Dear Citizens of Raymond,

In 2005 the Raymond Conservation Commission continued planning for natural resource protection and we supported the Raymond Waterways Protective Association (RWPA) with their milfoil control and watershed stewardship efforts. In addition, we worked with the Recycling Committee, Public Works and the Town to re-locate and improve the corrugated cardboard recycling area next to the bus garage. In March 2005 the Town of Raymond was awarded the Cumberland County Outstanding Conservation Leadership Award. This special award was given to recognize the Public Works Department for fixing erosion sites on town roads, to the Town for committing financial resources to address aquatic invasive plants and watershed protection, and to the Conservation Commission for identifying and addressing natural resource issues.

We are grateful to Elisa Trepanier, Kevin Woodbrey, Nathan White, Don Willard, Elizabeth Cummings, Amanda Simpson and other Town staff for helping us do our conservation work.

Land Conservation

In April 2005 we worked with the Planning Board to organize a power point presentation on the links between water quality, smart growth and land protection which was attended by 30 Raymond landowners. With the help of the Town’s new contract planner Hugh Coxe, we developed preliminary goals for Raymond’s Open Space Plan, identified different types of natural resources that need protection and charted a course for engaging landowners in the protection of our special town areas. We are grateful to Hugh Coxe for his land planning expertise and guidance; Raymond will benefit greatly from his services.

During 2005 we responded to the Town’s request to provide partial funding from the Open Space Reserve Fund to help with the purchase of the 83 acre Files parcel off the Egypt Road. The primary reason for purchasing this land was to control liability from a former town landfill. However, approximately 50 of the parcel acres are wooded open space that is not effected by the old landfill. We expect this investment will provide future recreational benefits to the Town.

To continue to build the Open Space Reserve Fund we have requested that $25,000 be placed in the fund for fiscal year 2006/2007. We established the fund in 2002 with a $20,000 contribution from the Town and have requested $20,000 each year through 2005/2006. However, the requested amounts were reduced by the budgeting process to $5,000 for 2003/2004, reduced to $15,000 for 2004/2005, and reduced to $5,000 for 2005/2006. A $25,000 draw was taken from the fund in 2005 to support the Files parcel purchase, leaving a current fund balance before the May 2006 Town meeting of $20,000. The RCC encourages the Town to protect its most important natural resources for future generations; continued regular investment in the fund is crucial to the success of this program.

RWPA Support – Milfoil Management and Watershed Stewardship

In 2005, the RCC helped secure funding to support RWPA’s watershed manager Noralee Raymond and her efforts. RWPA delivered the following lake protection services in 2005:

  • increased the number of milfoil boat inspection to over 2,300;
  • prevented eurasian milfoil from entering Sebago Lake at Raymond Beach;
  • continued milfoil remediation at Jordan Bay marina and Dingley Brook;
  • applied for and received $6,400 of DEP funding for milfoil management;
  • applied for and received $17,700 from DEP to fix an erosion site on Panther Pond;
  • requested $3,000 from Portland Water District to support watershed and milfoil work;
  • worked with the Panther Pond Association to fix erosion sites in the Panther Pond watershed as part of a federal grant;
  • met with property owners and provided technical support for erosion control projects.

We are very grateful to Noralee Raymond for her dedication to Raymond’s lakes.

Aside from known colonies (Jordan Bay Marina, Dingley Brook, Bayview Canals and Panther Run), shoreline surveys have not found milfoil or other invasive plants in Panther Pond, the Tenny River, Crescent Lake, Raymond Pond or Thomas Pond. The best management practice for known colonies continues to be a combination of hand pulling (with or without divers), placing plastic sheeting on the bottom, and setting buoys to keep boats clear of infested areas. Suction dredging is also proving to be effective in other towns. Education and inspection remain the best tools for preventing milfoil from impacting our lakes. For fiscal year 2006/2007, we have requested $15,000 for RWPA for watershed and milfoil management.

The RCC needs active and energetic members to push our efforts forward, and to help conservation in Raymond keep pace with our rapid growth. For more information on RCC projects, contact a member or join us at our meetings. We meet on the last Tuesday of each month, September through May, in the Portable Classroom at 7:00 P.M.

Respectfully submitted,

 

John Rand, Co-Chair

Elizabeth Algeo, Co-Chair

Louise Van Winkle, Co-Secretary

Kimberly Rowe, Co-Secretary

Ben Severn

Peter Marcinuk

Mark Gendron

Jim Ross

Bill Fraser

Priscilla Rand

Russ Hutchinson

Dave Adams

Mike Cline