LakeSmart, a free, voluntary program sponsored by the Maine Lakes Society

Just like that, September is upon us; the days will get a little shorter, the nights a little chillier, and the bustle of summer will be replaced with the routine of school and soccer practices. In the midst of the frenzied transitions that come with the changing of seasons, it might be expected that the health of your lake isn’t exactly at the forefront of your mind. But with memories of summer still vibrant, autumn may be the perfect time to consider how you can contribute to the quality and longevity of your lake’s water.
How many afternoons were spent in the seat of a kayak or akin to the motor of a boat? Sipping iced tea on the dock with a book in hand? Cooling off on those humid days by splashing around with the kids/grandkids/dog? Reeling in the one that got away (again)? In truth, your lake probably deserves a big old “thank you” for being the central figure of another iconic Maine summer, and what better way to show your appreciation than to help keep it healthy so you (and others) can enjoy it for years to come? LakeSmart, a free, voluntary program sponsored by the Maine Lakes Society can help you do just that.
The purpose of the LakeSmart program is to educate property owners about how they can contribute to watershed conservation efforts. Currently, pollution from stormwater runoff is one of the leading threats to the water quality of Maine lakes. Development along the shoreline exacerbates pollution levels in lakes because the natural vegetation that typically acts as a buffer to storm water runoff is often replaced with roads, driveways, parking areas, and grassy lawns, thus providing pollutants with a more direct route to the lake. Many property owners may not realize the ways in which suburban landscaping practices can cause harm to lakes, and the more developed the shoreline of a lake is, greater is the risk that its water becomes polluted, and at a faster rate. Poor water quality can decrease property values, affect recreational opportunities, and harm fish and wildlife populations—all of which are things we’d rather not face.
LakeSmart emphasizes how the decisions of property owners, when added together, can have a major impact on the lake’s health, for better or for worse. If enough homeowners on a given body of water make an effort to switch to more natural, ecological landscaping practices, the impact can be astounding. Once a property meets the standards of the LakeSmart program, it receives an award sign to be posted on shorefronts and roadsides, denoting its success in ecological landscaping. If 15% of a lake’s shoreline properties receive this award, the lake achieves a “Gold Status” to recognize collective outstanding achievement. For a list of award winners provided by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, please visit this page.
So how to get involved with the LakeSmart program, and what kind of changes might you need to make to your property in order to meet its standards? A typical course of action might look like this:

1.    Contact your local Lake Association to make sure that they are partnered with LakeSmart initiatives (the program is currently     active in 65 lake watersheds).
2.    Through your Lake Association, set up an appointment to have a trained volunteer evaluate your property, free of charge.
3.    During the evaluation, you will join the volunteer in a walk around your property while he or she provides suggestions and     gives information on how to make landscaping improvements that can help capture and infiltrate stormwater. Areas that might be focused on include road, driveway, and parking areas, septic systems, lawn, recreation areas and footpaths, shorefront and beach footage, and any undeveloped land. For more specifics on what will be evaluated, please take a look at this form provided by the Maine Lakes Society.
4.    Decide which changes you would like to make to the property and work to implement them to the best of your ability. Some common improvements might include replacing lawn area with more natural vegetation such as native trees and shrubs, reducing the use of chemicals in landscaping, and working to stabilize erosion along the shoreline.
5.    Once you’ve made your improvements, you can have your property evaluated a second time to see if it meets the criteria to be eligible for a LakeSmart Award. Then, you can help spread the word and offer suggestions to others on how to be a good steward to a healthy lake!

For more information on the LakeSmart program, please visit the Maine Lake Society’s website or contact your local Lake Association. Here’s to many more summers of happy, healthy lakes and a happy, healthy you!