Shoreline Preservation Create a Greenbelt Schedule Greenbelt Consultation Education - Not Enforcement Tips for Your Shoreline Rate Your Shore Shoreline Preservation Shorelines are Critical Transition Areas from Land to Water A natural shoreline protects the lake and provides habitat for fish and wildlife. However, intense shoreli ne development, the proliferation of turf lawns, and an increase in waves from boat activity create erosion problems and allow fertilizers and pesticides to enter the water. You can restore your shoreline to a more natural state which will support wildlife habitat and prevent run-off. Create a Greenbelt A greenbelt is a natural shoreline of diverse and native vegetation including trees, shrubs, grasses, and wildflowers that grow naturally or are planted. The most important benefits of greenbelts are erosion control and pollution filtering. By keeping sediments and excess nutrients from washing into the water, greenbelts keep the water clear and cool. An added benefit is deterring geese who prefer well-manicured lawns with unrestricted access to the water. ​ Recent surveys, revealed a concerning deficiency in natural shorelines and greenbelts surrounding Lime Lake. The good news is that this is within our control. Schedule Your Free Lake On-Site Consultations To encourage establishing and enhancing greenbelts on the lake, the LLA is supporting on-site consultations by our Lake Biologist, Kelsey Froelich. During the half-hour consultation, you will gain a deeper understanding of the natural process and science that a natural shoreline plays in the health of the lake ecosystem. Site specific opportunities will be discussed so you can create a greenbelt plan for your shore. Free Greenbelt Consultation Registration Next Education - Not Enforcement Greenbelt consultations are focused on providing an understanding of the natural processes and their effect on lake health. In other words, education. We are giving riparians the information to make the changes they deem appropriate to improve lake health while providing space for water accessibility and recreation. The decisions are left to the property owner - and the LLA has no interest in ‘enforcement’! Tips for Your Shoreline Maintain a greenbelt - a 20 to 35’ natural buffer along 70% of your shoreline to help provide filtration to trap pollutants, prevent overgrowth of aquatic plants and algae, reduce erosion and discourage geese. Use native plants - shrubs, trees and grasses to stabilize shorelines which provides habitat for wildlife (more). Plant native trees to help offset storm damage and replace die-off of diseased ash, birch, beech and oaks. Use a mulching mower, compost leaves and yard trimmings at least 100 ft from surface water. Excess leaves in the lakes and creeks degrades water quality. Rate Your Shore The Michigan Shoreland Stewardship Program has created an online survey for you to ‘rate your shoreland’. In the process, you will receive customized advice on how to make improvements to your property and its management. The Survey asks questions related to management practices in each of the four zones of your shoreland property: Upland, Buffer, Shoreline and Lake. You will need the basic dimensions of your property and you should plan for approximately 30 minutes to complete the form. Please select the Lime Lake Association when taking the survey; this will help us track participation rates. The survey can be taken anonymously, but we encourage you to register. By registering, your data will be saved so you can return to the survey as you make changes on your property. Thank you for being a good steward of Lime Lake. RATE YOUR SHORE

