Free Webinar on Wake Boats and their Environmental Impacts
January 14th, 2026 @ 6:30pm via Zoom

 Wake surfing and wake boarding are some of the fastest growing segments of the watersports market, growing more than 20% per year over the last five years. If you are a boater, paddler, waterfront property owner or volunteer for lake management efforts, including invasive species mediation, then you have probably seen them on your waterways. While these sports can be a lot of fun, they also create a number of environmental impacts that cause concern, and many operators are unaware of these effects. These impacts include:
  • Bottom/sediment mixing into the water column
  • Transfer of aquatic invasive species in the boat's ballast tanks
  • Impact on nesting birds, especially loons, and other shoreline animals
  • Shoreline erosion
  • Swamping danger to paddle craft
Join us via Zoom on Wednesday, January 14th, 2026 at 6:30PM for a free webinar to discuss wake sports in the Adirondacks. We will first define exactly what makes a boat a "wake boat", address the environmental concerns and proposed remedies, and provide a path to action for local municipalities in the Adirondacks. Registration is required - use the button below.
Laura Dlugolecki, from Vermont's Department of Environmental Conservation, will share her experience in enacting wake boat operation restrictions in 2024, and show how interacting directly with the wake boat community has helped with the roll out of the new laws.
Scott Ireland, Executive Director of Adirondack Lakes Alliance, will present on the  proposed Adirondack lake restrictions and provide a background on the growing interest in wake sports in the Park and the need for community education on the responsible use of these boats.
“As wake sports continue to grow across the Adirondacks, it’s important that we recognize both the enjoyment they offer and the environmental pressures they create. Our lakes are resilient, but they are not immune to increased shoreline erosion, wildlife disturbance, and the spread of aquatic invasive species. By working together as boaters, residents, and lake stewards, we can ensure that recreation and conservation move forward hand in hand. The Upper Saranac Foundation is proud to co-sponsor this event to help our communities make informed, responsible decisions that protect the long-term health of our waterways.” Guy Middleton, Executive Director, Upper Saranac Foundation
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Laura Dlugolecki works as the Lakes and Ponds Policy and Outreach Coordinator for the Lakes and Ponds Program in the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation. Laura works on developing policy, regulatory analysis, rulemaking, and outreach initiatives regarding lake issues in Vermont. Prior to her position with the Vermont DEC, Laura served as the stormwater specialist for the Winooski Natural Resources Conservation District and as an ORISE fellow for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Laura received a Masters of Science in Forest Resources from Oregon State University where she studied wetland restoration and a B.S. in Environmental Studies from the University of North Carolina at Asheville.

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Scott and his wife moved permanently to the Adirondacks in 2019 and he became involved with the Schroon Lake Association shortly after, becoming President in 2021. In 2022, he became the Executive Director of ALA, and has been working to ensure a wider audience for the organization.
Scott has degrees in Biology and Chemistry from the University of South Florida, and has spent his career in scientific instrument sales. He has worked for the last sixteen years with Bruker, in their Preclinical Imaging Division. 
Scott hiked 16/46 High Peaks before his knees were shot, and now prefers paddling the park's many lakes and rivers, along with trying to learn to fly fish.  ​
​This webinar is co-sponsored by the Adirondack Lakes Alliance, Adirondack Council, Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation, Adirondack Watershed Institute, Protect the Adirondacks!, and Upper Saranac Foundation.

REGISTER FOR WEBINAR HERE

Our Mission:

The Adirondack Lakes Alliance, ALA, representing lake and river associations within the Adirondacks, has as its primary mission the protection and preservation of our Adirondack waters.  The ALA provides a forum for lake and river associations to share information and resources and to make recommendations to appropriate state, county and local agencies, and educational and other relevant non-profit organizations, regarding environmental and ecological issues threatening Adirondack lakes and rivers.  (Reviewed and Adopted on August 21, 2014 by ALA Membership)

To read the By-Laws for the Adirondack Lakes Alliance, please click here.

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Welcome to the Home of Adirondack Lakes Alliance, Inc.  We appreciate your interest in ALA and hope 
that your association will join us in our collective efforts to curb the introduction and spread of aquatic 
invasive species within the Adirondack region.  Association and individual memberships help to support 
the work of Adirondack Lakes Alliance in addressing issues critical to the nearly 3,000 lakes, rivers and 
ponds found in this area.   ALA is a non-profit 501c3 organization.

Click here to download the 2025 Membership Form to pay by check or mail.