Workshop provides ways to protect lake

The Flathead Lakers offer a “Landscaping for Clean Water” workshop on Aug. 26.

The Flathead Lakers installed a demonstration shoreline stabilization and native plant buffer on a lakeshore property this past spring. Workshop participants will learn about the value of vegetated buffers for protecting water quality and will tour the demonstration buffer during the workshop.

Workshop participants will have the opportunity to network with each other and discuss options for buffer designs and appropriate plants.

The demonstration native plant buffer is a collaboration among the Flathead Lakers, Forestoration, Timberlake Landworks, and a lakeshore landowner. The University of Montana Flathead Lake Biological Station helped design the shoreline stabilization component of the demonstration buffer project, and Montana Department of Environmental Quality helped fund the project and workshop.

Before installing the demonstration buffer, the landowners wanted to replace their crumbling seawall with a dynamic equilibrium beach. Dynamic equilibrium beaches are a natural looking alternative to seawalls that disburse wave energy better than seawalls and other stabilization methods. The dynamic equilibrium beach was completed in February, when the ground was frozen, by Mike Wilson, owner of Timberlake Landworks.

Volunteers, with direction from native plant specialist Andrew Beltz, co-owner of Forestoration, planted nearly 850 native flowers, grasses, shrubs, and trees to create the buffer along 140 feet of Flathead Lake shoreline. 

Vegetated buffers protect Flathead Lake by intercepting stormwater runoff that can contain excess nutrients, chemicals, and other pollutants that would otherwise flow right into the lake. Plants slow the water flow and increase infiltration, so excess nutrients can be absorbed by the buffer.  Phosphorus and nitrogen are nutrients that cause algae growth on shoreline rocks and in the water. Not only is this “living lakeshore” great for water quality in Flathead Lake, it also provides habitat for songbirds and pollinators, Flathead Lakers spokesperson Heidi Sedivy said.

The workshop will provide instruction from plant specialists, permitting agencies, and landscapers, and will provide the opportunity to talk with neighbors and professionals about designing a native plant buffer for a variety of lakeshore conditions and landowner preferences. 

The workshop is free for Flathead Lakers members, $10 for individual non-members, and $25 for non-member businesses. Registration is required. Contact the Flathead Lakers at 883-1341 or heidi@flatheadlakers.org for more information or to register.