President’s Letter
We have had some appearances of cyanobacteria the last week of June. Although they have been identified as cyano, they have not been persistent, nor widespread, resembling their behavior in the years before the first 2020 bloom where they seemed unable to gain traction.
Preventing Lyme Disease
About 1 in 2 adult stage Deer or Blacklegged Ticks carry the bacterium that causes Lyme disease. They can also carry organisms that can cause babesiosis, anaplasmosis, and relapsing fever. About 1 in 4 nymph stage deer ticks carry Lyme disease.
Postcard from the Appalachian Trail
Every hiker, as an acknowledgment that the trail requires you to forgo your normal life and ego while changing you for the better, gives up his/her name and takes on a trail name. My trail name is Paladin, from the old TV show Have Gun Will Travel
Commit to Stewardship – Rewilding Part of Your Yard
“…maintaining our lawns in their prestigious, weed-free states has become quite a toxic undertaking…40% of the chemicals used by the lawn-care industry are banned in other countries because they are carcinogens.”
Why do I need a Vegetated Buffer?
Stormwater runoff is the single largest contributor to water quality degradation in Massachusetts. The problem is that storm water runoff carries a huge amount of pollution into a pond, unless the runoff is captured in vegetation growing along the pond or on the slope above it.
Beware of Invasive Bugs
In the past decade Massachusetts trees have been subjected to serious attacks by invasive insects from Asia that have no predators and quickly spread and damage our forests and even our residential trees.
Summer Gardening Tips from Geri
Consider reducing your lawn by planting a pollinator garden or some native shrubs and perennials, especially near the waters edge to reduce runoff.
Old Mr. Toad
There’s something about toads that is both familiar and appealing. But literary toads aside, what are toads, really?
Water Quality Committee Report
The burning water quality question is will we have a cyano bloom this summer? We know that higher phosphorus pollutant levels, higher water temperatures and more sunny days favor cyanobacteria blooms.
Septic System Care
Over the last 30 years, the number of homes on Great Herring Pond has increased by 50%. Proper septic system care is more important than ever.
Upcoming Events
Annual Picnic – August 6th
Annual Meeting – August 22nd
Water Safety Reminders
While those long lake days conjure up images of bathing suits, sunscreen, fishing and water skis, we can’t forget that a lovely day on the pond could quickly turn dangerous when safety isn’t top of mind.
