When most people think of lakes and Michigan they generally think of the two Great Lakes, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. However, did you know that there are over 11,000 inland lakes in our state? And unfortunately, many of them are under pressure from development and suffering from erosion, loss of fish and wildlife habitat, diminished water quality, and invasion of exotic species of aquatic plants.
The Michigan Natural Shoreline Partnership (MNSP) is dedicated to preserving and protecting Michigan’s inland lakes. One of the ways they do this is by conducting the Certified Natural Shoreline Professional (CNSP) training and certification program to promote the use of green landscaping technologies and bioengineered erosion control for the protection of our inland lakes.
Reder Landscaping is pleased to announce that one of our Landscape Designers, Steve Baillie, has achieved the designation of Certified Natural Shoreline Professional from the MNSP.
Steve was able to achieve his CNSP certification by completing 30 hours of coursework and 10 hours of fieldwork under the direction of Dr. Jane Herbert, Michigan State University Extension senior water resource educator, and John Skubinna of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ).
Some of the topics emphasized in the training and certification program are shoreline and near shore soils, plant communities, aquatic habitats, water law and permitting, wave energy assessment and the methods and techniques involved in designing natural shoreline landscaping and bioengineered erosion control on inland lakes.
Steve has been with Reder Landscaping as a Landscape Designer since 2004 and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Horticulture and Landscape Design from Michigan State University.
If you have a lake front property and are interested in landscaping your shoreline using green principles and technologies give us a call and ask for Steve Baillie.
* Featured image courtesy of Huron River Watershed Council.