About Us.
Southern Maine Invasive Aquatic Management (SMIAM) was founded in 2015 by Alex Bernardy. Alex started working as a milfoil diver in 2010 and saw an opportunity to provide specialized services to address invasive aquatic species in Maine. SMIAM has been managing Variable Leaf Milfoil and Swollen Bladderwort on multiple lakes since its inception and proudly serves the greater Southern Maine area.
One of our latest successes is the remediation of a 10-acre Milfoil-infested cove. Over the past four years, SMIAM has used a combination of Diver-Assisted Suction Harvesting (DASH) and benthic barrier placement to restore a large cove on Thompson Lake back to native levels. Since 2010, Alex Bernardy and the SMIAM crew have removed over 500,000 pounds of Milfoil by hand from Thompson Lake.
SMIAM specializes in DASH, a technique designed to minimize environmental disruption while efficiently removing invasive plants like milfoil. Our experienced dive crew and DASH equipment allow us to tackle a variety of projects, from small private ponds to larger lakes with complex infestations.
We have also worked on other lakes, including Hogan Whitney Pond, Sebago Lake, Mousam Lake, and Shapleigh Pond. At SMIAM, we aim to help protect Maine's natural resources through effective and sustainable invasive species management. We strive to collaborate with local communities and organizations to support healthy ecosystems.
If you’re a private property owner, part of a pond association, or a state agency, we’d be happy to discuss your invasive species management needs. Contact us to learn more about how we can help.
