RICHMOND – An ecologist from the University of Maine at Farmington has confirmed some unpleasant news for residents of Pleasant Pond.

“There’s a lot of milfoil on the pond,” said Dan Buckley, a biology professor who is studying the invasive aquatic plant.

Variable-leaf milfoil is found sporadically in the 749-acre pond. Like its aggressive cousin, Eurasian milfoil, it can choke lakes and crowd out native species.

Buckley and three students spent seven days this month mapping the milfoil and measuring the depths of the pond.

They will create maps of the milfoil so boaters can avoid infested areas.

The map will warn boaters where milfoil lurks to avoid chopping the plant up with a propeller and possibly spreading it.

The plants were discovered last year, but Bill Monagle, executive director of the Cobbossee Watershed District, had hoped it was misidentified.

Monagle said the map created by Buckley would help residents notice if the plant is spreading to other parts of the pond. A copy will be placed by the public boat landing on Thorofare Road in Litchfield and residents will be given copies.

“With a quick enough early response, we can control these colonies more effectively,” Monagle said.

Monagle thinks caution is equally important when boats leave the pond.

“With Pleasant Pond, it is imperative that boaters check their boats before leaving and remove all plant life from their propellers, trailer hitches, their trailers – the whole apparatus,” he said.

The Department of Environmental Protection has verified the presence of milfoil in a dozen Maine lakes. Buckley and his students plan to study about eight of those lakes by the end of the summer.

The state has started a sticker program that aims to educate boaters about invasive aquatic plants.

Powerboats are required to display the stickers, which cost $10 for residents and $20 for out-of-state boaters. The fees pay for an information campaign to help keep Maine free from the plants.

The following water bodies are infested with variable-leaf milfoil, according to the Maine DEP: Thompson Lake in Casco, Sebago Lake, Cushman Pond in Lovell, Messalonskee Lake in Belgrade, Lake Auburn in Auburn, the small stream between Pleasant Lake and Parker Pond in Casco, Little Androscoggin River in Welchville, Lake Arrowhead in Waterboro, Pleasant Pond in Richmond, Presumpscot River in Windham, Balch Pond in Newfield and Bryant Pond in Woodstock.