Thirty two residents eager to learn about best management plans and science of inland lakes attended “You and Your Lake – An overview of life on the Lake” at the R.A. MacMullan Center on Saturday, June 24. Attendees included representatives from Lyon and Gerrish Townships, the Drain Commission, Beaver Creek, Scott’s and Lake Associations.
The program provided a compact version of a six week MSU internet course – “Introduction to Lakes” a course designed for lakefront residents, lake associations, elected officials, natural resource professionals and all who are interested in learning more about the importance of sound lake and shoreline management practices and lake ecology. After taking the internet course, HLF Chair, Vicki Springstead partnered with Julie Crick of the MSU Extension Office to host the one day seminar. The seminar was funded by the Higgins Lake Foundation and MSU Extension.
The agenda included information on general lake ecology, natural shorelines, aquatic invasive species, soil testing, neighborhood collaboration, and septic maintenance. The expert MSU presenters were Dr. Lois Wolfson, Senior Specialist with the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife and Institute of Water Research at MSU, Dr.Jo Latimore, Aquatic Ecologist and outreach specialist in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Bindu Bhakta, Natrural Resources Educator at MSU. Bindu develops and delivers natural resources programs such as inland lake management, landscaping for water quality and septic system education, Erik Elgin, technician with MICorps Cooperative lake Management program’s citizen’s monitoring Exotic Aquatic Plant Watch and Terry Gibb, Senior Extension Educator at MSU Extension.
There were many positive comments about the program. Higgins Lake Foundation board member, Ed Panyard said, “I was happy to be there. I love to learn and I felt the content was great. We benefit through education and communication, today was a good demonstration of both.”
“Introduction to Lakes” internet course will be offered again in early 2018 (January 23 – March 6, 2018)
Vicki Springstead
Chair
