Without the generaous donations of residents, this effort would not have taken place. At Woodlake we have numerous issues to tackle: time and nature are enemies that we must fight. This community effort will not totally clear all vegitation in the lakebed but will allow us to stay ahead of any future clearing that could cost multiple times more than what we are expending in 2020. The constant rain postponed the aerial spraying until we had a clear window of marginal wind and no rain. Saturday morning, 22 August was that day.
Financials: Our original goal was to raise ~$51K ($39K was to be used to clear pine trees around the lake and in the cove areas; $12K was to be used to defoliate approximately 100 acres of trees in the lakebed proper.)
Money Raised: $72,577
Manual Clearing: We were billed three times: $16,896, $10,528, and $8,960 for a total of $36,384 (three bills below):
Aerial Spraying: We were able to contract for 200 acres at a cost of $137.88 per acre, or a current total of $27,576. (The bill for this effort is below:)
Hand Spraying 57 Acres: $7,859.69 for trees in the lakebed that are located on the north side, near the 4th tee box of the old Maples course (7 October) - an area where the aerial spraying could not be safely accomplished. Also the earthen dam was sprayed the 2nd week of October.
Remaining funds $757.31 for materials to keep the earthen dam sprayed over the next 8 months.
Below are three short videos of the aerial chemical refilling operation, and a slide show of the spraying operation
NC publication on Herbicides, Current Defoliation Plan, and Community Brief (6 Aug 2020 with follow up questions), Donors and other documents: