Story Archives of 'Milfoil'

The aquatic plant milfoil first came to New Hampshire lakes decades ago, but it's grown to be a bigger and bigger problem since then. It chokes out all other plants and takes over entire bodies of water. Some towns have tried everything from chemical warfare to harvesting the plant with machines. We'll find out what new approaches are being tried and to what degrees of success. We'll also talk with naturalist Iain Macleod about the state's other invasive species -- from Garlic Mustard to the Japanese Beetle.

Over sixty Granite State lakes and rivers have been invaded by milfoil. It clogs our lakes, chokes our plant and wildlife and makes swimming and boating nearly impossible. We�ll look at some new approaches to eradicate this tough exotic plant and look to ways to prevent further outbreaks from happening in the future. Laura's guests are Joel Harrington, Environmental Policy Director for The New Hampshire Lakes Association. Jody Connor, Director of the Limnology Center for The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. Lionel Chute, Administrator for The Natural Heritage Bureau for the Division of Forests and Lands and a member of the New Hampshire Invasive Species Committee. Pat Tarpey, Lake Point Person of the Lake Host Program for The Lake Winnipesaukee Watershed Association and Ed Neister, Chairman of the Suncook Lake Association Milfoil Control Committee, his committee along with D.E.S has almost completely eradicated Milfoil from Lower Suncook Lake in Barnstead, New Hampshire.

We begin today's show with a check of the Democratic National Convention on its final day with Ricia McMahon, Vice President of Americans for Campaign Finance Reform and two time DNC delegate.

This summer, Lower Suncook Lake will be the site of a significant environmental experiment.

Lake residents will try eradicate the invasive plant variable milfoil.

To date, groups have had only mixed success just trying to slow the plants growth.

But environmental officials are optimistic the Suncook experiment could become a model for the state.

New Hampshire Public Radio's Dan Gorenstein reports.

On a sunny Saturday morning in April, we found New Hampshire high school students measuring trees, digging in soil pits, and identifying aquatic wildlife. They were training for Envirothon, the natural science competition sponsored by the New Hampshire Association of Conservation Districts. Every year, teams are given a real world problem to solve. This time it was a milfoil chocked a lake. The state results are in. And as NHPR?s Dan Gorenstein reports, New Hampshire?s Envirothon powerhouse, Team Keene has won again.

Continuing our weekly visit to newspapers across the state, we stop off in Keene for a visit with The Sentinel's Editor Tom Carney. NHPR's John Walters talks with Carney about recent news there including the smoking ban, a milfoil infestation, and high school baseball.