Wayland Committee Co-Awarded Grant to Control Water Weeds

Dedicated individuals and teams will have the funds to continue battling invasive weeds in Wayland's North Pond thanks to a matching funds grant from the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.

Wayland's Surface Water Quality Committee in conjunction with Framingham's Conservation Commission will receive matching funds in the amount of $16,000 to harvest Eurasian Water Milfoil in Cochituate State Park between Middle Pond, Snake Brook Cove and North Pond, according to an award letter from the DCR. The hope is that harvesting the milfoil will reduce the amount of the weed entering North Pond.

Mike Lowery, a member of Wayland's Surface Water Quality Committee, said in an email that Wayland's committee is already working with Framingham's Conservation Commission to complete surveys of the land and determine where the weed-control efforts are most needed. Lower said the teams will employ mainly hand-pulling by divers to control the weeds, but will resort to herbicide spot treatment as necessary.

"Wayland is blessed to share North Pond with Framingham and with all the citizens of the Commonwealth," Lowery said in the email. "Shared financing and management responsibilities have worked well over the last three years to protect our jewel: North Pond of Cochituate State Park."