Lake-friendly Landscaping

What you do on your property can have a big impact on water quality. A lack of shoreline vegetation increases stormwater runoff and can lead to:

  • Soil erosion resulting in sedimentation which reduces water clarity.

  • Fertilizers being washed into lakes, ponds and streams stimulating aquatic plant growth and causing toxic algal blooms.

  • Pesticides being carried into waterbodies which are harmful to people, pets and aquatic life.

  • Pet waste being washed into waterways which contaminates water and poses a health hazard to people.

Plants, especially along the shoreline, are effective at minimizing stormwater runoff by slowing the flow, allowing water to soak in, and filtering out pollutants.

  • A vegetated shoreline buffer consists of trees, shrubs, groundcover and leaf litter along the shore of a lake or stream.

  • A wide vegetated buffer provides effective water quality protection for lakes and streams especially on steep slopes.

  • Paths to the water’s edge should be narrow and meandering.

Click on the button above to explore a tool created by Nicole Ward, past Calhoun Fellow, to see how your shoreline property management decisions can affect water quality.

Landscaping Resources for Homeowners

Participate in LSPA’s Watershed Wise Program

LSPA’s Watershed Wise Program provides recommendations to property owners about good land stewardship practices. Take this online survey to learn more and to schedule a free evaluation of your property by LSPA Staff.

Install a Rain Garden on Your Property to Manage Stormwater Runoff

NHDES Soak up the Rain program provides a video and detailed instructions how to install a rain garden.

Plant native plants to benefit wildlife and prevent erosion

Here is a list of Woody Plants for Erosion Control from Emma Erler, Lead Horticulturalist at Squam Lakes Natural Science Center.

Hire a Professional Landscaper Trained in Ecological Landscaping for Water Quality Protection

You can find landscapers trained in Stormwater Management and Landscaping for Water Quality in UNH’s Directory of Landscape Professionals.

“Leave the Leaves!”

As you are tending your yard and garden in the fall, please remember that dumping leaves into lakes adds nutrients to the water feeding algae and cyanobacteria.

Instead:

  • Compost your leaves to create enriched soil to use in future years

  • Rake leaves into flower beds and around shrubs—this will protect them during the winter

  • Leave the leaves or pile them in forested areas—they provide food and vital habitat for overwintering butterflies and other invertebrates.

To learn about the value of leaving the leaves for pollinators, visit Xerces Society's Leave the Leaves: Winter Habitat Protection

Learn more about actions you can take on your property to benefit water quality on our Watershed Wise Resource page.