Lime Lake Geology Lime Lake is a 670-acre lake with a maximum depth of 65 feet, and extensive shoal areas with depths less than 15 feet. Substrate is predominately sand and marl, with some areas of cobble and gravel present. Vegetation is sparse, though there is some emergent vegetation near the shoreline and some small submerged weed beds in water from 5 to 20 feet deep. Environment The land in the Lime Lake watershed is characterized by a variety of soil types including Kalkaska series sands along the west and south sides of the lake, Leelanau-East Lake loamy sands along the east side of the lake, Eastport sands between Lime Lake and Little Traverse Lake, and Lupton-Markey muck soils along Lime Creek and Shetland Creek. Natural Connections: Lime Lake's Waterways and Migratory Fish Access Lime Lake is fed by several hillside seeps, springs, and small creeks, with the largest being Lime Creek which flows in at the southern end of the lake. Shetland Creek flows out of the north end of Lime Lake and into Little Traverse Lake, and from there Shalda Creek flows out of Little Traverse Lake and into Good Harbor Bay on Lake Michigan. Migratory fish from Lake Michigan have access to Lime Lake through this connection in years of high water or when there are no natural obstructions (beaver dams). Hiking Trails The Leelanau Conservancy actively manages two preserves on Lime Lake. Teichner Preserve is a 41-acre parcel of property located on the northeast shore of Lime Lake. This property includes 200-feet of lake frontage, uniquely forested lowland, and extensive wetlands. The property is open to the public for guided tours and hiking. Pat's Preserve protects 1,000 feet of lake shoreline and 26 acres of land including sensitive wetlands important to the preservation of the long-term water quality of Lime Lake. Pat's Preserve is a critical wildlife corridor and its wetlands support a broad diversity of species. Responsible Fishing Lime Lake is a Type C designated trout lake that is open to trout fishing for the entire year. All tackle types may be used and the lake has a possession limit of five trout per day, with no more than three trout 15" or greater. The lake is accessible via a Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) public boat launch located on the southwestern shore of the lake. Management Direction Any remaining riparian wetlands adjacent to Lime Lake and its tributaries should be protected as they are critical to the continued health of the watershed. Future riparian development and wetland loss may result in deterioration of the water quality and aquatic habitat. Appropriate watershed management is necessary to sustain healthy biological communities, including fish, amphibians, and birds. Generally for lakes this includes maintenance of good water quality, preservation of natural shorelines; and preservation of bottom contours, vegetation, and woody structure within the lake. Conservation Measures Guidelines for protecting fisheries habitat in inland lakes can be found in Fisheries Division Special Report 38 (O'Neal and Soulliere 2006). Additionally, dredging of the littoral zone should be avoided if possible on Lime Lake, particularly where gravel and cobble substrates are located. Most of the nearshore properties that are developed on Lime Lake have gravel and cobble substrates present. This nearshore habitat is critical for a number of important Lime Lake fish species, as gravel and cobble substrates provide spawning habitat and also host many important aquatic invertebrates that help to sustain healthy fish populations.

Pledge to Protect the Lime Lake, Good Harbor Bay Watershed I Pledge the following . . . . . On Shore (Riparians Only) Start a greenbelt on my shoreline or maintain existing one Stop mowing my lawn seven feet from the water’s edge to start a greenbelt Use lake or creek water irrigation (vs. well water irrigation) Contact the Lime Lake Association for advice when considering alterations near my shoreline Refrain from feeding waterfowl to protect the water from harmful E-coli bacteria Rake and remove leaves and grass clippings to keep them out of the water On Land Use only eco-friendly soaps and detergents Use only hazardous waste collection sites to dispose of harmful items Use only eco-friendly pesticides Properly store any fertilizers Invasive Species Prevention Clean, Drain & Dry watercraft before/after use to stop the introduction & spread of aquatic invasive species Dispose of bait, plants, aquatic animals and fish from aquariums & ponds in the garbage, never in the lake Septic System, Holding Tank, Well Have my septic system inspected regularly (every 3-5 yrs.) & pumped when indicated Avoid using bleach and commercial products that claim to ‘maintain’ my tank/ septic system Avoid use of garbage disposal Watercraft and Recreation Be mindful of your wake near shore to reduce erosion and excessive sedimentation in the lake Avoid use of soaps & shampoos in the lake or creek Inspect boats for fuel/oil leaks In Yard (Property Owners Only) Preserve wetlands on your property Construct driveways Keep storm drains free of anything except runoff PIant a tree and/or incorporate native plants on my property or lakeshore Pledge I (we) hereby pledge to protect the Lime Lake/Good Harbor Bay Watershed and implement the checked items above. Privacy Please Keep My Pledge Anonymous Submit Pledge Thank You!

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