MI ENVIRONMENT
Over a thousand inland lake stewards and growing
Date: December 09, 2020
Inland lakefront property owners across the state are taking advantage of the voluntary and free MI Shoreland Stewards Program created by the Michigan Natural Shoreline Partnership.
The program encourages lake friendly best management practices such as minimizing lawn size and hard surfaces and maintaining native trees, flowers and aquatic plants to share the shore with the fish and wildlife that live there.
Since it was launched in April 2016, over 1,100 inland lake property owners from 286 lakes have taken the Shoreland Stewards Survey. Of these participants 70 percent of the properties have qualified to be a Shoreland Steward at the Gold, Silver or Bronze level. The Gold level provides the most protection for the lake and wildlife habitat. A sign can be purchased for qualifying properties on the Michigan Lakes and Streams Association website.