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Can you imagine, for a moment, a life without lakes here in cottage country? So fundamental to our experience are lakes, you can scarcely imagine an activity that doesn’t in some way involve them! However, much of what we do on land and on the water has the ability to impact the health and integrity of our lakes, the effect of which may not be fully visible to or understood by us until it’s too late. Without healthy and intact lakes, we’ll lose not only a major source of our enjoyment in cottage country but also water for drinking and household needs, habitat for common and disappearing species, as well as a substantial driver of economic prosperity and property values.
The largest threats to lake health and integrity include runoff from pesticides, fertilizers, and other chemicals, denaturalization of shorelands, pollution and wave action from boating, and the introduction of harmful invasive species. It can be intimidating and hard to understand, however, exactly what we can do to reduce these threats. This is why local conservation organization, The Land Between, has developed the Blue Lakes Project! The Blue Lakes Project is a voluntary program for lakeside property owners in cottage country who want to protect and conserve their lake. Under the program, participants select a subset of activities that are geared at promoting lake health and integrity, like planting native species on their property, committing to regular cleaning of their boat to reduce the spread of invasive species, and more! The Land Between provides all knowledge and resources needed so that property owners can undertake guided and informed but independent action on their property. The program is free to join and runs in one year cycles, with successful participants able to purchase an optional Blue Lakes flag that they can fly to signify their ongoing commitment to their lake’s health and integrity! You can learn more about the program here or jump start the process of joining here!
A project of national registered charity, The Land Between.
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