| June 13, 2007 |
The Higgins Lake Stewardship Program will once again offer an opportunity to apply for financial assistance and expert consultation for the installation of a greenbelt on the Higgins Lake shoreline.
Huron Pines will provide a staff person to consult with individual landowners on what they can do to promote shoreline stewardship, including installing native greenbelts on their property. Greenbelting is landscaping with native plants to create an aesthetically pleasing buffer zone on the shoreline. Benefits of greenbelts include erosion control, privacy, pollution absorption, low maintenance, wildlife habitat, and a beautiful frame for your view of the lake. The Higgins Lake Foundation will match 50% of costs for reestablishing a native greenbelt on a Higgins Lake shoreline property, not to exceed $1000.00 per property.
Kathryn Bangs, who participated in last year's program, had this to say; " I really am pleased with how my beach, now planted with native plants, turned out. Last summer the yellow false sunflowers were beautiful and bloomed for a very long time. I also love the grasses and wintergreen. The dogwood and ninebark, larger shrubs, add color and height to the area. Since everyone around me has pure beach mine stands out. Plants are beginning to pop out now so I'm sure it will look even better later this summer."
In addition to the many benefits of better stewardship on the lake, property owners who exhibit excellent stewardship practices will be awarded a flag celebrating their commitment. The HLF and Huron Pines will be presenting recognition flags this summer to the participants in last year's greenbelt program and several other sites on the lake that exhibit exemplary stewardship practices.
The Higgins Lake Shoreline Steward Program is designed to provide the necessary tools and encourage landowners to actively participate in improving the quality of Higgins Lake. Any interested Higgins Lake shoreline landowner can apply to become a Steward after meeting the following criteria on their property: presence of a native greenbelt, absence of erosion, proper septic maintenance, and restricted fertilizer/pesticide use.
For more information on installing a greenbelt or becoming a part of the Higgins Lake Stewardship program visit the Higgins Lake Greenbelt project section of www.huronpines.org. Applications are available online or at the Higgins Lake Foundation office.
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