Aquatic Herbicide Success Inspires Rhode Islanders to Protect More ...

Tag : Herbicide

Inspired by the success of aquatic herbicides in eliminatinginvasive milfoil from the Smith and Sayles Reservoir, Glocester,Rhode Island residents are forming a new environmental group withthe goal of ridding other area lakes of milfoil.

Weeds Destroyed Local Jewel
The 173-acre reservoir had regressed from a beautiful local jewelconducive to swimming, boating, and fishing into an unusableeyesore choked with aggressive foreign plants. Unable to navigateboats through the lake and fearful that children would get tangledup in long milfoil tendrils, local residents had completely givenup on any enjoyment of the lake by the summer of 2007.
“All you could see was a grassy field,” a July 19 storyin the Providence Journal quoted local resident Raymond Theriaultas saying. “The lake was useless.”

Local Citizens Fight Back
A group of local residents, however, decided not to give up soeasily.
After researching milfoil and learning from other communities thatsuccessfully fought the invasive plant, they raised funds to treatthe lake with aquatic herbicides. Within a month after a June 2008herbicide treatment, the lake was free of milfoil and a vitalcommunity resource once again.
Now, those same residents have formed Save the Lakes, anenvironmental group dedicated to helping other communities protecttheir lakes.
Referring to other area lakes in the early stages of infestation,“If these lakes are left untreated, they’ll be filledin [with invasive plants] within 15 years,” Save the Lakesmember Judy Colaluca told the Journal.

Greens, Pro-Herbicide Groups
Save the Lakes spokesperson Noelle Damon said fighting milfoil ispart of what the group sees as a growing environmental mission.
“What we have been trying to do is bring as much informationas possible to the community about responsible development,”said Damon. “In the process we have become affiliated withthe Sierra Club and a number of local environmental groups.”
“Getting the Sierra Club on board with groups utilizing safe,effective herbicides to treat lakes infested with milfoil is anoteworthy development,” said Sterling Burnett, a seniorfellow at the National Center for Policy Analysis.“Let’s hope they allow Save the Lakes to continuefollowing such a wise strategy.”

Environmental Successes
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) iswell aware of the milfoil problem within the state. According toDEM research, nearly 80 percent of the state’s freshwaterbodies have contracted either milfoil or another invasive plantspecies.
State officials will be keeping a close eye on the Smith and SaylesReservoir to make sure there are no negative environmentalconsequences from the recent aquatic herbicide treatment. Any suchproblems seem highly unlikely, analysts say, as aquatic herbicideshave an untarnished record in communities from Washington state toNew England, eliminating invasive plant species in anenvironmentally friendly manner.
“Community after community has discovered to their benefitthat aquatic herbicides are effective and environmentally friendlyways to restore and protect valuable lakes and streams from thedamaging effects of invasive milfoil,” said Jim Skillen,director of science and regulatory affairs for Responsible Industryfor a Sound Environment.
James M. Taylor ( taylor@heartland.org ) is a senior fellow of The Heartland Institute and managing editorof Environment & Climate News.