Acton - Shapleigh Youth Conservation Corps

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The ASYCC is funded by donations and grants and supported by a number of volunteers. By donating to the ASYCC, you allow us to continue our work preserving the quality of our lakes and land values while employing local school children.

Welcome

The Acton-Shapleigh Youth Conservation Corps (ASYCC), was founded in 2001, and is committed to protecting the waterways within Mousam Lake and Square Pond Watershed.

This is achieved by providing education, community outreach, courtesy boat inspections, technical assistance, and the installation of effective erosion control practices to the communities of Acton and Shapleigh.

The ASYCC continues to work to sustain and protect the valuable waterways of Goose Pond, Loon Pond, Mousam Lake, and Square Pond for the enjoyment of the community and its visitors.

Announcements

November 9, 2020

Our 2020 Annual Report is now available.

2020 ASYCC Annual Report

September 11, 2020

Storm Water Runoff...a Threat to Maine Lake Water Quality

The Mousam Lake watershed has been the beneficiary of a federal grant awarded through the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and USEPA and administered by the York County Soil and Water Conservation District.

As part of this Mousam Lake 319 grant, Dave Landry (an MLRA Board Member) with help from his daughters, have created an educational video regarding storm water runoff in conjuction with a Best Management Practices (BMP) Workshop that was conducted last July by the ASYCC and the York County Soil & Water Conservation District. Click here to view the video

Or View on You Tube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TaaWqYevls

July 25, 2020

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and an understandable low turnout for golfer registration, we have cancelled this year’s golf fundraiser event.

We are still reaching out to our donors and sponsors with an appeal to help keep the ASYCC operating in this difficult year. If you are able, please send a donation to ASYCC at PO Box 47, Springvale ME 04083 or you can donate via PayPal at Donate.

June 13, 2020

The ASYCC is sponsoring and holding an Erosion Control Training Workshop on July 8, 2020. View a brochure.

The ASYCC has opened it's Courtesy Boat Inspection season with weekend inspections at Mousam and Square Pond as of May 1. We will go to seven days a week operation after Memorial Day weekend.

We also are planning to have our normal Erosion Control work, and expanded Invasive Plant Patrols.

We tentatively are planning to hold our annual golf tournament fundraiser at PLG, but due to limits on the number of the group, we are now likely to make this a "virtual" event, where individual or smaller groups foursomes can sign up and play on any day of their liking between mid-July and Labor Day.

Stay safe!

February 26, 2020

Mousam Lake Property Owners - Grant Money Available

The Mousam Lake watershed has been the beneficiary of a federal grant awarded through the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and USEPA and administered by the York County Soil and Water Conservation District. There is still money available for Mousam Lake shorefront property owners to have erosion control work done during the Summer of 2020.

Individual property owners would be eligible to receive up to $200 to offset project material costs. Additionally, labor for these erosion control projects is provided free of charge by the Acton Shapleigh Youth Conservation Corps (ASYCC).

Projects that would ideally fit this program might be storm water runoff across patios, stairs, or driveways that runs down and into the lake. Simple solutions are available that can address these problems. It should be remembered that storm water runoff into Mousam Lake can be a serious threat to future water quality. There is no better way to protect property values and enhance the public’s enjoyment of the lake than by protecting water quality. By taking advantage of available grant money and the free labor by the ASYCC, property owners can do projects that will help protect the lake for a fraction of the cost that a private contractor might charge.

In 2017 as part of the ongoing effort to protect water quality in Mousam Lake the watershed was surveyed and erosion problems noted. The results of the watershed survey were documented in the publication, Mousam Lake Watershed Survey. By searching in Addendum B and also checking the watershed map included in the survey, lakefront residents can see if their property was one on which a concerning amount of erosion was noted. If shorefront property owners have noted ongoing erosion or note their property listed in the watershed survey, help and in many cases money is available to address the storm water erosion issues.

Mousam Lake watershed residents can obtain more information by contacting:

Funding for the Mousam Lake grant is provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under Section 319(h) of the Clean Water Act. The funding is administered by the Maine DEP in partnership with the EPA. The EPA does not endorse any commercial products or services. The grant encourages local organizations, primarily volunteer groups, to work collaboratively in addressing watershed issues.

Resources:

February 6, 2020

Visit the Mousam Lake Region Association (MLRA) Facebook Page and Square Pond Improvement Association (SPIA) Facebook Group to learn more about two great associations.