Blue Heron Shoreline Stewardship Award Program

The Blue Heron Shoreland Stewardship Awards Program was created by the Vilas County Lakes Association to provide local lake organizations the opportunity to recognize lake property owners who have been conscientious in the development and use of their waterfront property to minimize environmental impacts. These awards will also create awareness, educate lake property owners on the importance of shoreland stewardship, and showcase good examples of lake-friendly waterfront development. 2010 Blue Heron Award Winners Vilas County Lakes and Rivers Association announces its 2010 Blue Heron Shoreline Stewardship Award winners! Congratulations to John and Marilyn Annin, nominated by the Black Oak Lake Association in Land O’ Lakes, Tom and Mary Reardon, nominated by the Anvil Lake Association, Town of Washington, and John and Helen Rossmiller on Pardee Lake in Winchester, nominated by Carolyn Scholl, Vilas County Conservationist. A special recognition plaque will be presented to North Lakeland Discovery Center on Statehouse Lake in Manitowish Waters and to Moon Beach Camp on Moon Lake in St. Germain. Due to their unique mission and physical facilities, these nature education and conference centers, do not align well with Blue Heron criteria. Nevertheless, Moon Beach Camp has restored over 1200 feet of shoreline and used rain barrels and rain gardens to effectively reduce erosion and surface runoff into Moon Lake. They have done this with the help of state and local grant funds and countless volunteer hours. Discovery Center restored several hundred feet of shoreline buffer damaged in the August 2005 tornado. The Vilas County Land and Water Conservation Department designed this restoration to attract a variety of bird species. Brent Hanson from Hanson’s Greenhouse in Rhinelander designed a large raingarden outside Discovery Centers remodeled kitchen and conference building. This raingarden easily absorbs water from the large roof of this building and from the surrounding lawn. As a result, their lake is protected from pollution and the native flowers, shrubs and trees in the raingarden add considerable beauty. Click on the links below to view or download a pdf version of the Blue Heron Program documents.