature authorized the creation of the Cobbossee Watershed District in 1971. The CWD was charged with protecting, improving and conserving the lakes and ponds of the 217-square mile watershed and authorized to do any and all things necessary to satisfy that charge. Since its inception, the CWD has closely monitored the water quality of nearly 30 lakes and ponds, managed district-wide lake water levels, conducted numerous successful lake and watershed rehabilitation and protection projects, and provided technical support to eight member municipalities and the general public. Bill will provide a brief history of the CWD and discuss the CWD’s broad efforts to manage the watershed’s many resources.
Presentation Slides
Christopher Packard
Biography
Christopher Packard, M.Ed. is the Assistant Director of the International Cryptozoology Museum and the author of Mythical Creatures of Maine. He is a Biologist and Botanist by training and has worked as a high school science teacher in Bangor for the past 17 years. Packard grew up spending summers on Sebec Lake, with his Grandfather, a guide and trapper who first introduced him to the mysterious creatures of Maine. This family experience was what started Packard’s interest in collecting Maine folklore, his book is a field guide and encyclopedia to the creatures and beings found in the stories and legends of all the cultures that have called Maine home. He gives talks and does performance storytelling of Maine’s creature legends around the state. www.christopherpackard.com
Lake Monsters, Water Beasts, and Creatures of the Shores
Maine abounds in tales of lake monsters, water beasts, and creatures of the shores. Packard will lead the group through a tour of Maine’s freshwater creatures which are not yet known to science but that are well known to the guides, sports, and lumberjacks who know and love these waters so well. Packard will also share lore surrounding specific lakes and rivers throughout the State. Members of the audience will be invited to share their thoughts, stories, and experiences as well. This talk is based upon the research for Packard’s “Mythical Creatures of Maine” (2021, Down East Books) as well his research for an upcoming sequel.
Presentation Slides
Matthew Scott
Biography
Matt Scott, Aquatic Biologist, Emeritus; American Fisheries Society, American Institute of Fishery Research Biologists and North American Lake Management Society.
Matt Scott was responsible for the creation of the Maine Lakes Division and Biological Program for the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. He was also a former member and Chair of the Maine Board of Environmental Protection with over 46 years of service to the State of Maine. In 1970, he founded the Maine Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program (VLMP) along with Ron Davis and Steve Norton. Maine VLMP is the oldest program of its kind in the United States and is housed at Lake Stewards of Maine. Matt served on the Maine Guides Advisory Board for 16 years. He is a Master Maine Guide, past President of the Sportsmen’s Alliance of Maine, Past President of the North American Lakes Management Society, and past board member of Maine Lakes. In 2016, he presented 28 lectures pro bono to the citizenry of Maine. Matt holds a BS and MA from UMaine.
Advocacy, Volunteerism and Citizen Scientist; The Evolution
In 1970 the Maine Department of Environmental Protection allowed Matt Scott to embark on a Lakes program. Ron Davis was at Colby College and had a small project with the North Kennebec Regional Planning Commission and was in the process of moving to a new position at the University of Maine. Matt and Ron combined their independent studies into one large effort. Ron suggested that they recruit and train volunteers to monitor Maine’s lakes and ponds, and use a model developed and established by the U.S. Weather Service Stations. They started by creating a committee at the University of Maine called CALS (Committee for the Advancement of Lake Studies) chaired by Steve Norton, with participation from several Maine institutions. After considerable debate, the Secchi Disk was selected as the primary measurement tool for volunteers to use to collect transparency data. In 1971, the Maine Legislature passed a statute authorizing the use of volunteers to collect water quality data, marking the beginning of the Maine Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program (VLMP), now called Lake Stewards of Maine.
Simultaneously, the Congress of Lake Associations was founded, which has since evolved into Maine Lakes. Maine Lakes is a leading advocate for lake conservation and education, housing the LakeSmart program. Both nonprofits, Lake Stewards of Maine and Maine Lakes, play critical roles in the preservation and protection of Maine’s thousands of lakes and ponds. Matt will share how some of these initiatives have evolved, the current contributions of volunteers and advocates in monitoring and protecting the numerous lakes and ponds in Maine, and potential for these programs to adapt and expand to meet future environmental challenges. As Ted Rulseh said; “Are we Loving Our Lakes to Death?”
Presentationi Slides
Conference Schedule
Conference Schedule
Click here to download a copy of the Conference Schedule.
MORNING SESSIONS
AFTERNOON SESSIONS
Silent Auction Items
Our Sponsors
Thank you!
Hammond Lumber Company, Franklin Savings Bank, Mr. Lakefront, Natural Partners LLC, Oceanview, FB Environmental, Minuteman Press, Annabessacook Lake Improvement Association, The Breathable Home, Ecological Instincts, Gross, Minsky & Mogul, P.A., Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions, University of Maine, Portland Water District, and Taber’s Golf, for their generous support towards the conference.
Lake Conference 2025
Sign up for our Lake Conference Newsletter
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Sponsorship Opportunities
Do you have a business that would benefit from connections to lake enthusiasts? Sponsoring the Lakes Conference is a great way to connect directly with over 250 conference attendees as well as more than 5,000 others who see conference advertising, read about the conference in our two organizational e-news, and follow our organizations on social media. It is also a great way to help reduce conference expenses, keeping the conference more affordable for all who would like to attend. Please email us if you have an intereste in sponsoring the 2025 Lake Conference.
In Kind Donations
We will once again have an amazing assortment of silent auction items for conference attendees to bid on, including native plants, lake décor, books, art, references, and more. Please ail us if you would like to donate an item to our silent auction, or know of a business that might consider a donation,
Please email us with any questions. We look forward to seeing you on June 21st!