A natural shoreline is a complex ecosystem that sustains fish and wildlife and protects the entire lake. Individual choices by many have cumulative impacts on a lake and its ecosystem. Your actions can restore or degrade the quality of the ecosystem. Whenever someone removes native vegetation, the lake pays the price. Restoring your lakeshore to a more natural condition is important, even if your neighbors are not restoring theirs, because it can help wildlife habitat, water quality and fish. (MN DNR)

Creating and maintaining natural buffer zones along the shore does not mean your property has to look unkempt. Buffers and upland islands of trees, shrubs, and flowers can bring natural beauty to your yard. Additionally, tall native plants typically have deep root systems. They will slow erosion, decrease ice damage, increase rain infiltration, and act as a barrier to discourage geese from walking on your shoreline property. (MN DNR)

Maintaining a healthy lake is far less costly than trying to fix a degraded one. If you are fortunate enough to have a natural shoreline, maintain or enhance it as a buffer zone and minimize erosion on the areas used for access or recreation. If your property lacks natural areas, plant native vegetation or let areas grow naturally. (MN DNR)

Homeowners in many parts of the country are catching on to rain gardens, which are landscaped areas planted with wildflowers and other native vegetation that soak up rain water, mainly from the roof of a house or other building. The rain garden fills with a few inches of water after a storm and the water slowly filters into the ground rather than running off to a storm drain. (WI DNR and University of WI)

As cities and suburbs grow and replace forests and agricultural land, the increased stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces becomes a problem. Rain gardens are important because they can reduce the stormwater runoff by increasing the amount of water that filters into the ground, reducing the amount of flooding and drainage problems, helping protect streams and lakes from pollutants, enhancing the beauty of yards and neighborhoods and providing valuable habitat for birds, butterflies and many beneficial insects. (WI DNR and University of WI)

The experts at Landsburg Landscape Nursery can help you with your shoreline restoration or rain garden project. Call us today!