Nawakwa Contributes To The Fight Against Invasive Species In Harriman State Park

Camp Nawakwa is involved in two conservation projects involving invasive species.

Nawakwa is participating in the ongoing Invasive Species Task Force led by the New York/ New Jersey Trail Conference, against land based invasive species. As a continuation of the fall program, we contributed volunteers, as did the ACA camp on Sebago Lake, to the Task Force’s June 12 work day to uproot and kill invasive species around Sebago Lake and along the road to Nawakwa. We destroyed hundreds of plants, focusing mainly on burberry bushes.

We are also involved in the AIS (aquatic invasive species) program being conducted by Teatown under the auspices of the NYS Dept of Environmental Conservation. On July 11 we and ACA volunteers were treated to a one hour educational presentation on identifying and fighting aquatic invasive species. This was followed by 2 hours in canoes and kayaks surveying part of Lake Sebago to discover the extent of the invasion of non- native species ( which have ruined many lakes in the area). We searched for invasive animal life such as clams and snails as well as invasive plants.

Though invasive species are present, we discovered that, at this time, there is not a major problem in the lake. Harriman State Park employees are scheduled to do a full survey of the lake at the beginning of August. I have asked for the report from that work to be sent to the Nawakwa Board of Directors when it is completed.

Submitted by

Ira Stahl Conservation Committee Chairperson