Friends of Leverett Pond (FLP), an entirely volunteer-run nonprofit organization, was formed in 1994 with the goal of protecting and preserving the lake following the discovery of invasive milfoil, a noxious aquatic weed. If left untreated, milfoil will outcompete many other plants, diminish wildlife dependent on the current ecosystem, and make the pond unusable for much recreational use. The organization, run entirely by volunteers, is committed to responsible stewardship of the waterway and improved access to it for the surrounding community.
Among our accomplishments:
- Replaced the deteriorating dam in the northeast corner of the pond. This was a multi-year and many-faceted project that included overseeing the construction project, including raising $360,000 from the community, the Commonwealth, and the Leverett Community Preservation Commission. It turned out the dam was in worse shape than initially thought and was leaking badly. Its inevitable collapse would have reduced the pond to about one-quarter its current size and destroyed wildlife habitats, flora and fauna.
- Regularly raises funds to control the infestation of milfoil and other invasive weeds. FLP uses “Integrated Pest Management,” a combination of environmentally sensitive management practices, to maintain the pond’s open water and prevent degrading habitats for native flora and fauna. A formal Weed Management Plan must be approved by the Commonwealth and the Leverett Conservation Commission before any work can be done. (See FAQs for more info.)
- Registered Leverett Pond as a “Great Pond” owned by the Commonwealth. With help from the Town, this made it possible to apply for state funding and to set up a boat launch with adequate parking.
- Set up a kayak and canoe loan program with boats donated entirely by community members. (See Boat Loan page)
- Bought a TurboDraft water pump for the Fire Department. Leverett Pond serves as a major source of water for filling the Fire Department’s tanker trucks. Unfortunately, the fire hydrant that accesses pond water has been clogged with silt for a few years due to over-vegetation of the surrounding channel. To improve fire safety for everyone in the community, FLP purchased a TurboDraft pump that enables firefighters to pump water directly from the pond or from any water source greater than 4 inches deep. In 2020, the pump was used continuously to fill tankers transporting water to the 55-acre Joshua Hill forest fire.
- Contributed $10,000 to the Leverett Firefighters Association for the purchase of a Hovercraft. This amphibious craft can travel over water, ice, and land, enabling difficult rescues. In 2020, emergency personnel, equipped with boats, whole-body ice-rescue suits, ice-cutting equipment and ropes, spent over 90 minutes saving Luna, a Husky who had fallen through the ice. A Hovercraft would have taken a fraction of the time, and the outcome would have been far more certain and risked fewer lives. The Firefighters Association is in the process of raising additional funds for this purchase.
Back to About Us