Greeter Program - Vermont Invasive Patrollers (VIPs) |
The Lake Fairlee Greeters from L to R:
Beth Tilden, Jane Rossi, Wanda Vaughan, Gina Boyd, and Linda Reeves-Potter​ (not pictured: Dexter Tilden)
This year’s fourteenth season of our Greeter Program, conducted at the boat landing on Lake Fairlee, will run from mid-May through mid-October, seven days a week. The primary purpose of the Greeter Program is to prevent aquatic invasives from entering the lake, and from exiting the lake in a manner that could contaminate other New England waters. We are very fortunate to have six returning experienced greeters, all of whom have been with us between eight to ten years. Each greeter annually attends a comprehensive training program conducted by the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) which includes extensive information about invasive plants and animals. In each of the last several years, our greeters have inspected nearly 2,000 boats and watercraft entering and exiting the lake and on hundreds of occasions have prevented the spread of milfoil and other invasives.
Our greeters also serve as our enthusiastic and friendly ambassadors for Lake Fairlee. They assist in advising transient lake users about boater safety, ways to protect our shoreline and lake environment, and locating popular fishing locations. They alert boaters of areas where they will share the lake with young campers and swimmers, and where our the loon habitats and nesting areas are. The greeters also help educate users about the new statewide wakesport rule. Using the large wakesport zone map posted on the kiosk, they show wake boat owners where wakesports may occur.
When our Greeter Program began well over a decade ago it was a part-time volunteer effort. Since that time it has grown and improved to include extensive Vermont DEC training, all-day coverage from spring to fall, with comprehensive annual reporting to the state of Vermont.
We believe our greeters are among the very best in Vermont and are proud to say that our program has been used as a model for others statewide. That said, we are always trying to improve the program and welcome any questions or suggestions anyone may have.
Our greeters also serve as our enthusiastic and friendly ambassadors for Lake Fairlee. They assist in advising transient lake users about boater safety, ways to protect our shoreline and lake environment, and locating popular fishing locations. They alert boaters of areas where they will share the lake with young campers and swimmers, and where our the loon habitats and nesting areas are. The greeters also help educate users about the new statewide wakesport rule. Using the large wakesport zone map posted on the kiosk, they show wake boat owners where wakesports may occur.
When our Greeter Program began well over a decade ago it was a part-time volunteer effort. Since that time it has grown and improved to include extensive Vermont DEC training, all-day coverage from spring to fall, with comprehensive annual reporting to the state of Vermont.
We believe our greeters are among the very best in Vermont and are proud to say that our program has been used as a model for others statewide. That said, we are always trying to improve the program and welcome any questions or suggestions anyone may have.
For a deeper dive into the greeter training, check out the Vermont Public Access Greeter Manual.
Overview of aquatic invasive species in Vermont
Gallery of Invaders: From the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, see pictures of invasive plants and animals currently in Vermont's lakes and/or threatening Vermont's lakes.
Vermont Aquatic Invasive Species Presentation: This presentation, which is a part of the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation's Greeter Training Resources, provides an in-depth presentation on Vermont's invasive species.