Chances are if you have visited a spa or gone for a massage you were surrounded by soothing sounds from the moment you entered.  What is often heard is the sound of nature; water lapping against the shore, leaves rustling in the breeze, birds singing and frogs calling. 

A lake is one of the loveliest backdrops to nature. It’s no wonder people want to own lakefront property.  The water’s color, the wildlife that lives on, and in the lake, the spectacular sunrises and sunsets each day are nature at its best. The beauty of the lake never gets old; it changes with the seasons but remains a constant connection to our love of nature.

However, what draws us to the lake is usually the first thing that gets destroyed when building or remodeling a lake house.  Trees get cut down, a concrete seawall gets built, and turf grass lawns get installed along with non-native shrubs and flowers.  The house and lot are manicured and quite beautiful but suddenly the only sounds you hear are speed boats, lawn mowers, leaf blowers and weed trimmers. 

What happened to the soothing sounds of nature? 

If you want to hear birds singing, they need food and habitat.  If you want to hear frogs calling, they need a shoreline that allows them to easily move from water to land.  All the sights and sounds of nature that draw us to the lake rely on a healthy, thriving ecosystem that provides the necessary requirements for survival.

If we pay attention to what nature needs when designing a lakefront retreat, there can be a balance for both people and wildlife.  

There are many resources to help you create a lakefront property that supports nature:

• Michigan Natural Shoreline Partnership
• Smart Trees and Shrubs for Natural Shoreline Plantings
• Maintaining and Restoring Natural Shorelines
• Shoreline Living (hard copies available at LMEF office)
• Beginners Guide to Shoreline Stewardship (video)

What you do makes a difference,
and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.

Jane Goodall

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