Lake Friendly Landscaping

Maximize Vegetation on a Naturally Sloped Shoreline

Maximize the amount of vegetation on a naturally sloped shoreline using native plants and other bioengineering techniques.  A natural shoreline adds beauty to the  lakefront, controls erosion, filters out pollution, and provides a great habitat for frogs, turtles, dragonflies, and other lake creatures.  Shoreline Living Magazine provides examples of everyday shoreline property owners that dipped their toes into rehabilitating or protecting a natural shoreline.  View the photo gallery to get inspired by their beautiful landscape designs.

Consider Lake Friendly Alternatives to Seawalls

If you are looking to install or replace a seawall, consider alternative lake friendly options such as natural vegetation and other bioengineering techniques.  Seawalls are quite common, but they do not filter out pollution, do not provide habitat for lake creatures, and erode the lake bottom.

Minimize the Use of Fertilizers, Pesticides, and Herbicides

Minimize the use of fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides.  Do not use phosphorous fertilizers.  Do not fertilize within 35 feet of the shore.  When fertilizer washes into the lake, it creates harmful algae blooms and harms the entire food chain of the lake ecosystem.

Plant Native Vegetation on 75% or More of Your Property

Plant native vegetation on 75% or more of your property.   Native vegetation filters out pollutants, controls erosion, provides habitat for animals, and adds beauty to your property.  Minimize the surface area of your lawn as lawns remove habitat and create an easier path for pollutants to enter the lake.

Minimize Impervious Surfaces

Minimize impervious surfaces such as driveways and solid concrete patios. Impervious surfaces increase the amount of pollutants that run into the lake because they do not allow rainwater to seep into the ground where natural filtering occurs. Impervious surfaces can also cause erosion problems and was sediments into the lake.

Landscape to Keep the Lake Alive and Beautiful

“There’s something magical about spending time at a lake, whether you’re swimming, boating, fishing, or just sitting and listening to the lapping waves. There are simple steps property owners can take to keep their lakes clean and healthy for generations to come. The Shoreline Living series shares the examples of ordinary property owners who have done something extraordinary. Each is taking steps in their own way to do their part to care for the lake. From small steps to rehabilitate a relatively manicured property to protecting an almost fully forested and natural landscape, the articles within feature the efforts of people just like you.”

- Midwest Glacial Lakes Partnership

Review EGLE Shoreline Best Practices and Permitting

Because shore protection structures can have negative effects on natural resources and other shoreline properties, shore protection structures should only be installed when they are needed to address erosion problems and the type of shore protection used should be carefully considered.

Shoreline projects at or below the ordinary high water mark require a permit. EGLE provides additional links to different program pages, the steps to complete the MiEnviro application, and sample drawings.

Become a Michigan Shoreland Stewards Ambassador

The Michigan Shoreland Stewards Program was created to recognize inland lake property owners for using best management practices to protect their lake. Become a Shoreland Stewards Ambassador and help spread the word about the program and healthy lakeshores.

Photo by Mark Bugnaski Photography

Remove Invasive Plants

Purple Loosestrife and Garlic Mustard are extremely invasive plants and they are invading the Hutchins Lake area. These plants are a serious threat to our lake habitat! If we do not get rid of them, they will take over native plants.

When you identify garlic mustard or purple loosestrife plants on your property, do the following:

1. Pull up the plants.

2. Put them in large bags to dry.

3. Burn the dried plants

The Midwest Invasive Species Identification Network has information on how to identify both terrestrial and aquatic invasive species.

Do Your Part to Protect Hutchins Lake

Learn more about what you can do to protect the health of Hutchins Lake and enjoy it to the fullest.