Life on the Edge …it’s an exciting and valuable place on a lake!
Before you start your spring lakeshore clean up, keep in mind the natural shoreland supports so much life in the lake, on land, and in the air! Did you know the shoreland supports:
- Dragonflies and damselflies play a significant role in controlling the insect population, especially pests such as mosquitoes and agricultural pests.
- Frogs, as tadpoles, they eat algae, helping regulate blooms and reducing the chances of algal contamination, plus are food for fish and herons.
- Turtles are among the most threatened of the major groups of vertebrates in the world. Please give them safe passage to and from the lake plus do NOT remove them from the lake!
Another bonus of a natural shoreland: goose deterrent. Don’t believe it? See what Sebastian says: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Oef1C_kPNI
Do you want to see how you are doing to support Harwood Lake environment? Take an anonymous test to find out:
Rate Your Shoreland: www.mishorelandstewards.org/rate.asp If you want to learn more and get ideas to enhance your shoreland and lake environment, see: www.mishorelinepartnership.org/shorelines.html Here we grow!!
NATURAL SHORELINES
What are natural shorelines and why are they important? Did you know that at least 50% of Michigan lakes are shown to have poor nearshore habitat? Healthy shoreline habitat includes native trees, shrubs, and smaller plants like forbs and grasses to provide habitat and protect shorelines from eroding. However, it is more common along populated lakes to see a row of manicured lawns and seawalls along the shore. Seawalls are generally hard structures such as concrete or steel that are used to stop erosion, but they lack natural vegetation. Some issues with seawalls include expedited erosion, barriers to wildlife, and habitat loss due to scouring of the lake bottom. A healthier alternative to turfgrass and seawalls is natural shorelines.
The native vegetation of natural shorelines provides many benefits such as absorbing and filtering runoff and holding soil in place to prevent erosion. Reducing erosion and runoff obviously protects the environment and water quality, but it also protects your shoreline and your property value. Keeping things natural along our shorelines helps protect the water quality in our lakes. Vegetated shorelines will help protect and enhance water quality by slowing and filtering runoff. This can result in lower turbidity (less sediment), less frequent algae blooms, and fewer issues with E. coli at your favorite swimming spots. Natural shorelines provide critical habitat for many of Michigan’s native species. Over 200 species of amphibians, reptiles, fish, birds, and mammals as well as countless native plants depend on shoreline habitat along inland lakes.
Natural shorelines can also help with geese that love to congregate on manicured lawns and tend to leave behind a big mess for the homeowner. Manicured lawns provide wonderful grazing grounds for geese and are inviting places to nest and raise young because there are no places for predators to hide. While natural shorelines with taller native plants may not completely stop geese from accessing your yard, they will tend to choose the easier path and congregate on lawns without natural shorelines.
Shorelines consist of four different zones and it is important to choose the right plants for each zone. A natural shoreline planting typically includes work in more than one of these zones. The first zone is below the water level. These plants will be rooted and growing within the lake. For this zone choose native plants deemed “floating,” “aquatic,” or “emergent,” depending on if they grow in the water or above the surface. The second zone is between the water level and the ordinary high-water mark (OHWM). These plants like to have wet roots, but they don’t like to grow in water year-round. They can generally handle seasonal flooding and will be able to stand up to some waves and ice. Zone three is above the OHWM. These plants can handle limited flooding but need to have very moist soils to thrive. This area occurs a little further up the shore from the lake edge. Fourth is the upland zone. Plants in this area like mesic soils, which are drier than moist soils. Although not on the shoreline, native plants in the upland are important as a first line of defense against erosion and runoff headed for the lake. Upland habitat is also very beneficial for a wide array of wildlife.
When choosing plants for a natural shoreline, go native! Native plants are not only better for wildlife, they tend to have better root structures to anchor the shoreline soil and they will be more adapted to handling the conditions along shorelines such as fluctuating water levels. Be sure to research plants before you buy them. Many harmful aquatic and shoreline plants are still available for purchase. Please do not plant known invasive species- yellow floating heart, water lettuce, frogbit, phragmites, water hyacinth, and others. When in doubt, native plants are the safest and most beneficial choice.
In some cases, it may not be feasible to rip out a seawall and jump right into native plants. This is especially true with the waves caused by boats on many inland lakes. That’s where a cross between harder yet more natural structures come in. This is called bioengineering. Two of the more common methods of bioengineering on natural shorelines are rock riprap and plant fiber rolls or bundles called coir logs. These materials are generally placed along the shoreline and coincide with native plantings to give the shoreline an added level of protection.
MLSA’s Spring Webinar Series
Take advantage of this great education opportunity from the safety of your home! Topics include, but not limited to,
- Shoreland Stewardship
- Rising Waters Levels and Impact on Inland Lakes
- Liabilities of Being a Riparian and Boat Owner
- Harmful Algae Blooms
In addition, this website provides quick access to other Michigan environmental resources and programs! Hope everyone is well and staying healthy!
Learn more at: https://mymlsa.org/
MI Shoreland Stewards Program
What is a Shoreland Steward? Are you one? Protecting our lake is more than picking up pet waste and not using phosphorus based fertilizer. Find out how to use the online survey to assess your property, receive general recommendations for improvements and what kind of resources there are to help engage you and our lake community in participating as well.
Learn more at: https://www.mishorelandstewards.org/
Coming: Spring of 2020
“Score the Shore”
We will once again be enlisting Harwood Lake into the Michigan Lakes & Streams Association along with MiCorps Data Collection. This will include a “ Score the Shore” assessment which entails a team effort to meticulously cruise the shoreline and document struc-tures such as natural shore land, docks and other habitat’s crucial for the existence of our many aquatic friends that keep our cycle of aquatic life a thriving community.
Update : Due to a gap in Grant Monies for MLSA & MiCORPS the Score the Shore findings will not be submitted until the 2021 Grants take effect.
Invasive Species
Also, in the Spring of 2020, with the assistance of the Cass County Conservation District, there will be a plan roll out for eradication of invasive species. Shoreland focus: Purple Loosestrife, identified on the East shoreline of the lake. This invasive species is pretty but it deadly as it chokes out our native plants that are crucial to keeping a balanced eco system.
Purple loosestrife is a perennial plant found rooted in a range of wet soil habitats. It can grow in a couple feet of water or on dry shore near the water line. It is commonly found in roadside ditches. Plants range from two to six feet tall, with several half to one foot long flower stalks on a single plant. Plants bloom from early July to September, and then go to seed.