Nonprofit works hard to protect lakes

To the editor:

There seems to be an overwhelming misconception surrounding the New Hampshire Lakes Association’s Lake Host program, that it is somehow a state-run program. This is incorrect. New Hampshire Lakes Association (NH LAKES) is a member-supported, 501(c)3 conservation nonprofit dedicated to protecting New Hampshire’s lakes and their watersheds. We do this primarily through education and advocacy.

One of the educational programs we created in 2002 was our Lake Host program designed to provide courtesy boat inspections while educating boaters about the threat of exotic invasive aquatic plants. Not only has this program been successful, it has flourished, with an increasing number of boats inspected and “saves” recorded each year. A “save” is when a lake host captures an exotic invasive weed fragment on a boat or trailer, either entering or exiting a lake. 

While we rely on some state grants to support the good work of the Lake Host program, it is not a state-run operation. Unfortunately, many individuals and local organizations associate the ‘NH’ name as a state program. 

Nonprofits such as NH LAKES work to help alleviate the burden on the state by providing needed services to help educate individuals and protect our quality of life along our lakes. 

Remember, maintaining a healthy waterfront is critical to the ecological, economical and aesthetic investments in your property and New Hampshire’s water bodies.

Jared Teutsch
President
NH LAKES