Raymond’s beautiful lakes and ponds are threatened by invasive water plants and invasive animals.
Invasive plants: The State of Maine identifies about a dozen invasive water plants as items of concern, though not all of them are present in Maine at this time. The most immediate and visible
concern is variable-leaf milfoil, which is present in a number of places around Sebago Lake. RWPA provides Courtesy Boat Inspectors at public boat launches to help boaters inspect their boats, both going into the water and coming
out, to prevent the spread of invasive water plants (and animals.) Please give our yellow-shirted inspectors a chance to check your boat with you, and to explain the importance of this quick inspection process.
For many years, RWPA also had crew of divers who spent each summer working to reduce the existing infestations of milfoil. They did their job so well that it is no longer practical for us to maintain that crew. We have now transferred
the remaining duties of the milfoil team to the Town of Raymond. We expect the Town will be contracting with a milfoil removal operator to clean up the remaining pockets of milfoil and chase any new infestations caused by plant fragments
floating in from Sebago Lake. RWPA will continue to be involved as an advisor to the Town, and in maintaining two small areas which are unreachable with ordinary milfoil-removal equipment.
Invasive animals: There is at least one invasive animal, the Chinese Mystery Snail, in some of the Raymond lakes, and other invasive animals have been found in other Maine lakes, though not in Raymond yet.
