Many people who live on our lakeshores have chosen to live there for the tranquility brought by the water, the beauty of nature, and the opportunity to be close to nature and wildlife. While it is easy to take these beautiful lakes for granted, we know of lakes within Nova Scotia where the water quality has quickly deteriorated making the lake unsafe, harmful for wildlife, and unusable for swimming. Often, this deterioration follows swift period of development on lakes.
The best way to prevent that happening on our beautiful, healthy lakes is to understand the importance of lakes and the natural mechanisms that keep our lakes healthy. When we understand how the lakeshore ecosystem works, each of us can take that into account when making decisions on how we live on and develop our own properties. Ultimately, the best and easiest way to preserve the health of your lakes is to let the shoreline be and let nature work for you.
What is a Riparian Zone?
Riparian zones are the area of special grasses, shrubs, and trees that exist between the water and the upland terrestrial environment. It is an area that is rich in biodiversity, including species at risk and serves an essential role in maintaining the health of the surrounding ecosystem.
How Much of my Riparian Zone Should I Keep Intact?
There are municipal regulations in place that prevent the removal of a percentage of vegetation within this buffer zone. These regulations are intended to protect this riparian area but as landowners, the message of why is not always clear. When it comes to riparian areas, you may wonder how far from the water’s edge should be protected? As with most things in nature, it is difficult to put a number on it. The simple answer is as much as possible. This is due to the numerous ecological services that riparian buffers can provide.
Why are Riparian Zones Important?
Riparian zones are important because they provide numerous ecological services. Ecological services can be thought of as the ways in which nature works for you! The best way to take advantage of these ecological services is simply to leave your shoreline be. Maintaining a healthy riparian buffer will naturally provide you with services such as:
- Flood control
- Maintaining good water quality
- Reducing the risk of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) blooms
- Soil stabilization/erosion reduction
- Regulating water temperatures
- Providing habitat for native species
How can I Enjoy my Property While Maintaining a Riparian Buffer?
Recreation on and around the lake are a key part of enjoying your lakeshore property. Recreation with friends and family, and maintaining a natural lakeshore do not have to be mutually exclusive. Some ways you can maintain a healthy shoreline and riparian buffer while still enjoying your property are:
- Create only a narrow path down to the lake
- Use/create shared community docks and boat launches
- Use naturally occurring beach areas- never create an artificial beach
- Prune trees blocking your view instead of cutting them down
Species at Risk Habitat
Riparian zones and lake shorelines provide vital habitat to a plethora of plants, animals, and insects. Many of these plants and animals are species at risk in Nova Scotia. These species are in danger of disappearing from our landscape and our actions have direct impacts on their habitat. These species at risk rely on unaltered riparian and shoreline habitat for their survival.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Flora
- Eastern Lilaeopsis
- Golden Crest
- Long’s Bulrush
- New Jersey Rush
- Pink Coreopsis
- Plymouth Gentian
- Redroot
- Spotted Pondweed
- Sweet Pepperbush
- Tall Beakrush
- Thread-leaved Sundew
- Tubercled Spikerush
- Water Pennywort
Photo Credits: Nova Scotia Nature Trust; Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute
Reptiles
- Blanding’s Turtle
- Wood Turtle
- Eastern Painted Turtle
- Snapping Turtle
- Eastern Ribbonsnake
Photo Credits: Brennan Caverhill; Jeffie McNeil
Certain practices on our shorelines can cause unintended consequences for the health of the lake. Leaving your shoreline in its natural state is the best way to preserve the health of your lake. The more we alter our shorelines, the more we interfere with the natural processes that keep it healthy.
Incompatible Practices
- Any alterations below the lakes ordinary high-water mark
- Hard armoring
- Raking shorelines
- Infilling
- Removal of shoreline vegetation
- Artificial beaches
Potential Effects of These Practices
- Blue-green algae blooms
- Increased water temperatures
- Decreased water quality
- Decreased populations of fish and wildlife
- Increased rates of erosion
If you have already altered your shoreline by developing it in ways that are incompatible with healthy riparian zones, it is not too late! There are resources available that will help you naturalize your lakeshore, while still allowing for recreation. There are several groups working to help restore lakeshores in Nova Scotia, with a special focus in Southwest Nova Scotia/Kespukwtik. None of these groups exist to shame, report, or point fingers at anyone. They are simply passionate about healthy, naturalized lakeshores and willing to help.
