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What Does the Future Look Like?
We can't keep on going the way we have been, using inadequate means to an unsatsifactory result. There are two possible scenarios for the future of the lakes, ponds, and streams in Raymond (barring nuclear strikes, pipeline disasters, asteroid collisions, and zombie attacks):
Scenario #1
We give up the struggle entirely, and the invasive species take over. Recreational opportunities dwindle. Property values plummet. Marinas turn to mowing, or close up shop. The business community of Raymond consists of one convenience store with a gas pump, and Raymond becomes just a place that people pass through on their way to recreational and residential areas that have mustered the will to deal with their invasive-plant problems.
Scenario #2
Raymond residents and seasonal visitors have enough concern about their environment and their property values to take the threat seriously. Businesses realize that their future income is in jeopardy. Everyone makes the commitment to educate themselves and their neighbors, to contribute time and money to the effort to defeat the invaders. The high-quality waters of the Town retain their appeal to residents and visitors, property values stabilize, business flourishes, and Raymond remains a magnet community, instead of becoming just a pass-through.
Federal, state, and local governments don't have the money or the personnel to deal with the problem, and RWPA can't do it alone. It's going to require private citizens, local government, and local businesses to recognize where their own interests lie, and join the fight to save our justly admired waterways.
