Sustainable shoreland ecosystems

Sustainable shoreland ecosystems promote a healthy community, environment, and economy.

Sustainable quality of life.

• A high quality of life can be achieved through low impact development that meets communities' social and economic needs while sustaining high-quality natural resources.

Water quality and watershed protection and management.

• Watershed-wide impacts and benefits need to be considered in all land use decisions.
• All surface water needs to have healthy buffer/filter strips along the shoreline to reduce and slow runoff and to filter the remaining runoff and increase infiltration.
• Land use beyond the filter strip also needs to be carefully managed.
• Healthy wetland complexes are critical to good water quality.
• Preservation and restoration of native vegetation on shorelines and throughout the watershed provides a diverse plant community and healthy aquatic and upland habitats.

Natural resource protection and balanced land use.

• Residential communities that preserve natural vegetation and habitats improve the environment.
• Development in the entire watershed needs to follow established best management practices.
• Sustainable farming practices are critical to having a balanced and healthy natural environment.
• Commercial development needs to be integrated into the environment and done in a way that minimizes negative effects on the natural environment.

Sustainable recreation.

• Outdoor recreation is dependent on a healthy and attractive environment.
• Recreation pursuits should allow people to enjoy the outdoors without damaging the environment.

Visual quality protection.

• A healthy ecosystem with sensitive development, areas of native vegetation, natural shorelines, and good habitats for birds and wildlife provides a visually attractive environment.