This program incorporates one of our General Mission Goals—to encourage lake residents to be good stewards of the lake—by working with property owners to follow good practices while maintaining and improving their shorelines.  By taking steps to stabilize an eroding shoreline, reduce runoff, or minimize the use of fertilizers, our lake residents can play a large role in improving water quality.

 

 

Working with the DNR, the ELIA encourages property owners to participate in the Healthy Lakes and Rivers program.  Grants are available to offset much of the cost when following a “best management practice” such as installing native plants or creating a rain garden.  Several residents around Eagle Lake have participated in the program.

 

To further promote the idea, our association has maintained a demonstration garden on the west side of the lake since 2004.  The teaching site is named Zinnen Demonstration Garden, and it explains how the use of native plant species with long root systems can stabilize a shoreline subjected to erosion.  A wide variety of native plants are featured there along with signage that depicts the need for native plants.

Volunteers around the lake maintain the site throughout the growing seasons via spring cleanup, weeding / mulching the site and introducing new native plants to the site.  A walking path through the area and a viewing bench are now in place, allowing area residents to spend time enjoying the demonstration garden and learning about native plants.

The demonstration garden sits adjacent to the Zinnen Boat Launch, named after John and Loraine Zinnen, lifelong residents and supporters of the lake association.  These plaques are located at the garden entrance to recognize their many contributions.  The viewing bench was dedicated to Don Hermes in recognition of his tireless efforts to promote and improve Eagle Lake.