07-30-2004, 08:53 PM
Released:
Friday, July 23, 2004
Organizers want Wall Lake to be the first to swear off chemical use near the shoreline.
The Wall Lake Association is taking proactive steps to protect the quality of Minnesota lakes. At their March 6 meeting, the lake association asked the Wall Lake landowners to participate in a voluntary moratorium to keep all chemicals 200 feet or more away from the lakeshore.
"As far as we know," said association vice president Brian Sundberg, "we are the first Minnesota lake to do this."
Sunberg expressed the association's concern about chemicals used by individual property owners as well as commercial and private farmers that end up in the lakes. Wanting to preserve the water quality in Wall Lake, the association decided to take matters into their own hands.
"Lakes are our greatest natural resource in Minnesota, but we're losing them," said Sundberg.
The idea first came to the association's attention when Rick Nelson, association president, spoke to John Barten, Water Resources Manger for the Three Rivers Park District in the Twin Cities.
Barten has performed studies on the effect chemicals, such as insecticides and fertilizers, have on water quality in Minnesota lakes, rivers and streams. At a meeting planned for Friday, July 30 at 8 p.m. at the Elks' Point Pavilion on Wall Lake, Barten will address the group on problems caused by harmful chemicals in natural bodies of water.
"We want to get everyone involved," said Sundberg about the meeting. "It's really about awareness and the consequences [of our actions]."
As an incentive to participate in the voluntary moratorium, the Wall Lake Association plans to provide free memberships to those who sign a "pledge" stating their intent to not use chemicals for the next five years and perhaps beyond. Though membership fees are only $10, Sundberg thinks that if they even get half of the Wall Lake landowners, it's better than "not trying and getting no one at all."
If the program is successful, the association hopes that other Otter Tail and Minnesota lake associations follow suit so that all may enjoy Minnesota's "greatest resource" for years to come.
"[Lake living] is a good life -- I want the quality to be there for my granddaughter, so she can enjoy what I have since I was a kid," said Sundberg.
The association has invited representatives from the DNR, USDA and PCA to the meeting at Elks' Point. Sundberg indicated that it is open to any that want to attend, whether they live on Wall Lake or not.
"The more people that find out about what we're trying to do, the more lakes that may get involved in something like this," said Sundberg. "Maybe all of Otter Tail County will do it someday. It would be great to stand up and say, 'We were the first county in Minnesota to do this.'"
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Friday, July 23, 2004
Organizers want Wall Lake to be the first to swear off chemical use near the shoreline.
The Wall Lake Association is taking proactive steps to protect the quality of Minnesota lakes. At their March 6 meeting, the lake association asked the Wall Lake landowners to participate in a voluntary moratorium to keep all chemicals 200 feet or more away from the lakeshore.
"As far as we know," said association vice president Brian Sundberg, "we are the first Minnesota lake to do this."
Sunberg expressed the association's concern about chemicals used by individual property owners as well as commercial and private farmers that end up in the lakes. Wanting to preserve the water quality in Wall Lake, the association decided to take matters into their own hands.
"Lakes are our greatest natural resource in Minnesota, but we're losing them," said Sundberg.
The idea first came to the association's attention when Rick Nelson, association president, spoke to John Barten, Water Resources Manger for the Three Rivers Park District in the Twin Cities.
Barten has performed studies on the effect chemicals, such as insecticides and fertilizers, have on water quality in Minnesota lakes, rivers and streams. At a meeting planned for Friday, July 30 at 8 p.m. at the Elks' Point Pavilion on Wall Lake, Barten will address the group on problems caused by harmful chemicals in natural bodies of water.
"We want to get everyone involved," said Sundberg about the meeting. "It's really about awareness and the consequences [of our actions]."
As an incentive to participate in the voluntary moratorium, the Wall Lake Association plans to provide free memberships to those who sign a "pledge" stating their intent to not use chemicals for the next five years and perhaps beyond. Though membership fees are only $10, Sundberg thinks that if they even get half of the Wall Lake landowners, it's better than "not trying and getting no one at all."
If the program is successful, the association hopes that other Otter Tail and Minnesota lake associations follow suit so that all may enjoy Minnesota's "greatest resource" for years to come.
"[Lake living] is a good life -- I want the quality to be there for my granddaughter, so she can enjoy what I have since I was a kid," said Sundberg.
The association has invited representatives from the DNR, USDA and PCA to the meeting at Elks' Point. Sundberg indicated that it is open to any that want to attend, whether they live on Wall Lake or not.
"The more people that find out about what we're trying to do, the more lakes that may get involved in something like this," said Sundberg. "Maybe all of Otter Tail County will do it someday. It would be great to stand up and say, 'We were the first county in Minnesota to do this.'"
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