Weed Watchers

Coordinator: Lisa Tusveld leeza55@comcast.net

Since the late 80’s, the issue of invasive weeds in NH's lakes has been increasingly problematic due to their propensity to outcompete native plants and displace aquatic organisms already present, including fish.

In 2003, Tom Dowling, then President of the Lake Warren Association, reached out to Phil and Romie Sanford, longtime seasonal residents, with a request to establish a weed-watching program aimed at safeguarding the lake. Together with Amy Smagula, then head of the program for NHDES, Phil and Romie set the program in motion in 2004. With an extensive knowledge of the lake’s plant life, Romie compiled her own training materials and held several sessions with volunteers to familiarize them with both native and non-native plants.

By 2007, a systematic approach was developed, including a detailed map that Phil created of the lake divided into 60 distinct zones which are assigned to specific volunteers. Inspections are conducted monthly from late May through September. Weed Watcher “rovers”, who receive abbreviated training or self train off of NHDES’ website, are encouraged to perform random inspections at their leisure. Any suspicious plants found are reported to the program coordinator, and if identification cannot be confirmed, photos or samples are sent to NHDES for analysis. Due to the shallow nature of the lake, early detection of infestations is crucial. Following Romie's passing in 2013, Phil continued as the program coordinator, receiving assistance from Lisa Tusveld, who served as the primary contact for inquiries about observations.

In 2025, Lisa assumed the role of coordinator and along with our dedicated volunteers, the program continues to be a vital protection to our lake. In recent years, the Weed Watchers have also played a significant role in monitoring the presence of cyanobacteria in their assigned territories. Currently, there are ten experienced volunteers who have been part of the program for many years, with several being involved since its inception. The efforts of the Weed Watchers are making a meaningful impact on the preservation and health of the lake. 

If you’re interested in volunteering for this program, or any other, please complete our Volunteer Form!

Resources

NH DES Fact Sheet — Weed Watchers: Volunteer Monitoring for Aquatic Invasive Plants

NH Lakes Aquatic Invasive Species ID

Watershed Management contact at NH DES (for reporting possible exotics):

Georgia Bunnell, Limnologist

Phone: (603) 271-2248

Email: georgia.e.bunnell@des.nh.gov