Welcome to the Long Lake Area Association (Hubbard Cty, MN)
Our mission is to advocate for the quality of life on Long Lake by educating our community about environmental stewardship strategies that can protect the lake’s future and our enjoyment of it.
Long Lake Area Association Foundation – 2026 Appeal:
by James Seifert, LLAA Foundation Treasurer.
For more than 125 years, Long Lake has been a place of beauty, recreation, family memories, and shared stewardship. Formed from five small lakes on the Hubbard Prairie in the early 1900s, Long Lake has become recognized as one of north-central Minnesota’s premier natural treasures. Generations of families have fished its waters, built memories at the cabin, watched loons raise their young, and passed forward a deep love for this place.
But today, Long Lake faces increasing pressure. Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS), expanding recreational use, increased shoreline development, and climate-driven environmental changes threaten the long-term health of our lake. The mission of the Long Lake Area Association Foundation (LLAAF) is to address those threats—proactively, effectively, and decisively.
This year, we have set a goal to raise $50,000 to fund our 2026 conservation and protection priorities. LLAA Foundation Board of Directors would like to thank 58 families who were our early donors. Through their generosity we have already raised $15,000, and we are deeply grateful. But we need your help to finish the work.
Your donation—no matter the size—directly protects and preserves Long Lake.
Here’s how your donation helps:
Critical AIS Inspections: Our First Line of Defense
AIS such as zebra mussels, Starry Stonewort, and Curly Pondweed pose serious threats to water quality, native plant life, fish habitat, and recreation. Without constant vigilance and action our lake could change forever. The LLAAF contributes more than $30,000 annually—over 75% of our entire budget—to supplement Hubbard County’s AIS inspection program. This funding provides over 60% of all watercraft inspection hours at the north and south landings. Without donors, AIS inspection would be limited to sporadic weekend coverage. Your gift literally keeps inspectors at the north and south accesses, protecting the lake every single day.
Water Quality Monitoring: Early Warning, Informed Action
Keeping Long Lake healthy depends on understanding it. Regular testing for nutrients, contaminants, clarity, oxygenation, and pH provides the data needed to track long-term trends and respond early to problems. These tests require specialized equipment, lab analysis, and trained professionals. Ongoing monitoring gives us the information needed to protect water quality today—and for decades to come.
Your donations keep this essential science going.
Combatting AIS Already in the Lake
Prevention is ideal—but when AIS infiltrate the ecosystem, mitigation becomes essential. The LLAA Foundation works directly with the Minnesota DNR, LLAA volunteers, and licensed AIS mitigation firms to control and manage infestations. This includes ongoing efforts to combat the infestations of Starry Stonewort (2023) and Curly Pondweed (2025). These infestations have required multi-season treatment and monitoring. These efforts are expensive, but necessary. Your support ensures we can act quickly and effectively muster resources and professionals to address these challenges.
Protecting Long Lake’s Game Fish Populations
Walleye, bass, northern pike, and panfish are central to Long Lake’s ecology and our lake traditions. Shoreline degradation, invasive species competition, warmer water temperatures, and increased fishing pressure threaten natural reproduction. Working closely with MN DNR, the LLAAF funds fish-habitat improvements, shoreline restoration, stocking efforts, and research partnerships aimed at preserving a healthy, self-sustaining fishery.
Your Gift Protects a Lake that has Given So Much
Every family on Long Lake has a story—how they arrived here, why they fell in love with the lake, and why they cherish returning year after year. Protecting those memories for the next generation is now our shared responsibility.
With $35,000 left to raise, we ask you to join us in reaching our 2025 goal.
Please consider making your tax-deductible donation today:
Online: https://donate.longlakeliving.org/By Mail:
Long Lake Area Association Foundation
PO Box 808
Park Rapids, MN 56470
Together, we can ensure that Long Lake remains clean, healthy, and thriving—for our children, our grandchildren, and the generations yet to come.
If you need to confirm your payment status, please contact our treasurer, Jim Seifert, at treasurer@longlakeliving.org
Environmental Stewardship
Environmental Stewardship is a term that encompasses many issues and possible actions that influence the water quality and future enjoyment of Long Lake. The LLAA in its 50 years of existence has focused purposefully on understanding approaches and engaging in actions that can help maintain Long Lake’s health while enhancing recreational use by property owners and visitors. Over the years, aquatic invasive species (AIS) have become a growing concern nationally, state-wide, and here in Hubbard County. Since its inception, the LLAA Foundation at the direction of the LLAA has funded many educational programs as well as preventative and treatment activities to fight AIS. Many members of the LLAA have also contributed time to support these efforts in collaboration with other organizations and governmental entities.
The LLAA Board of Directors received confirmation about the importance of Environmental Stewardship from the results of a survey conducted in summer 2024. When property owners were asked about their top five concerns regarding the lake quality (health) of Long Lake, over 90% noted AIS as their primary concern. (Link to report from property owners’ survey) Watch for updates from the Environmental Stewardship Committee that will be posted under the environmental stewardship pages of our website. You can contribute to the LLAA’s efforts to protect Long Lake’s quality and health into the future.
Take Action
Join the LLAA
Long Lake is a community of hundreds of summer and permanent residents, who not only enjoy “lake life” but also share a commitment to preserve the lake environment for the future. Membership in our Long Lake Area Association (LLAA) is paramount to the organization’s conservation efforts, especially educating lake residents about Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) and ways to minimize their effect on Long Lake.
Donate to the LLAA Foundation
The mission of the LLAA Foundation is vital to protecting our lake. Your donations have contributed to the professional inspections and treatments to fight the spread of Starry Stonewort at the South access, supported testing for zebra mussels, provided hundreds of additional hours to supplement the Hubbard County watercraft inspections at our very busy North and South accesses, and funded the stocking of the lake additional walleyes and perch.
We cannot do this without your generous support! Thank you!