WILLING AUDIENCE

Frakes and fellow New York steward Karla Gratto are showing boaters the different ways invasives can "catch a ride" on their vessels and will help them with techniques to check for invasives when entering and leaving bodies of water.

"I have a passion for the environment," said Gratto, a biology teacher at Chateaugay High School who took the summer position to help protect the lake's ecosystem.

"People have been very responsive to what we're doing," she added. "The locals, especially, are very pleased that we're down here educating people about preventing the spread of invasive species."

Gratto is spending much of her time at Wilcox Dock but will also visit the Point au Roche launch.

SEES THE IMPACT

Frakes, who just graduated from Siena College with a political-science degree, grew up in Port Kent and has a long history with the lake.

"A lot of these issues have impacted me personally. Just within the past 10 years, it has become a really big problem."

The pilot program, being funding by the Basin Program and supported by agencies from both states, is modeled after a similar project at the boat launch at Paul Smith's College and will be used to determine what long-term projects may be beneficial to prevent further spread of unwanted plants and animals.

Gratto and Frakes are at one of the three boat launches on one weekend day each as well as one or two days during the week. They alternate those days, spending eight hours each day on site to meet as many new boaters as possible.

jmeyers@pressrepublican.com