Ecologists and park rangers have known for decades the damaging effects that humans can have on the environment. Pollution, strip mining, over fishing, and illegal dumping in lakes have all been known to adversely affect the environmental conditions and resources of a community. As a result of high activity around Lake George, insidious weeds have began to choke out native plants as well as hampering swimmers and boats. The New York State environmental agency, whose role is to protect Lake George, is proposing the first use of a herbicide in an Adirondack lake. The proposal calls for about 175 pounds of the herbicide Sonar to be spread throughout the affected areas.
Herbicides are a generic organic form of pesticides.
However, herbicides do not strive to rid an area of insects, but rather to rid an area of certain plants, namely weeds. They have been used in small amounts in similar projects in the United States, but this is their first national project of this magnitude. Sonar's active ingredient is fluridone, which has been used to kill Eurasian water milfoil, an aquatic weed, in New York since 1995. Sonar can also be used in maximum dosages during mid-growing season for these weeds to provide a broader spectrum of activity. This type of dosing is best used in golf course ponds and swimming areas where clarity and quality are high priorities.