PURPLE LOOSESTRIFE ALERT

There appears to be a resurgence of purple loosestrife on both Mirror and Shadow Lakes shorelands.  At this point, the best control available is to dig it out or at least cut the flower heads off.   Please check your shoreland and your neighbors.  If you see any bright pink /purple flowers with six petals, cut the flower spike off.  Some of the plants have had beetle activity, but the majority have not.  Cutting the flower heads, or seedheads if it is that far along, keeps that plant from re-seeding more new plants so that any removal is better than none. 

We want to identify the extent of the infestation to determine if we need to obtain beetles next spring. If you find purple loosestrife on Mirror or Shadow Lakes, please email fomsl2009@gmail.com , giving the location of the plants you have found and , in general, the size of the area of infestation.  If you find loosestrife elsewhere, please inform the municipality in which you find it.

Thank you.  Below is a website with a picture of purple loosestrife and basic information about it:  

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How the Friends of Mirror/Shadow Lakes acts to protect the lakes:

• Investing years of regular testing to establish baselines for oxygen content, temperature and clarity of Shadow and Mirror lakes.  Continuing to examine unusually high phosphorus levels in the lakes' water.  Encouraging proper artificial aeration.
• Stepping up the Clean Boats, Clean Waters" program to educate boaters on how to keep unwanted organisms out of our lakes.
• Watching for any appearance of invasive species in or near the lakes.  Working to eradicate curly-leaf pondweed from the channel between Shadow and Mirror lakes to prevent the unwanted weed from spreading.
• Struggling to ensure clean shore land by discouraging the flocks of resident Canada geese that foul our yards and beaches.  Encouraging a program against feeding geese.
• Promoting lakeshore plantings that tend to discourage geese and simultaneously reduce erosion and chemical runoff.
• Disseminating the results of a survey of lakes users made in the summer of 2009.

You Can Help the Lakes Too:

•       Learn about healthy lakes and clean water.  Come to the informal meetings of the Friends of Mirror/Shadow Lakes.
•      Volunteer to share information on the "Clean Boats, Clean Waters" program at the Shadow Lake boat landing.
•     Run off geese on the shore.  Don't feed the geese!
•     Plan your landscaping to incorporate best water management practices.
•     Finally the lakes, but don't abuse them.

For more information about Mirror and Shadow Lakes, email fomsl2009@gmail.com