Allied Biological has merged with another company and renamed itself SOLitude.

SOLitude is the company we contract with (edit: we no longer use SOLitude for lake treatment) to apply herbicides and algaecides to the lake in the spring and summer as needed. They also test the water and perform plant surveys periodically as well. SOLitude works with our Lake Management Committee to develop a lake treatment plan for each summer.

You can read more about our Lake Management Committee here. The Lake Management Committee is made up of residents of the lake community who are dedicated to sustainable management of our wonderful lake.

The SOLitude website has some helpful articles including this one (excerpt here):

Recommended Plants to Use and Avoid When Establishing a Vegetative Buffer

Lake and pond issues often start on land. When it rains, stormwater runoff accumulates a significant amount of nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen before draining into your waterbody. This can lead to water quality issues like foul odor, poor water clarity and algae blooms. Having an established vegetative buffer surrounding your lake or pond not only helps filter these harmful nutrients, but also provides shoreline stability and helps prevent erosion. And by reducing the inflow of sediment into your waterbody, a well-maintained buffer can help prolong or even prevent the need for future dredging.

Additionally, vegetative buffers create an excellent habitat for dragonflies and other natural predators that feed on mosquitoes and their larvae, thus leading to improved mosquito control around your lake or pond. Buffers are also a major deterrent to nuisance Canada Geese and can prevent them from becoming full time residents on your property….

Here are a few beneficial buffer plants that we recommend:

• Native sedges and rushes
• Pickerelweed
• Blue Flag iris
• Swamp milkweed
• Lizard’s Tail
• Cardinal flower

On the other hand, there are some common invasive plants that can spread rapidly and cause harm to your ecosystem.

It’s recommended to avoid the following invasive plant species:

• Phragmites or common reed
• Purple loosestrife
• Cattails
• Alligator weed
• Water primrose
• Smartweed

It’s also best to avoid woody vegetation as it can destabilize banks, dry out soil and add large amounts of unwanted nutrients to your waterbody.

[Read more at SOLitude website]

Their site also has many other useful resources.