Featured mission: Surveying protected lands with 7 Lakes Alliance

Watson Pond. Photo by Jonathan Milne/LightHawk

LightHawk volunteer pilot Jamie Gamble recently flew staff from the 7 Lakes Alliance in the greater Belgrade Lakes region of Maine. This was one of a series of flights we are completing with the organization. The Alliance supports land and water conservation in the area by engaging with the whole community to achieve clean water, well-stewarded lands, and a vibrant economy. A group of dedicated volunteers and staff protect conservation properties through continuous monitoring and trail maintenance. With more than 9,400 acres of land currently protected, monitoring efforts are enhanced through the use of flight.

The flight aimed to assist them in assessing their portfolio of protected lands in the region. Thanks to the timing of the flight, they were able to observe existing conditions before leaves start returning to the trees, obscuring the view of the landscape. The video and still photos captured from the air provides them with a baseline catalog from which to assess temporal change of forest structure/wetland conditions as well as early season recreational usage of conserved lands.

Hoyt Island - Great Pond. Photo: Jonathan Milne/LightHawk

VP Gamble was able to execute a flight plan that covered the Greater Belgrade Lakes region with a focus on landscapes and associated wetland features. The flexibility of a LightHawk flight allowed them to circle important landmarks to ensure complete data was collected. 

Jonathan Milne, of the 7 Lakes Alliance said, "These amazing LightHawk flights have allowed for a comprehensive annual monitoring program to come to fruition. My new Three Phase land monitoring protocol in the 7 Lakes Alliance watershed is well on its way to success due to LightHawk. With Phase One monitoring completed, Phase Two will be late season flights (Mid-late October) to assess the same landscapes to compare to Phase One April imagery (change detection/analysis). Phase Three will be boots on the ground to assess conditions in late October/November). This aggressive land monitoring effort would not be possible without the dedication and expertise of LightHawk staff and Pilots."

Thanks to volunteer pilot Jamie Gamble for providing this flight and furthering conservation efforts in the Greater Belgrade Lakes region of Maine.

The transition of seasons was illustrated by the ice melting off of a small pond. Photo by Jonathan Milne/LightHawk