Outreach and Education

FUND Active Around the Lake George Watershed

The FUND for Lake George supports local efforts that help to protect Lake George throughout the community.

Support for Lake George Science in the Bolton Central School

The FUND for Lake George supports the Environmental Discovery program with Bolton Central School and Darrin Fresh Water Institute (DFWI). The environmental curriculum of students in grades 7 is enhanced with hands-on field work in Lake George and its watershed in the Town of Bolton.

DFWI provides Bolton Central School's Environmental Discovery program with access to field stations along the shore of Lake George in Bolton Landing. Field Instrumentation for testing and sample collection, laboratory support for chemistry and biological analysis, along with personnel and service support.

The field seasons for the Environmental Discovery program is broken down into three sessions, occurring in mid-September, mid-October, and late May. The students learn about physical conditions such as depth, temperature, light and sediments in the lake and stream systems. They learn about chemical characteristics, biological communities, pollution, data analysis assessment and quality control and environmental assessment and management.

EXPLORE!

In 2006, the FUND for Lake George and Lake George Waterkeeper partnered with Explore! to develop the Water Laboratory and children's water quality learning & activity center. Children learn about water quality through self teaching activities and observational exhibits.

Bateaux Below

Bateaux Below conducts underwater archeological and submerged cultural resources management in Lake George. The "Submerged Heritage Preserves," a state administered shipwreck park for scuba divers, has been operated by Bateaux Below since 1993. Bateaux Below is partnered with DFWI's zebra mussel eradication program, providing them with volunteer scuba, boat, and other technologies to assist DFWI with the goals of the program. Divers working with Bateaux Below assist in the removal of modern day litter from the lake, assisting to keep "The Queen of American Lakes" clean.' Bateaux Below has removed more than 17,000 pieces of trash from the lake bottom of Lake George.

Bateaux Below has been conducting fieldwork since 1988 to complete a full lake shipwreck inventory. They primarily use side scan sonar to locate shipwrecks and then use skilled dive teams to collect data and cultural resources. To date, Bateaux Below has scanned approximately half of Lake George and has inventoried approximately 200 shipwrecks. Bateaux Below divers are also noted for the amount of garbage they have hauled from the lake bottom. The Fund for Lake George supports this work.

Land Protection

The FUND has supported the Lake George Land Conservancy since it was launched in 1990. The LGLC has protected over 12,000 acres around the lake in more than two dozen projects in almost 20 years. Many miles of wild, undeveloped shorelines, many scenic vistas, and important ecological areas have all been permanently set aside for preservation. The LGLC is an important partner in the West Brook Conservation Initiative with the FUND today.

Lake George Watershed Conference

Since 1996, the New York State Departments of State and Environmental Conservation have provided more than $2.5 million in grants to improve Lake George's water quality and bring together the many stakeholders from around the lake. Projects addressed issues such as stormwater management, public education, stream corridor management, control of invasive species, local planning, among others. The FUND for Lake George has been an active participant in this process along with the Village of Lake George, Towns of Lake George, Bolton, Hague, Dresden, Putnam, Ticonderoga, Fort Ann, and Queensbury; Warren, Washington, and Essex Counties, the Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District, the Lake George Park Commission, the Adirondack Park Agency, the Department of Environmental Conservation and Department of State, as well as private organizations such as the Lake George Association, the Darrin Fresh Water Institute, the Lake George Land Conservancy, and Cornell Cooperative Extension.