Conservationists say a small buffer on shorelines go a long way to preserving water quality and habitat for fish and wildlife.
Native vegetation along the shore acts as a buffer zone, intercepting nutrients and reducing runoff, erosion, and sedimentation. Aquatic plants provide food and shelter for ducks, songbirds, and other wildlife. Oneida County has a cost sharing program to help pay for the lakeshore buffer work.
County Conservationist Jean Hansen says funders would like to reduce runoff....
"....the main concern they have is for erosion control and water quality. We want to keep our waters clean and have good quality and also for soil erosion(prevention). We've done a lot of lakeshore projects throughout the years...."
The program provides a 50-50 cost share. If you want more information, go to the Oneida County Land and Water Conservation Department website at oclw.org
