For some waterfront property owners, a shoreline crowded with wild vegetation might not be as appealing as a beautifully manicured lawn, but those plants are doing some of the most important work to keep Leelanau County’s inland lakes so beautiful.
“We say that protecting water quality starts at the shoreline,” Glen Lake Association (GLA) Executive Director Kate Gille said.
Native shoreline plants serve as a lake’s first line of defense against pollution and erosion by creating a buffer zone or “greenbelt” that is at least 10 feet of natural vegetation. Deep rooted plants and aquatic vegetation help slow stormwater, trap sediment and nutrients before they enter the water, stabilize soil with deep root systems and create habitat for fish, amphibians, birds and pollinators.
