About

HIGLIN is 501(c)3 non profit organization focused on research, education and fundraising to support lakes in the Highlands region deal with challenges to water quality.  Research activities involve scientific data collection, analysis and technology including our homegrown invasive species removal system.  Education focuses on projects, studies and public domain searches to produce useful information for lake communities in the NJ Highlands region.

HIGLIN has a working group focused on hand harvesting, an essential element of a long-term plan to keep invasive species under control.  The hand harvesting effort is managed by a newly formed company, Aquatic Environmental Research and Management, LLC, (AER&M), a subsidiary of HIGLIN.  Two ISR Boats (Invasive Species Removal) have been purchased that enable divers to transport hand -pulled weeds to the surface where they are safely bagged and disposed of. The Dive Team, led by a foreman and a scientist, will oversee a team of trained, professional divers to hand harvest targeted aquatic species during the summer months.

In 2020, HIGLIN carried out a successful demonstration project at Green Pond removing milfoil from the lake through the summer.  Other invasives, native plants that had grown to nuisance level and debris were also removed from the lake.  

Full reports for the 2020 and 2021 seasons of the Green Pond Demonstration Project can be found here.