ELIMINATE POLLUTANTS
12. Install a Vegetative Buffer
As the homes around Twin Lakes are converted to year-round or second homes, homeowners often bring their ideas of a conventional yard with them, leading to grass lawns down to the lakeshore.
Traditional lawns on a lakeshore properties can cause:
Excessive plant and algal growth;
Shoreline erosion and sedimentation;
Loss of wildlife habitat;
An increase in nuisance animals;
Loss of leisure time.
A naturally landscaped yard adds value to your property and can also benefit Twin Lakes’s water quality and overall health.
What is a vegetative buffer?
A vegetative buffer is a section of natural vegetation along the shoreline of a body of water, intended to intercept and slow stormwater runoff.
Planted vegetative buffers, or simply allowing your landscape along the shoreline to return to its natural state, are vital for lakefront properties as they help prevent sediments, pesticides, and large amounts of phosphorus and nitrogen from entering the lake. Ideally, the vegetation should cover at least 50-75% of your property’s lake frontage. By restoring the shoreline with native plants, you restore the ecological functions of the lakeshore.
Benefits of vegetative buffers include:
Stabilized soil and reduced erosion;
Filtration of pollutants and sediments;
Absorption of nutrients;
Privacy from lake users;
Save time and money in maintenance;
Food and shelter for local wildlife;
Deterrence of nuisance species.
Got geese?
Canada geese love short, tender grass and avoid tall grass where predators can hide. A shoreline buffer will send the geese packing.
Use the Natural Landscape as a Guide
A canopy of trees above, shrubs and flowers in the middle, and groundcover below provides multiple layers to intercept rain.
If you don’t have room for trees on your property, use large shrubs, flowers, and groundcover to create your layers instead.
You can protect the lake’s water quality and still have an amazing view at the same time!
Lucky enough to have a natural vegetative buffer along your shoreline? Leave it!
Mother Nature knows best.
Not so lucky? That’s ok.
You can plant a new vegetative buffer along your shoreline, just as these homeowners did. It will mature in no time and will protect your investment in your property for years to come.
What should I plant?
The best vegetation strategy for buffers includes a mix of aquatic grasses, sedges, rushes, and other beneficial flowering species, along with plants growing on shore.
Right plant. Right place.
Twin Lakes is zone 6a of the plant hardiness zones, so be sure any plants you pick are meant for zone 6a or colder to play it safe. You will also need to consider the soil type, sunlight, drainage and slope on your site.