Lakes continue to reflect the natural processes occurring in and around them over thousands of years but did you know that our human influence can also have an impact our lakes in a big way. We use our lakes for their water supplies and we take enjoyment in living beside and visiting them. What we don’t always realize is that lakes are sensitive to the many ways in which they are used. It is important that we try to understand lakes and take steps to protect these precious resources. We can do this by taking action and adopting local stewardship practices. Through lake stewardship, we can manage the care of our lakes through preventative and remedial actions that will safeguard the ecological health of our valuable lake environments now and into the future.
Consider taking on the following good stewardship practices in your lake environment (area):
- Find or start a local lake stewardship group,
- Share your knowledge about lakes and lake stewardship,
- Demonstrate and encourage lake friendly choices in yard and shoreline care,
- Control sediment and associated nutrients from entering the lake,
- Boat carefully so as not to disturb bottom sediments or cause shoreline erosion,
- Maintain your waste disposal system regularly,
- Avoid spills when refuelling and maintaining boat motors, and
- Volunteer for activities such as lake monitoring and clean-up campaigns.
By taking action, you can make a difference! Practice good lake stewardship and you can help prevent problems which can impact your lake’s health, and your enjoyment of the lake.