Volunteer
“The destruction of aquatic ecosystem health and the increasing water scarcity, are in my opinion, the most pressing environmental problems facing human kind.”
Our dedicated group of lake association volunteers are committed to monitoring water quality and promoting healthy lake ecosystems and environmental management. There are currently 10 lakes doing monitoring, grown from the initial 5 when our program started in 2012!
Each lake monitoring volunteer is trained and collects data biweekly prior to it being submitted to the Department of Environment and Local Government (DELG). This data, together with information on climatic events at the time will help to paint a picture of New Brunswick lakes and the impact of climate change on lake health. Many lakes have experienced increasing water temperatures and lower water levels which can and, in some incidents,
have contributed to blue-green algae colonization. The program also utilizes underwater cameras to document changes in lake vegetation along the shoreline.
Education of residents is crucial to the Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program and centers around utilizing phosphate free products, promoting septic system health and mainlining shoreline vegetation to prevent run off as well as avoiding putting any additional strain on already compromised ecosystems.
The Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program was the initial focus of the NBALA, whose focus has expanded to other areas of interest in preserving the health of New Brunswick lakes.
Invasive Plant Patrol Program
What is the Invasive Plant Patrol Program?
Our Invasive Plant Patrol (IPP) program provides training, technical services and resources to support lake volunteers in a province-wide effort to prevent the introduction and spread of invasive species in and around New Brunswick lakes.
The program is based on, and supported by, the successful Invasive Plant Patrol program established in 2003 by the Maine Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program.
Why It’s Important
The introduction of non-native invasive plant and animal species to North America has been escalating with widespread consequences.
The impacts of the spread of invasive species include:
Habitat disruption
Loss of native plant and animal communities
Lowered property value
Impaired fishing
Loss of recreational experiences and spaces
Enormous and ongoing control costs.
Prevention is our first step in fighting invasions. With over 2500 lakes in New Brunswick, protecting our freshwater systems from invasive species is a serious environmental challenge. Invasive plants are moved about in complex and often unseen ways.
Due to the speed at which invasive species can spread, invaders can quickly become well established, making eradication extremely difficult and costly––if not impossible.
No matter how comprehensive and aggressive a prevention effort is, chances are some invasive organisms will slip through the cracks. In such cases, it is crucial that the invaders are detected as early as possible–before they have had an opportunity to cause significant damage or spread to other bodies of water. In these cases, early detection provides the best hope of eradication.
Funded by the New Brunswick Environmental Trust Fund, our Invasive Plant Patrol program is designed to educate members and communities on how to best prevent and detect invasive plant species.
Find out how you can help with prevention here.
IPP Workshops
In-Class Workshops
Our in-class workshops are hosted in the Fall and Winter and are a great opportunity to learn more about invasive plant species and how to identify them. Each workshop includes the following:
an overview of the invasive species issues unique to New Brunswick
examples of plant communities and native as well as invasive plants identification fundamentals.
a presentation on New Brunswick’s 10 Most Unwanted Plants and their native lookalikes
a special case study examining Eurasian water milfoil - a particularly deadly invasive currently found in the Saint John River watershed and several other water systems.
Field Workshop
A great summer activity, our 4-hour in-field paddle workshops get volunteers out on the water to enjoy a canoe or kayak on various New Brunswick lakes while getting hands-on experience surveying and identifying invasive plant species.
This is a wonderful opportunity to get lake residents, families, and young volunteers alike involved in the health of our lakes!
To see schedules and locations CLICK HERE.
Any inquiries or concerns can be directed toward via email or on our Facebook Page.
New Brunswick Lake's 10 Most Unwanted Invaders
With the help of the Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Centre, these have been identified as New Brunswick lake’s 10 most unwanted invasive species.
Have you seen any of these Invaders?
Youth Ambassadors
Our “Youth Ambassador Program” celebrates students educating other students on the realities and dangers of invasive species. Our goal is to educate those that use our waterways by making contact with our youth, who then can spread the message to the adults.
Future plans for the “Youth Ambassador Program” include expanding the program to different areas of the province, and partnering with other groups working with invasive species.
Molly Cook, NBALA Youth Ambassador of 2019, outside Lake George with a “Clean, Drain, Dry” sign.
We are pleased to announce…
Our First Invasive Plant Youth Ambassador: Molly Cook
Molly Cook, a resident of St. George, and summertime resident of Lake George, is our first youth ambassador in this program. Molly is a grade 7 student and has been an active member of the Lake George Plant Patrol group for the past two years.
This past winter, Molly undertook a science fair project on the topic of ‘Invasive Species”. As part of her research, she met with Dr. Meghann Bruce, a plant biologist at UNB. This was a great motivator for Molly and it was here that the seed was planted for the “Youth Ambassador Program.” In the month of June, Molly–with guidance from her science teacher–made presentations to two grade 8 classes at Fundy Middle School and one grade 5 class at St. George Elementary School.
An important component of the message that is delivered to students is the theme “ Clean, Drain, Dry,” for volunteer inspections of water craft, trailers and all gear. Given the recent discovery of a very dangerous aquatic invasive plant, Eurasian water-milfoil, in areas of the Saint John River, this message is important, as many recreational and sport boaters frequent both our lakes and the Saint John River. Thank you, Molly for your great work!