Annual Meeting Draws a Crowd
Fifty-five people turned out for the 2024 Annual Meeting of the Foster's Pond Corporation on April 11. The meeting started with a tribute to the Davis family, whose presence on the Pond began 93 years ago when Willard Davis (for whom Willard Circle is named) and his wife Irene began renting a camp. Seventeen acres of undeveloped land formerly owned by members of the Davis family are now protected as part of the Foster's Pond Reservation. Just last year, the FPC acquired the last 4 acres from Judy Goonyep, Willard and Irene's granddaughter. To view a slideshow that includes a short history on the Davis family's impact on Foster's Pond, click here.
Record Number of Shoreline Owners Participate in Hydro-Raking
Hydro-raking got off to its earliest-ever start (April 1) with its largest-ever number of participants (seventeen). A torrential rainstorm interrupted the work for a day, but the operator got right back on schedule, putting in full days on Saturday and Sunday. He finished up on April 8. For more details and a picture, click here.
With Ice Gone, Refill Gets Off to Early Start
As a mild winter - featuring little snow and almost no ice on the Pond - came to an end, refilling the Pond got a jump-start in early March. With the help of wetter-than-usual weather, the Dam's iconic waterfall was restored as of March 11. For more details and a picture, click here.
Consultant Recommends Treating 40 Acres for Fanwort
The Corporation's lake management consultant has recommended treating about 40 of the Pond's 120 acres to combat fanwort, the pernicious and persistent invasive weed that dominated Foster's Pond until we began our comprehensive lake management program in 2005. The recommended treatment would be the first in the Main Pond - the largest basin - since 2019, and the most widespread fanwort treatment since 2015. For more details and pictures, click here.
The Wandering Bear Who Visited Foster's Pond: An Obituary
A young black bear ambled through a half dozen nearby communities over the course of two months in the summer of 2022, eventually turning up in Andover. The first bear in living memory to be seen here, he spent four days around Foster's Pond. He then headed to Middleton, where he was shot and killed. For more, including pictures and a short video, click here.
Donate Now, and Make Sure Your Name Is on Our 2024 Honor Roll
We can't protect Foster's Pond and our historic dam without your help. We rely on your donation. Check out our Honor Roll of Foster's Pond supporters. If you haven't donated this year, give today, so that we can add your name. Earn the coveted 
, identifying you as an especially generous donor! Go to our donation page right now and give on-line or by mail. Your contribution is tax-deductible. Thank you!
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In an Emergency . . .
It's hard to imagine that the 165-year-old Foster's Pond Dam could ever fail, but that's not a matter to be left to the imagination. The Foster's Pond Corporation has developed an Emergency Action Plan, just in case. The plan, approved by State regulators in 2019 and distributed to Andover's emergency response officials, identifies the worst-case scenario for downstream flooding and specifies who needs to be notified and what steps need to be taken. While no homes would be inundated, some roads could be under a couple of feet of water, temporarily cutting access to two cul-de-sacs off Woburn Street and four off River Street until the water subsides. For more details and a map showing what areas would be inundated and what roads might be flooded, click here.
Wilmington Community TV Program on Foster's Pond
WCTV, Wilmington's non-profit community television station, has produced a 22-minute program devoted to Foster's Pond and the FPC. The "Where's Wilmington" show, hosted by Lisa Kapala, includes a tour of the Goldsmith Woodlands by long-time Pond resident Joan Ellis, interviews with FPC President Steve Cotton and Board Member David Adilman, and footage of the Pond, the Dam, and Goldsmith. To view the program, click here.
Watershed Study Looks to Control Algae By Curbing Nutrients Flowing Into the Pond
We routinely treat Foster's Pond for toxic algae. Can anything be done to prevent algae blooms? To find out, we commissioned a state-of-the-art study of the Foster's Pond watershed, using the latest computer modeling, on-line databases, and newly-assembled information. Our consultants delivered a Watershed-Based Plan for reducing the primary "limiting nutrient" that triggers algae growth. The first step is to give citizens of the watershed the information you need on how to protect the Pond. Start here.
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