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June 3, 2026
Dear Lake Stewards,
I am thrilled to share some exciting news! The success of recent cooperative activities between Maine Lakes (ML) and Lake Stewards of Maine (LSM), especially the annual Lake Conference, has gotten a lot of people thinking, “what if the two organizations could merge?” Well... good news! After spending some time looking into this since Autumn of 2024, we are considering the possibility more seriously than ever before and are seeking your input!
As you likely know, both organizations have a statewide focus. We both offer important lake protection programs, which often leads to confusion about who does what. In a nutshell, Maine Lakes implements the LakeSmart Program and keeps members informed about lake advocacy opportunities, while Lake Stewards of Maine trains volunteers to collect water quality data and survey our lakes for aquatic invasive species. Both organizations provide educational materials to support lake protection, many of which are available on their websites. In addition to our joint Lake Conference, ML and LSM have teamed up for the well-attended Winter Webinar Series, and have provided grants to lake associations to help support Watershed Surveys. In addition, both Executive Directors are part of the recently formed Lake Protection Coalition steering committee.
When first considering a potential merger, the boards of each organization came together to become better acquainted and to understand the vision, values, and programs of the other organization. Finding no major incompatibilities, both boards agreed to move forward by:
- Opening lines of communication with you, our volunteers, Advisory Board, grant funders, and other interested parties.
- Closely examining all aspects of each organization, including finances, by-laws, organizational culture, and many other operational details.
We value your support and input as we begin a deeper dive into the possibility of merging. Following this letter are additional details as well as a link to a survey with a few questions we would like you to answer. We truly appreciate your feedback and there will be additional opportunities for input throughout this process.
Please be aware that we are intentionally taking our time and doing our due diligence by comparing every aspect of each organization. It ultimately must clearly be a win-win for success.
We are excited about the possibilities that may materialize over the next year or so. Lakes across Maine are facing increasing and evolving challenges, presenting a compelling reason to focus our efforts to meet those needs. Exploring a potential merger offers a chance to strengthen our collective capacity, expand support to lake communities, and enhance and sustain our programs into the future.
I hope to see you at the annual Lake Conference!
Linda Bacon, President
Board of Directors
Lake Stewards of Maine
Lake Stewards of Maine
Lake Stewards of Maine trains, certifies and provides technical support to volunteer community scientists who monitor water quality, survey lakes for aquatic invasive species, and conduct aquatic plant assessments. Volunteers also collect other lake data such as ice-in and ice-out dates, support watershed surveys, and help maintain the Lakes of Maine website.
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Maine Lakes
Maine Lakes trains and supports LakeSmart volunteers who help homeowners identify and remedy sources of erosion, protecting water quality and wildlife habitat. They also organize and lead advocacy efforts to advance lake protection policy and support educational initiatives, including the Freshwater Education Network, which seeks to impart an understanding of lake protection principles.
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WE CAN DO MORE FOR MAINE LAKES, TOGETHER!
Please let us know what you think!
In recent years, Lake Stewards of Maine and Maine Lakes have joined forces to:
💧 Lake Conference Maine
Combined their individual annual meetings into Lake Conference Maine, nearly doubling attendance from approximately 90 participants per organization to more than 300 attendees. Both organizations have benefited from efficiencies gained through shared planning responsibilities and costs, increased fundraising and sponsorships, greater awareness of each organization’s programs, and broader engagement across Maine’s lake community.
💧 Winter Webinar Series
Established a combined Winter Webinar Series rather than hosting separate programs covering similar topics. This collaboration has improved coordination of educational programming, reduced duplication of presentations, expanded audiences, and shared planning responsibilities.
💧 Watershed Survey Grants
Expanded Watershed Survey Grants, previously offered only through LSM, by adding support from ML. This partnership created a more sustainable funding opportunity for watershed survey trainings and helped attract additional foundation and grant support.
💧 Lake Protection Coalition
Coordinated participation in the Lake Protection Coalition steering committee. While this effort includes additional organizations, it has provided an avenue for ML and LSM to work together and find common ground around advocacy and lake protection priorities.
💧💧💧 Through these collaborations, both organizations have consistently found that working together expands impact, improves efficiency and coordination, and better serves Maine’s lakes and communities!
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