Conservationists removed a number of invasive plants at East Tawas State Harbor and replaced them with water-loving wildflowers and grasses.
They placed hearty plants that could handle possible runoff and pollutants from rainwater. This includes road salts, bacteria, sediments and motor oil.
“So we were able to get rid of all of those invasive species, but we really wanted to also have some plants there to kind of act as that last line of defense for keeping the lake clean” said Samantha Nellis, Water Program Director at Huron Pines Americorps Program.
Huron Pines planted over a thousand plants with the help of about 20 volunteers from the East Tawas area. Some of the species planted include foxglove beard tongue, bulrush, horsemint, blue iris, butterfly weed, beach grass, harebell, sand coreopsis and pearly everlasting.