Restoration Resources
Southwest Nova Biosphere Region Restoration Project
The Southwest Nova Biosphere Region has started a riparian restoration project. They can assist you with restoration of your riparian areas and offer free native shoreline plants to aid in the process.
Green Shores for Homes
Green Shores for Homes is a project that is new to the Maritimes, which helps waterfront homeowners restore natural shorelines. It is a is a voluntary, incentive-based rating program that provides positive steps to reduce the impact of residential development on shoreline
ecosystems.
Helping Nature Heal
Helping Nature Heal is an ecological landscape design company based out of Bridgewater, Nova Scotia. They have worked on many shoreline projects, with a focus on Living Shoreline techniques.
We are starting a conversation with and among landowners about our roles in keeping lakes healthy. When landowners are aware of the importance of the natural mechanisms that healthy riparian areas and lakeshores provide and take them into account as they develop their property, they are supporting the aspects of lakeshore living that have drawn them to the area. Protecting the lake and surrounding areas means the lake continues to provide habitat for wildlife and species at risk as well as for recreation and enjoyment by people.
The Kespukwitk Conservation Collaborative is coming to landowners with respect. We want to have an exchange of information so that we understand your concerns regarding lake health. Understanding the importance of lakeshores will help you make informed decisions. This way, when you chose what you do on your property you can try to help nature do its job. It is ultimately each landowner’s choice what to do on their property.
Lakeshore Guardians are lakeshore landowners who have signed a commitment to keeping the lakes they live on healthy through the use of best practices in shoreline development. They understand the vital role they play as individuals in the overall health of the lake, lakeshores, and surrounding watersheds. Sign the pledge and become a Lakeshore Guardian today.
Invasive Species Reporting and Prevention
Invasive species threaten the plants and animals in your community. Unfortunately, many invasive species have made their way to the waters, forests, and shorelines of Nova Scotia. You can help by reporting any sightings of invasive species to the Nova Scotia Invasive Species Council (NSISC). This data helps gauge the distribution and abundance of invasive species in the province and informs efforts to stop the spread of these species.
Common invasive species you may encounter in your lakeshore community include:
- Chain Pickerel
- Smallmouth Bass
- Common Reed
- Glossy Buckthorn
- Hemlock Woolly Adelgid
- Purple Loosestrife
You can also participate in NSISC programs, such as the “Clean, Drain, Dry” program. This is a simple way you can help stop the spread of aquatic invasive species that may be hitching a ride on your boat, canoe, kayak, paddle board, or even fishing gear.
Species at Risk Monitoring
We rely on volunteers to help monitor at-risk species across Southwest Nova Scotia/Kespukwitk. Turtles, bats, snakes, plants and lichen motoring efforts can all use your help! Visit our Volunteer page to find out how you can help.
Please report any sightings of species at risk using our Report a Sighting page. You may be the first to discover a population of at-risk species in Nova Scotia.
Community-Based Water Monitoring
Are you interested in helping to preserve the water quality in your community? Monitoring over time allows for early warning of environmental problems. Water quality monitoring programs exist in numerous communities in NS and resources are available for communities who are interested in starting a program. Here are a few of these resources:
Knowing and following the watercourse bylaws in your municipality is the best starting point to conserving your lakeshore property. While it is a requirement to follow the minimum watercourse setbacks and vegetative buffers outlined in your municipality’s bylaws, going above and beyond these recommendations can provide the most benefits to your lake. Refer to the Healthy Lakes and Wetlands Stewardship Guide found in the Additional Resources tab for more tips on how to best conserve your lakeshore. Below is a list of watercourse setbacks and vegetative buffers outlined in the land use bylaws of Kespukwitk municipalities.
*These bylaws are current as of November 2025