Who We Are
Vermont Hozerz, LLC is a local company formed in Sudbury, VT for the purpose of helping manage milfoil in Vermont lakes and ponds. The full name of this invasive plant is Eurasian watermilfoil (myriophyllum spicatum), but we simply refer to it as milfoil. Our employees have a deep connection to the state of Vermont and hands-on experience suction harvesting milfoil. This activity is often called Diver Assisted Suction Harvesting (DASH). Divers are equipped with a huka air source and a large water suction hose so that they can pull out milfoil by the roots and send it up the suction hose to be screened out on the DASH boat. This minimizes breaking up the plant to avoid having fragments of milfoil formed that can take root elsewhere and spread the milfoil. Very shallow areas are pulled by hand by either walking, floating, or snorkeling while pulling the milfoil.
We have expanded our services to include activities related to maintaining shorefronts and are currently providing services in Burr Pond, Lake Hortonia, Lake Beebe, and Lake Bomoseen.
Services in 2024
Diver Assisted Suction Harvesting of Milfoil, which requires that we work with your lake association early in the year to get your area included on the DASH permit update. This work can typically only be performed in July thru September.
Clean and install bottom barriers, which also require permits from the State. Bottom barriers can typically only be in place in July thru September.
Installing and removing docks and rafts can usually be performed at any time.
Hand pulling of weeds can usually be performed at any time.
What is Milfoil?
If you are asking “What is milfoil and what’s the problem?” then consider yourself lucky. The pictures below show common milfoil examples that we often experience on the lake. You can typically see floating fragments, forests of milfoil reaching the water surface, and tangled milfoil on a boat engine prop.
To manage milfoil, we use a pontoon boat that is customized for the purpose of milfoil suction harvesting. It has a large water pump, hookah air compressor, plant material screens, turbidity curtain, and a 100 ft long suction hose. Milfoil is collected in bins and mesh bags to be transported to the shore and then to a composting location. Our water pump is driven by suction so that anything that passes through it is not chopped up by a mechanical pumping mechanism.
Learn More About Milfoil
The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department has more information about Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) and you can access their site by clicking the button below.
