Initial site visits are available for a $25 fee to assess erosion issues at a site.

• The concerns and goals of the landowner are discussed and best management recommendations are made by the Technical Services Manager.

Nature Based Solutions are prioritized where applicable.

• Studies are continually showing that using plants and other biodegradable materials to stabilize soils is often cheaper, more effective, longer lasting, and provides far more ecological benefits than traditional hard armoring.

Site plans can be written for landowners to assist them in their conversations with contractors or in their permit applications, if applicable. This part of the service can be more technical and time consuming, sometimes requiring a follow-up site visit. These additional hours of visits and plan writing cost $80/hr.

During or after implementation of recommended practices, the Technical Services Manager can visit your site to ensure that installation was done correctly.

Click here for before and after pictures of erosion control sites we have worked on in the past.

Maps of your watershed can be created. These maps show the complete watershed (the total area where all rain, snow,  and runoff eventually flow to the main waterbody). Having this map can help you understand where the water in your lake comes from, where it goes, and potential sources of pollution. 

A survey of your watershed can be conducted, highlighting areas of Nonpoint Source Pollution (NPS) — areas where erosion/sediment are entering waterbodies. NPS sites are categorized by high, medium, or low impact. These sites can be added to a watershed map or used to prioritize erosion prevention. 

• Did you know that soil is the number one pollutant in Maine Lakes? Soil carries phosphorus which clouds water, creates an environment conducive to algal blooms, and raises the temperature of the water, affecting aesthetics, wildlife, and water quality.

Watershed plans can be written. These are detailed plans that involve collaboration with Lake and Road Associations, local conservation organizations, and state regulatory agencies. We conduct a watershed survey, create maps, prioritize sites, and make recommendations on how to remediate the sites.

• This service is extremely beneficial when you are looking to apply for grants to help fund the projects. Our watershed plan will have action steps and show that you have done the preliminary work most grantors are looking for.

• More information on grant assistance, and specifically 319 Grants (the grant most commonly used for large-scale watershed projects) can be found under the Grant Writing Section below.

The Survey and Watershed Plan are both services that have varying costs depending on how big the area is, how many groups are needed, and the rates of each group. We charge $80/hr for our services, but they are sometimes covered by grants or other sources of funds.

Click here for the Abram's Pond Watershed Plan for an example of a Watershed Plan.

Maine has many gravel roads, especially around its lakes. These roads often have erosion issues that pollute the water. Our Technical Services Manager is certified in Gravel Road Construction and Maintenance as well as Erosion and Sediment Control Practices. 

Working on private roads can be difficult when issues arise. Oftentimes private roads have several individual landowners who benefit from the road, but nobody wants to take responsibility when part of the road is damaged or polluting the lake. This is why the District assists in Road Association Development and Outreach. When landowners unite and assume a joint responsibility for a road, work gets done responsibly and quickly without one individual having to front the cost. We work to establish Road Associations to help expedite road work, quickly remediate erosion to stop pollution from entering water, and assist in grant applications (it is much easier for a group to receive grant funds than an individual landowner). The cost for this service is $80/hr.

Road surveys can be conducted at sites of erosion to assess what is causing the soil to be displaced. Best Management Recommendations will be made to correct the issue. This service counts as an initial site visit and will cost $25 for one hour of our Technical Service Manager's time. Depending on the level of detail you're looking for we also offer the following service.

Written plans can be made to highlight the problems and proposed solution, giving road associations a single place to work from. These plans also help when working with contractors, filling out permits, or applying for grants to clearly explain the plan. Due to the technical experience and time required, this service costs $80/hr.

Management/maintenance recommendations can be made to help ensure your road is graded correctly and is resilient to large storm events. The price of this service may be included in your road survey or written plan depending on the amount of detail you require.

Click here for before and after pictures of roads we've made recommendations on in the past.

As part of our "Backyard Rewilding" Program and Conservation Landscape Certification, we assess your yard and score you based on soil and water conservation as well as biodiversity and habitat creation free of charge.

For more detailed assistance, we offer species recommendations and general landscape design assistance at $60/hr.

For more details on this program, visit our Programs page and scroll down to Backyard Rewilding. There is information on what Backyard Rewilding is, how it works, its aesthetic and ecological benefits, and resources to get you started.

ny work in the State of Maine that disturbs soil or takes place in/around protected natural resources (lakes, rivers, wetlands, etc.) requires a permit from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (MDEP).  

Depending on where you are conducting your work, permits often need written approval from multiple state agencies such as the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the Maine Geological Survey, or the Maine Department of Transportation.

Our Technical Services Manager can tell you what type of permit you need, or act as your agent and apply for you.

• If you require an agent for you application there is an $80/hr cost associated with the work.

Writing grants often requires a detailed description of your project, including but not limited to, the problem you're addressing, the solution you're proposing, a timeline of the work, and a budget for your project.

We understand this can be time consuming and intimidating without prior experience. For this reason, we created a grant committee that can help:

• Search for grants with local non-governmental organizations and state and federal agencies. 

• Write grant applications after hearing about your project and gathering some basic information about your organization,

• Submit deliverables throughout the project such as progress reports and budget updates.

As this is time consuming work that often takes several rounds of edits, we do charge a fee of $80/hr.

We offer free Soil pH Testing to help you better understand the land that you live and grow on. 

Details can be found in the "Healthy Soil" tab at the top of our website.

The District lends out Oxygen testers, a lopper saw for brown tail moth removal or orchard pruning, and soil augurs for testing and soil profiles.

Click here to request equipment.

Feel free to reach out with any general questions related to soil health, water quality, fish habitat, or native plants. 

We understand that doing environmentally conscious work is not always easy or straightforward. If you aren't sure where to find the answer to your question or if you want to double check that you're on the right path, we can always help. If your question does not require a site visit or if you're just seeking general information, we will be happy to help you free of charge.

If we do not have the resources to assist you we can always point you in the direction of an organization that can!