Great Lakes Shoreline
Laws giving Great Lakes shoreline landowners greater freedom to clear vegetation from their property could be scrapped because such activities alter water chemistry and damage fish habitat. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality said a recent scientific analysis showed that uprooting aquatic vegetation in coastal wetlands harms young game fish such as yellow perch and bass.
It also reduces populations of invertebrates such as insects and snails that form crucial links in the aquatic food chain.
The research has shown that protecting coastal wetlands and maintaining the integrity of the vegetation is more important ecologically than ever before. Some shoreline property owners have pushed for the right to remove what they consider unsightly vegetation that sprouted in exposed bottomland areas when lake levels began dropping in the late 1990s.
Environmentalists say the vegetation growth is a natural occurrence and important to preserve wildlife habitat and prevent erosion. About 90 percent of the 200 fish species in the Great Lakes use coastal wetlands for spawning, feeding and other crucial activities, they also provide a refuge for native fish under siege from invasive species. DEQ Report Link.
March 21, 2006 6:50 AM | Category: Weeds