Plant Native

One way to improve the quality of the water in Roaring Brook Lake is to strengthen the buffer zone at the water’s edge and the ecological diversity of the watershed area surrounding the lake. Right now, there is a scarcity of deeply-rooted buffer plants and we’ve seen recent decreases (both locally and globally) in the number and variety of insects and bird populations. Both problems are compounded by the recent loss of many native watershed trees, particularly ash, beech and hemlock.

Together with the RBL Garden Club, we want to increase the understanding of the role of local native plants in supporting a healthy ecosystem for the lake and watershed. We will help RBL homeowners identify and remove invasive plants and replace them with native plants that will improve the ecological health of the watershed.

We also will work with the Homegrown National Park and other organizations such as Trees for Tribs, the Cornell Cooperative Extension and the Wild Woods Restoration Project to achieve these goals.