During the summer months, Sebago Lake is a go-to for many local residents, but many do not know the work that goes into the homes surrounding the lake to keep it healthy and looking its best.
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| Jennifer Lotsein is just the second property owner to receive a LakeSmart Award on Little Sebagao Lake since the program was started three years ago. From left are Jennifer Lotstein, her husband Richard Lotstein and Layne Albert, a LakeSmart evaluator and board member of the Little Sebago Lake Association. SUBMITTED PHOTO |
LakeSmart is a program that educates landowners about best practices to protect the lakes they live on. The goal is to reduce or eliminate erosion and stormwater runoff because it carries pollutants, including phosphorus, a primary driver of algae growth. Properties that are particularly lake-friendly receive the LakeSmart Award, with accompanying signs for display on the shoreline and the road.
Lotstein said she heard about LakeSmart through her neighbor, who suggested that Lotstein should schedule an evaluation to see how healthy her property is for the lake. Lotstein is a full-time resident of North Hampton, Massachusetts, and bought a home in Windham five years ago.
“LakeSmart evaluators explained to me that their evaluation is not a pass/fail, they just give you recommendations if there are things that you can do better,” says Lotstein.
She was already doing many things to take care of the lake, such as preventing runoff, reducing lawn area, increasing native plant growth, and controlling erosion.
“We put in gutters on the side of the house which goes down to the lake, and we also had stones put in around our patio to help with drainage,” says Lotstein. “I never really thought about our house being LakeSmart, we were just doing things that we knew were good for the property and for the lake. It was only after my neighbor told me about LakeSmart that I began to wonder if there is anything else we can be doing to help the lake.”
Similar to many other aspects of our environment, the lake is very important to take care of.
“I would certainly recommend LakeSmart to other homes,” says Lotstein. “Just like everything else, we need to take care of the lake and be aware of how humans can either protect or destroy the lake. To enjoy the lake in the future, we need to take care of it today.”
Her efforts have drawn attention.
“Jennifer Lotstein is the second LakeSmart home we have recognized on Little Sebago since we started the program three seasons ago,” says Layne Albert, a LakeSmart evaluator. He is also a board member of the Little Sebago Lake Association and chairperson of the watershed committee. “The LakeSmart evaluatoin is completly free; LakeSmart is a program that we administer under the watershed committee.”
There are five overall categories that LakeSmart evaluators look for when evaluating a home, which are: Road, Driveway, and Parking Areas, Structures and Septic System, Lawn, Recreation Areas, and Footpaths; Shorefront and Beach, and Undeveloped Land. If a home being evaluated doesn’t meet these LakeSmart standards and doesn’t quality for an award, recommendations are still given to the homeowners, but there is no obligation to make changes.
Albert stresses the fact that the choice is completely up to the homeowners whether or not they will make any changes, and there is no revaluation unless the homeowners would like.
“We want to promote the health of Maine streams, lakes, and wildlife,” says Albert. “We want recognized properties to have the pride of knowing that they do their part in maintaining proper lakefront property.”
Interested owners can request a free property evaluation. The evaluation involves a volunteer walking your property with you, looking at different criteria that affect lake health. The evaluation report provides recommendations intended to make your property more lake-friendly by eliminating and preventing erosion or other pollution.
“There is always something landowners can do to reduce their impact on the lakes,” says Albert. “We highly suggest reaching out to LakeSmart to schedule an evaluation and see how you can be helping our lakes.”
LakeSmart is always looking for evaluators and homes to evaluate. For more details regarding LakeSmart, visit their website at lake.me. <
“We put in gutters on the side of the house which goes down to the lake, and we also had stones put in around our patio to help with drainage,” says Lotstein. “I never really thought about our house being LakeSmart, we were just doing things that we knew were good for the property and for the lake. It was only after my neighbor told me about LakeSmart that I began to wonder if there is anything else we can be doing to help the lake.”
Similar to many other aspects of our environment, the lake is very important to take care of.
“I would certainly recommend LakeSmart to other homes,” says Lotstein. “Just like everything else, we need to take care of the lake and be aware of how humans can either protect or destroy the lake. To enjoy the lake in the future, we need to take care of it today.”
Her efforts have drawn attention.
“Jennifer Lotstein is the second LakeSmart home we have recognized on Little Sebago since we started the program three seasons ago,” says Layne Albert, a LakeSmart evaluator. He is also a board member of the Little Sebago Lake Association and chairperson of the watershed committee. “The LakeSmart evaluatoin is completly free; LakeSmart is a program that we administer under the watershed committee.”
There are five overall categories that LakeSmart evaluators look for when evaluating a home, which are: Road, Driveway, and Parking Areas, Structures and Septic System, Lawn, Recreation Areas, and Footpaths; Shorefront and Beach, and Undeveloped Land. If a home being evaluated doesn’t meet these LakeSmart standards and doesn’t quality for an award, recommendations are still given to the homeowners, but there is no obligation to make changes.
Albert stresses the fact that the choice is completely up to the homeowners whether or not they will make any changes, and there is no revaluation unless the homeowners would like.
“We want to promote the health of Maine streams, lakes, and wildlife,” says Albert. “We want recognized properties to have the pride of knowing that they do their part in maintaining proper lakefront property.”
Interested owners can request a free property evaluation. The evaluation involves a volunteer walking your property with you, looking at different criteria that affect lake health. The evaluation report provides recommendations intended to make your property more lake-friendly by eliminating and preventing erosion or other pollution.
“There is always something landowners can do to reduce their impact on the lakes,” says Albert. “We highly suggest reaching out to LakeSmart to schedule an evaluation and see how you can be helping our lakes.”
LakeSmart is always looking for evaluators and homes to evaluate. For more details regarding LakeSmart, visit their website at lake.me. <
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