| View current information at: Higgins Lake 2007 Project Update now available for download - Click Here!  Huron Pines once again formed a partnership with the Higgins Lake Foundation in 2007 to promote better stewardship around the lake. Staff from Huron Pines worked to educate the many residents of the lake about water quality, erosion control, and stewardship. The following projects were completed by the partnership this year.
Stewardship Public Service Announcements
Through a cost-share agreement with TV 7&4 (the local NBC affiliate), the Higgins Lake Foundation sponsored 54 spots and was matched with another 54. The PSAs were designed to increase awareness about the need for better stewardship of our natural resources and were broadcast every morning for three months. Because the TV 7&4 viewership is so widespread, this project is a great way to reach out to people across the state.
 Shoreline Technician for Greenbelting
Beginning in June, Huron Pines Ecologist Jennifer Muladore visited Higgins Lake properties to encourage homeowners to establish native greenbelts. Jennifer visited over 32 properties on all parts of the lake. Many homeowners already had native shorelines established on their properties, including two homeowner associations that have strict rules for maintaining a natural shoreline.
The Higgins Lake Foundation offered a cost-share program for landowners who installed native plants at their shoreline, providing up to $1,000 in a one-to-one match for native plants purchases for a greenbelt. This year, one native greenbelt was installed, on the shoreline of Karen Perry Ehinger. Several more landowners were interested in taking part in the program in 2008, including two planned greenbelts – one on Treasure Island and another at the Gerrish Township Park.
 Landowners around the lake who exhibit exceptional shoreline stewardship practices like maintaining a greenbelt, preventing erosion on their shoreline, not fertilizing, and properly maintaining their septic system will receive a flag celebrating their commitment to water quality on Higgins Lake. There are five properties that will be awarded flags for their 2007 stewardship, and the property associations with rules for maintaining greenbelts deserve special recognition as well. Six flags were also awarded for 2006 stewardship.
In addition to providing on-site consultations and information for landowners, Huron Pines and the Higgins Lake Foundation conducted a workshop on greenbelting at the Gerrish Township Hall, with a native plants sale by Five Oaks Nursery afterward. Jennifer Muladore presented information on greenbelting, native plants, and other stewardship practices landowners could do to improve water quality at Higgins Lake. Jennifer also added a greenbelting “toolkit” to the Huron Pines website along with information on native plants and shoreline stewardship.
 Educational Kiosks Installed
Huron Pines worked with Genesis Graphics to design a kiosk that would educate boaters and others about protecting Higgins Lake. The Higgins Lake Foundation sponsored three signs to be installed at public boat launches at the lake’s state parks. The first sign was installed in June at the South Higgins Lake State Park boat launch and was accompanied by a media day, which resulted in articles in the Houghton Lake Resorter and Roscommon News-Herald papers. The remaining two kiosks were delivered in September and November and will be installed by DNR staff at the North Higgins Lake State Park boat launch and the west boat launch.
 Eurasian Water Milfoil Monitoring
In late August and September, Huron Pines Executive Director Brad Jensen joined representatives from Higgins Lake in conducting a Eurasian water milfoil (EWM) survey. The group revisited colonies of EWM that had been identified in past surveys and evaluated the size of the colonies and the success of different methods used to control the invasive weed. Overall, the benthic barriers used to prevent light from reaching the milfoil have been very successful in reducing the size of the colonies, as have the spot chemical treatments. The milfoil weevils used at several sites are controlling the growth of EWM but haven’t begun to reduce the size of the colonies yet. The final report for the survey, created by Huron Pines, includes detailed maps and recommendations for the sites and future treatments.
 Higgins Lake Watershed Management Plan Approved
In September, Huron Pines staff completed a revision of the Higgins Lake Watershed Management Plan to comply with the EPA’s nine elements of watershed protection. The DEQ approved these revisions, which means that the plan can be used as the basis for future management of the watershed including obtaining state and federal funding for projects. The plan approval is a great success for the watershed and will enable more cohesive, effective management of the resource. The plan can be browsed or downloaded from the Huron Pines website, www.huronpines.org.
Looking Ahead
The Higgins Lake Shoreline Stewardship Program is an excellent program that should be continued into the future. The Eurasian water milfoil survey should be conducted regularly to monitor the success of the many control methods used on the lake and to check for new colonies so they can be controlled before they spread. In addition, the greenbelt program is a great way to educate landowners about how they can take action to improve water quality while receiving benefits in the form of greenbelt cost-sharing, noise and pest reduction, and a more beautiful shoreline. By having a stewardship seminar in early summmer, the program will get a high number of greenbelters to take advantage of the cost-share and install greenbelts. In the coming year, it will be important to educate landowners about how to take better care of their lake while also getting them involved in the many other efforts going on in the area.
 Interested in a Greenbelt? Apply Here.
Interested Higgins Lake property owners should contact Huron Pines for a site visit to determine if a greenbelt is necessary and what other stewardship measures can be taken to improve the water quality of Higgins Lake.
Please contact Huron Pines by downloading this application or by clipping out the coupon that will appear in local newspapers in July. Mail the completed application/coupon and any pictures or other additional materials to Huron Pines at: Greenbelt Application
Huron Pines
501 Norway Street
Grayling, MI 49738 For more information on greenbelts or the Higgins Lake Shoreline Stewardship Program, go to the Greenbelt How-To Kit or contact Jennifer Muladore, ecologist
Huron Pines
(989) 348-9319 ext. 30
jennifer@huronpines.org |
