by Katherine Busby, October 1, 2026
Our Greeter season ran from Memorial Day to October 4th. We covered boat access 5 days a week in May and June and had a 7-day schedule for July and August. By saving hours during rainy and windy weather, we extended Greeter coverage to include every weekend in September and the first weekend of October. We spent the saved time well, as the boat launch was busy with fishing and leaf peeping. We had 9 Greeters in the program. All Greeters and staff took in-person or online training with Kim Jensen of the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation.
The team inspected 2,248 watercraft, up from 2,000 last year; 31 were wakeboats. Our Greeters removed plant material from 184 boats; they removed invasive Eurasian Water Milfoil from 58, double last year.
Our Greeter Program is one of the busiest in Vermont and is essential to keeping Willoughby Lake free of invasive species and protecting other bodies of water.
Swampguana Diving Services suction-harvested aquatic invasive Eurasian Water Milfoil starting in July and will continue their efforts through October. They removed Milfoil from the Boat Launch, Crescent Beach, Gallagher’s Cabins, NE Shoreline/Willoughvale, NW Shoreline/North Beach, and Gray Rock to the Boat Launch. No other invasive species were reported so far. Previous years’ Milfoil Management Program results show a significant yearly reduction in invasive milfoil spread and its importance for aquatic nuisance control in Willoughby Lake.
Thanks to the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation and the Memphremagog Watershed Association, the Town of Westmore received a $22,850 grant. The Greeter Program receives $16,773, and $6,077 goes to the Milfoil Management Program. The Westmore Association provides $11,000 for the Greeter Program.