Healthy Shorelines for Healthy Lakes

We’re proud to have assessed the shorelines of 163 lakes in Canada with Love Your Lake and we’re still going!

If you’re wondering if your lake is one of those 163, check here to see if your lake is on the list!

With an estimated 31,752 major lakes and another two million small lakes in Canada, there are a lot more lakes for Love Your Lake to assess. If you have a property on a lake that hasn’t been assessed by the Love Your Lake program, we still love your lake and hope to be able to assess it soon!

Self-Assessment

In the meantime, for those wondering how healthy your shoreline is and how you’re contributing to the health of your lake, you can do a self-assessment. By answering eight simple questions about your shoreline property, you’ll get instant information as to what you’re doing well and what you can do better to improve your shoreline health. We’ll even email you your results so you don’t have to worry about taking notes. You’ll be able to check your information as often as you like.

Why are healthy shorelines so important?

  • Healthy shorelines have a buffer of vegetation. This vegetation helps filter polluted and contaminated runoff before it flows into a lake.
  • Shorelines are known as the “ribbon of life.” Native vegetation, terrestrial logs, aquatic logs, overhanging vegetation, cavity trees, and dead standing trees all provide essential wildlife habitat. Reptiles, amphibians, fish, birds, insects and mammals use shorelines for mating, rearing young, food, shelter and protection from predators.
  • They reduce erosion. The vast network of roots associated with a natural shoreline holds soil in place and helps keep shorelines from slumping and washing away.
  • They help maintain, and can even increase, property values. After all, who wants a shoreline property on a lake that is prone to algal blooms or a shoreline that is being eroded away?

Show that you’re someone who loves their lake – take the self-assessment! It takes very little time and you’ll get important information relevant to your property! Perhaps you’re already doing everything you can or perhaps we have a few pointers for you. Either way, wouldn’t you like to find out?