[Lakegeezer]

My first reaction to the impending law was not good, but after thinking about it for a while I came to the conclusion that it was necessary. Even with in-your-face education, too many lakeside landowners have been careless with their piece of shoreline ecology. This, along with three 100 year floods in 18 months, has resulted in a lake with declining water quality. Action is required to reverse the decline. Preserving the last 50 feet of vegetation protects the final filter for runoff, which is critical for a healthy lake. Aesthetics is a bonus - the shoreline will look more natural - but that is a secondary factor.

We need clarification of the law to understand if we may rake up pine needles on the lawn or not. I suspect that it will be OK. The law will change some of my habits. We used to rake the paths to the water once or twice a year, but then those paths became the run-off paths for rain. Leaving pine needles on the paths will look messy but provide a small piece of ecological help. I get worried when the state government starts passing new laws, but this one seems to target the right goals without being too intrusive. This law encourages each shore owner to act locally.