News from Newfound

October 28, 2022

Welcome to the Newfound Connection

Each edition of the Newfound Lake Region Association newsletter features events, news, trivia, and the people of the watershed—everything a Newfounder needs to know!

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Three Cheers for Volunteers!

From gathering crucial water quality data and battling invasive species to selling raffle tickets and grilling hotdogs at public events, volunteers play a leading role in every facet of our work to protect Newfound. This year, we're celebrating a record number of volunteers and volunteer time in service to the Newfound watershed. Here's some highlights of their accomplishments:

Water Quality Monitoring

12 dedicated volunteers spent 90 hours testing water quality at 43 sampling sites across the watershed. The data they gathered give us critical insights into water quality trends and informs our efforts to stop pollution.

Weed Watchers

Over the summer, 32 volunteers spent 130 hours getting trained as Weed Watchers and paddling Newfound’s shoreline on the hunt for invasive aquatic plants, covering 94% of the shoreline most at-risk for infestation. Their findings? Newfound remains free of aquatic invasive plants!

Educational Programs

14 volunteers shared their expertise with the community on guided hikes, birdwatching walks, at Nature Station programs, and more. Volunteers spent over 80 hours delivering high-quality programming and reached 135 participants.

Grey Rocks Conservation Area

Individual volunteers and community groups have put in 75 hours at Grey Rocks Conservation Area, maintaining trails, removing terrestrial invasives, and promoting ecological diversity by tending the pollinator gardens.

And So Much More

Volunteers work behind the scenes too! NLRA’s board of trustees govern NLRA’s growth and mission work and serve as ambassadors to the community, while administrative volunteers help with everything from spell checking newsletters to stuffing envelopes.

It's as clear as Newfound–volunteers are essential to successful conservation!

Would you like to join our growing volunteer community? There are year-round opportunities to make a difference. Learn more: NewfoundLake.org/volunteer.

Upcoming NLRA Events

Guided Hike: Goose Pond and Little Sugarloaf

November 3, 10am-12:30pm

Sugarloaf-Goose Pond Conservation Area

Alexandria, NH

Join Dr. Mirka Zapletal, NLRA Education and Outreach Manager, for a relaxed autumn hike with great views! Mirka will point out habitat types and plant communities, the conditions affecting them, and what this means for things downstream at Newfound Lake.

Nature Station: Getting Ready for Winter

November 16 and 19, 10am-12pm

Grey Rocks Conservation Area

178 North Shore Rd, Hebron, NH

Join NLRA educators as we explore how the world outside changes as we move through autumn and creatures big and small prepare for the colder weather to come. Complete a scavenger hunt and make a craft to help animals in your backyard get ready for winter. Nature Station is a drop-in program with activities for all ages. This program is free and open to all.

New events added regularly, visit NewfoundLake.org/events to see all upcoming events.

Leaves and Lakes

Leaves left to decompose on streets and driveways leach nutrients that get washed into our waterways. This fuels the growth of algae, increases the chances of toxic cyanobacteria blooms, and lowers the amount of oxygen available for fish and aquatic life. A study by the University of Minnesota revealed that raking leaves off your street and driveway before it rains can reduce phosphorus runoff by up to 60%. Here's how you can manage your leaves and keep our water clean:

Use them as mulch! The same nutrients from leaves that can pollute our water are great for your lawn and garden. Rake leaves into garden beds or onto your lawn, lightly mowing over them to break them up and speed up decomposition.
Rake them into the woods (away from from lakes, rivers, and streams) where they act as winter habitat for many important insects and invertebrates, and add nutrients to forest soil as they decompose.

The Gift of Giving

Do you have a birthday or anniversary coming up? Need a great gift idea for the lake lover in your life? Tribute gifts to NLRA are a great way to honor a loved one or celebrate a special occasion. Request a gift to NLRA in your honor or make a gift in someone else's honor, and we'll send them a notification. Get started here: NewfoundLake.org/in-honor-of/

The Stewardship Journal

Watershed Stewards have finished their term of service with NLRA. Take a look at their successful season in this final journal entry by Paul Pellissier, NLRA's Conservation Program Manager and overseer of the Watershed Steward program.

Stewardship Journal: Paul Pellissier

This week marks the completion of Jenna and Anthony’s five-month AmeriCorps service term, and as NLRA’s Conservation Program Manager and the AmeriCorps site supervisor, I’m writing the final entry in this season’s Stewardship Journal to reflect on the 2022 Watershed Steward program and highlight some of Anthony and Jenna’s many accomplishments.