BUFFER UP !
Waterside Buffer Rebate Program
Contribute to the health and beauty of Lake Linganore !
In fall 2016 , Lake Linganore Association ( LLA ) with LLA committee , Friends of the Lake ( FoL ), introduced a Waterside Buffer Rebate Program to encourage Members to plant vegetative buffers using attractive garden designs and native plants . Buffers reduce polluted runoff from ending up in the lakes and beautify yards and the lake edges . The program has been growing in participation each year with over 30 rebates received .
All homeowners who contribute stormwater runoff to the storm drain , creeks and lakes qualify . Qualified homeowners can be reimbursed $ 300 , $ 600 or $ 900 based on the number of practices and total expenditure . The application process begins January 1 .
What is a waterside buffer ?
Buffers are strips of vegetation , which include native ground covers , herbaceous plants , shrubs , and trees , as well as the organic matter that accumulates on the ground . They serve as transitional areas where land and water meet to create unique and highly productive ecosystems .
Why are buffers important ?
Waterside buffers are essential for healthy lakes . They :
• Absorb excess nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen from natural and human sources
• Limit flooding by absorbing storm water runoff
• Filter sediment and pollutants from construction runoff
• Prevent erosion
• Provide shade and nutrients for fish and wildlife
• Enhance the beauty of our lakeshore homes
Residential stormwater landscape practices are also necessary .
These practices are designed to disperse runoff in the yard and keep it out of the storm drain that sends polluted runoff to the lakes . They include :
• Terracing
• Check dams with rocks or logs and branches
• Dry ponds and wells
• Rain gardens
• Swales and berms
• Rain barrels
• Conservation landscaping
• Combinations of the above
How to Participate
• Set up a yard evaluation with FoL chair , Erin Johnson , by emailing buffer . lakelinganore @ gmail . com
• Submit “ before ” photos , a plan , and proposed plants list
• Download and submit your application from lakelinganore . org / watersidebufferprogram
• Include an ECC application with it , no fee required
• Once approved , you have six months to build your buffer area
• Erin Johnson will review your project to see that it meets the recommended best practices
• Send in your “ after ” photos and a receipt for native plants to receive your rebate .
For more information , visit lakelinganore . org / waterside-buffer-program .
12 LakeTalk December 2020
Dr . Mimi Galanis
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