Boaters visiting Kelly Lake over the holiday weekend were met by volunteers spreading the word about not spreading invasive species.
Despite missing a day due to bad weather, seven volunteers of the annual Landing Blitz event connected with 75 boats and 131 people from Thursday through Saturday.
“I think we did well,” said Rebecca Fabry, head of the Kelly Lake volunteers. “The weather was against us this weekend on a couple of the days.”
The Landing Blitz, part of the nationwide Clean Boats, Clean Waters program, is an effort to stop the spread of invasive lake weeds, particularly Eurasian milfoil.
The weed, which is spread when watercraft and trailers enter numerous lakes without being cleaned, forms dense mats near the surface that entangle propellers, makes swimming difficult and hampers fishing.
Volunteer Greg Van Zeeland, of Kelly Lake, said the weed problem started in Green Bay, Lake Winnebago and the Wolf River and began to travel north. He said local residents knew something had to be done.
“That’s when (residents) said, ‘We have to stop this,’ and they started educating fishermen and recreational boaters,” Van Zeeland said.
To protect their lake, residents of Kelly Lake became involved in Clean Boats, Clean Waters in 2011 through the Kelly Lake Advancement Association and the Kelly Lake Sportsman’s Club. Fabry, a lifelong resident, said there are many people with deep family roots on the lake who want to keep it clean.
“We just like the lake,” Fabry said. “There is something about it that is heaven.”
Volunteers work at landings from Memorial Day to mid-August to educate boaters about invasive species. The Landing Blitz takes place over the Fourth of July holiday to target the increased number of boaters.
Since 2011, volunteers at Kelly Lake had increased contacts every year, from 21 boats and 38 people in 2011, to 30 boats and 59 people in 2012, and 245 boats and 447 people in 2013.
“We always see these guys out here,” said boater James Clayton, of Bonduel. “It is great because people listen, and it helps to keep the lake nice.”
Van Zeeland said some lakes have become so infested with the weed that property values around the lakes have dropped because people cannot fish or enjoy recreational activities.
“(Invasive species) end up choking up regular vegetation, and it eliminates food for the fish,” he said. “If you see some of these lakes up north that these weeds got into, they just kill off the fishing, and you can’t fish or cast.”
Chemical and clarity tests conducted by Fabry at Kelly Lake continue to show positive results, she said.
“Everything about the lake just seems to be getting better,” Fabry said.
Van Zeeland said residents will continue to volunteer to make sure Kelly Lake remains a place people can enjoy.
“You have got to keep the lake beautiful,” he said.
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