Cleanup effort reflects lake association’s environmental commitment
By Tim Blydenburgh – Guest Author
The Great Sacandaga Lake has appeal for so many: for kayakers and other boaters, swimmers and waders, loon lovers and history buffs. Its clean waters are a shimmering gem and its surrounding communities in both Fulton and Saratoga counties are a treasure to explore.
The Great Sacandaga Lake Association (GSLA) wants to keep it that way.
Founded in 1953 to advocate, educate, preserve and protect the lake, the non-profit water-quality advocacy group is kicking off a number of efforts toward that end.
“It’s just naturally beautiful, and not that developed, yet,” says association President Jane Kinney Denning about the lake — technically a reservoir created nearly 100 years ago for flood control. “And there’s a history that goes beyond that. Indigenous peoples, the Revolutionary War, the Civil War and the people and communities that existed here before the GSL was created. It’s a very special place. Whether you live here or vacation here, it’s a real privilege to be a part of it.”
On Saturday, June 7, from noon to 3 p.m., the association will be hosting a cleanup day event centered at the Griffis Road Marina, 412 Griffis Road in Mayfield. Neighbors and friends are being asked to clean up areas around the lake or at their own properties, neighborhoods or parks in the morning and then to come together at the marina to meet other members of the community, and enjoy some refreshments and good conversation. Rain date is Sunday, June 8.
If you are interested in participating, we have clear trash bags, gloves and vests for you to use. Just email us at GSLA438@gmail.com and we will arrange to get the supplies to you.
Participants are asked to bring their trash bags to the dumpster at the marina after their morning cleanups, where they will receive a raffle ticket for each bag they add to the bin.
A highlight of the day includes the bestowing of the GSLA Environmental Citizenship Award to graduating seniors, one from each of the five the school districts around the lake; a GSLA initiative that gets young people to see the importance of a quality environment and to become good environmental stewards. The student winners of this scholarship will be given an honorary one year membership to the GSLA and also have the opportunity to volunteer, intern and mentor with the highly experienced board members.
A catalyst for the cleanup, Kinney-Denning says, was seeing “the astonishing amount of garbage” on her road in Mayfield. “It just becomes a trash can in winter.”
She hopes the GSLA’s first cleanup event will lead to even more awareness about the importance of protecting the GSL and its surrounding communities among residents and visitors to the lake.
“We really need the support of the community to be an effective association and we are actively working to recruit the over 4,500 permit holders (those who live along the shoreline who have access through the state Hudson River Black River Regulating District) and businesses to join us as members and volunteers to support us and to become active environmental stewards of the lake,” she said.
The association almost folded during the pandemic and that would have been a huge loss to the GSL community.
“The GSLA is strong because of its members and volunteers and we are able to continue our work water testing, keeping abreast of development, collaborating with other organizations and educating people about the wildlife and surrounding wilderness that are so important to the health and beauty of the lake because of our members and their support (the GSLA is 100% membership funded).” says Kinney-Denning.
The association’s key initiative is the GSLA annual Coliform Monitoring Program (access to reports is a benefit of membership) that we have been conducting since 1990. Our focus for this year will be on more than 16 tributaries feeding the lake, looking to measure E. coli and coliform bacteria and to establish a baseline to work from for future testing.
“We want to continually remind people that we need to be good stewards, for our planet and for our own area,” Kinney-Denning said, and she hopes that many will join us as members and volunteers for the Great Sacandaga Lake Association.
For more information on the GSLA Cleanup Event or to find out how you can become a member of the Great Sacandaga Lake Association, visit GSLA.org, email GSLA438@gmail.com, call 518-218-6952 or see the GSLA Facebook page. Order bags, gloves and vests for the cleanup by emailing the association.