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Page 2
Annual Meeting
Lake News:
o Membership Dues Rate Change
o Scrapbook Project
o Volunteers and Items Needed
o "Loon I.Q."

Page 3
Lake Enhancement

Page 4
President's Corner

Lake News

Membership Dues Rate Change
As you may recall at the last Annual Meeting, a member suggested that our annual dues be increased to help support the Youth Conservation Corps. As this suggestion was met with a positive response from others present, the Board promised to take it under consideration. After much discussion, and due to the fact that the $17.50 fee has remained unchanged for a number of years, the Board has decided that an increase to $20 would be appropriate for several reasons.
 
Primary among these reasons is the fact that this increase would indeed allow the MLRA to continue to support the very beneficial work of the Youth Conservation Corps. This group has been instrumental in helping to improve the environmental quality of Mousam Lake over the past year (as many of our members can attest) and deserves more financial support from the Association. 

Secondly, the MLRA is now the owner of the public beach at the foot of the lake, and as such, must maintain the property. The State of Maine DOT is slated to begin renovation of the Route 11/Route 109 intersection to improve safety and environmental quality in the area, and we need to be prepared for maintenance costs that may ultimately become the responsibility of the MLRA.

Another concern is preventing dangerous milfoil from invading Mousam as boats enter the lake. Plans are being considered to station inspectors at the public boat ramp and perhaps even provide some type of boat washing system, both of which will require funding.
 
The MLRA Board also remains committed to ongoing projects such as water quality testing and the Lake Watch Program. Last year the biggest expenses for Lake Watch were covered by donations and it is unclear what costs will be for this second season.

It is our sincere hope that our membership will also agree these projects are worthy of this modest increase. Thank you for your continued support. 
The MLRA Board of Directors

Scrapbook Project
Thanks so much to the members who have sent me scrapbook pictures and information since the last newsletter. I also apologize for the delay in getting back to those of you who have questions for me and promise to respond as soon as possible.

My availability is unfortunately much more limited now due to a new full-time job, but I still plan to have a display for this year's Annual Meeting. I appreciate your generosity and your patience! 

Volunteers and Items Needed

The MLRA is looking for you! We have several areas that could really use some volunteer time and/or materials donated.

To begin with, the Youth Conservation Corps is looking for equipment donations for the summer's upcoming projects. If you have items such as post diggers, wheelbarrows, rakes, shovels, etc., or know of someone else who might like to donate these items, please contact Janice Corr.

Volunteers to work on the YCC crew would also be welcome. This is a great learning experience for both teenagers and adults and provides real satisfaction in knowing that you are helping our lake.

Another ongoing project where volunteers are needed is in water quality testing. If you are a year-round resident and would like to be trained in this area, please contact Warren Cummings.

Water quality testing is done periodically over the summer months and provides vital data about the state of our lake environment. All it takes is a little basic training and a few hours of your time to perform this invaluable service.

If you would like to help out on these or any other projects, please contact any member of the MLRA Board. Thank you.

“Loon I.Q.”
From The Loon News, Winter 2001:

1. Do loons mate for life? Although popular folklore suggests otherwise, loons do not mate for life. Pair bonds between males and females last on average about seven years. Loon “divorces” most likely result when a nest fails or when a new male takes over a territory. Rather than leave with her old mate, a female loon will stick with the territory and the new male.

2. Do I see the same loons on my lake every year? Recent evidence based on over 1,900 observations of marked loons suggests that there's about an 81% chance each year that you're seeing the same pair of loons on the same territory on a lake.

3. How old are young loons before they nest? For a long time we thought that loons started breeding at two years, which is the same time they first get their adult plumage. However, we now know that loons don't breed until they're on average about seven years old, and in some cases not until they're more than 10! Young birds probably stay on saltwater or wander around freshwater lakes until they're ready to breed.

4. Do young loons return to the same lakes where they hatched? In a study of 27 adult loons banded when they were young, they returned on average about eight miles from the lake where they were hatched. Some returned to the same lake where they were raised (and interacted with their parents) and some went as far away as 58 miles.

5. How successful are nesting loons? Loon reproductive success in Maine varies tremendously according to habitat quality and pressures from people, predators, and even disease. On average, 76% of the territorial pairs nest each year and 66% of those nests are successful in hatching at least one chick. Nesting pairs average a bit more than 1.0 chick per year and 76% of these chicks survive to an age where they are assumed to fledge.