Establishing a Buffer Zone
Creating a buffer zone both along the shoreline and in the upland area can solve many lakeshore problems such as soil erosion, sedimentation, and excessive lake phosphorus levels. Choosing to create a sustainable lakefront is simple and biologically sound. Once a buffer zone is established lawn maintenance will be greatly reduced as mowing will no longer be necessary near the shoreline.
The process is simple: First, identify native vegetation species prevalent in your area. If no native species are prevalent or if you are unsure contact the Minnesota DNR or other human resources (available in the resources page). A shoreline buffer zone should contain native trees, shrubs, wildflowers, sedges, emergent and submergent aquatic plants. It is important to establish a diverse buffer zone of plants as they are all critical to the protection of the lake. There is no good way to control which species proliferates more; the plants should naturally proliferate and diminish as necessary.
A buffer zone is an area that extends from 25 to 100 or more feet from the water’s edge. The deeper the buffer zone the more protective. Narrow zones may be eliminated due to wave action. Your buffer zone needs to be comprised of two components: aquatic plants and upland plants above the water line. Wildflowers and sedges placed at the water’s edge and dry soil flowers, grasses, and shrubs in upland areas.
The goal of a buffer zone is to reduce the amount of soil erosion which can pollute a lake greatly. The roots of the native plants will stabilize soil and take up water from lower soil layers. A canopy of trees and shrubs intercepts rain and reduces the erosive force. Once rainwater advances to the ground level, the structure of grasses and wildflowers slows the flow and soaks the rainwater into the ground. The entire buffer zone will trap fertilizers, chemicals, and potential pollutants before they are able to entire the surface water of a lake.
Do not forget, buffer zones are beautiful! A buffer zone can restore a lakeshore’s natural beauty and aroma. The diverse plants will present a feast for all the senses, whereas a Bluegrass lawn cut short right up to the edge of a lake cannot.
Design, Preparation, and Installation
Designing Lakeshore Landscapes
- Produce "master plan" or design
- Divide property into small sections and plant one area at a time
- Plant in phases
- Develop a plant list: Look at native landscape of the area surrounding (shoreline and upland). Look for areas similar to your property. A good reference for native plant listings is Wetland Plants and Plant Communities of Minnesota and Wisconsin.
- Consider needs and desires: 1) characteristics of your site: (soil types, moisture levels and water depth, how does the lot drain, how much light, wind/wave action) 2) Utility requirements ( path to lake, place to store dock/canoe/etc, lighting, how much lawn) 3) recreational desires: (volleyball? Flower garden, fishing dock, more privacy, etc) 4) improvement of environment and water quality: (reduce amount of lawn, stop erosion, plant for wildlife).
- Draw base map
- Design specific Plantings: examine what might naturally grow in the area and think about planting that. Native plants would naturally fit the best into the growing environment on property and require the least maintenance and provide the best wildlife habitat. Break the landscape into distinct planting zones (buffer- 25-100 feet out from shore and into the water as far as vegetation will grow. Aquatic buffer zone: Emergent, submerged, and floating aquatic plants in lake and along shore absorb wave energy and hold bottom sediments in place while providing food and shelter for fish and wildlife. It is especially important to model natural surroundings in shallow areas with less wave action. Upland Buffer Zone: Think about leaving the vegetation along the shore un-mowed. Vegetation with good roots holds soils in place. Vegetation above this with different types of stems can act as filter by catching debris and absorbing nutrients carried in storm water- herbaceous and woody plants here. Herbaceous plantings: low-growing, non-woody, leafy, ground-layer plants. Grasses and sedges are very important to this zone. Wildflowers are a very nice addition to this zone, especially aesthetically. When considering woody plantings, as is the case for all plantings, you are simply best off just copying nature.
Site Preparation & Plant Installation
- Sources of native plants: Nurseries, Ccntract growing, digging from the wild, rescuing plants from construction, propagation from seed, cuttings, and rootstock.
- Site preparation: Get rid of invasive weeds, eliminate turf (easiest way: organic herbicide, tilling unnecessary) soil preparation (none required for native plants)
- Planting tips: 1- for affordability do one small section at a time. 2- Plant emergent/floating aquatic vegetation in the spring after water levels have lowered. 3- label a few plants of each species. 4- grow some native plants in small compartmentalized containers. 5- thoroughly soak containerized plants before taking them out of their pots to plant. 5- dig the hole wider than the root ball but not any deeper. 6- don't plant too deep or too shallow, the root ball should exactly match the existing soil surface. 7- water thoroughly after planting. 8- planting in lake where there are waves requires anchoring plants.
- Seeding tips: 1- till before seeding 2- not recommended within 15 feet of lakesore because of erosion 3- add cover crop of oats or rye 4- on shallow slopes and flat grades add some straw to prevent erosion and hold moisture 5- keep new seedings moist 6- have patience.
- "No planting" technique: some upland areas require no planting of native species, once lawn and competition is removed they will naturally fill in themselves. The key is native species adjacent and no adjacent invasive weeds.
- Mulching: prevents erosion and locks in moisture and controls weeds and creates barrier to wind and heat. Mulch shouldn't be so fine that it washes away or so coarse that it prevents anything from growing. Shredded hardwood works pretty well and can be used for both woody and herbaceous plantings. Straw also works well in herbaceous plantings. Wood chips and cocoa hull mulch are bad because they float and are easily washed away. Manure and compost are greatly discouraged because nutrients from them easily wash into the lake. Herbaceous plantings should have no more than 1 inch of mulch. Keep it about a half inch away from plant stems. Trees and shrubs should be mulched with tangled wood fiber and it can be up to 3 inches deep. Don't mulch right on shoreline because it could get washed into the water.
Healthy lakes ecosystems are critical to maintain as they harbor an abundance of plant and animal life. The daily choices Minnesotans make, be it lawn maintenance, car washing, or actively getting involved with lake protection and restoration are dramatic impacts on the lake ecosystem.