Locations: Mecosta County, Osceola County, Roscommon County
Project Status: Completed in 2013
In 2010, the MRWA Education Committee decided on natural shoreline education for one of their focus areas. Four Committee members and one staff person were trained by the Michigan Natural Shoreline Partnership Train-the-Trainers program in spring 2011.
The Education Committee’s first workshop was held on November 5, 2011 at NCRESA in Fremont (Newaygo County). Nine homeowners and six landscapers participated in the day-long program. In addition to the workshop materials, property owners received a coupon worth $20 for native plants at one of the county Conservation District sales. Landscapers received Natural Shoreline books and were entered into a drawing to attend a Certified Natural Shoreline Professional training session.
The workshop agenda included:
- Basics of Natural Lake Ecosystems
- Purpose of Natural Shorelines
- Landscaping for Water Quality
- Natural Landscapes: What’s usually done? What can be done? Who can do it?
- Turf Management
- Benefits of Native Plants
- Non-native and invasive plants
- Homeowners: Home site map with buffer design
- Landscapers: Bioengineering basics
The following workshops were also held in the Muskegon River Watershed.
March 24, 2012 – Reed City (Osceola County)
April 21, 2012 – Denton Township Hall, Prudenville (Roscommon County)
September 20, 2012 – Michigan Chapter of North American Lake Management Society (McNALMS) at Kettunen Center (Osceola County)
June 15, 2013 – Tri Lakes Association (and others) at Morton Township Library (Mecosta, MI – Mecosta County)
If your lake or stream association would like to have a mini-workshop at one of your meetings, please contact Terry Stilson at mrwa@ferris.edu or 231-591-2324.