In a recent newsletter, Watersheds Canada had this to say about our shorelines and the importance of aquatic plants:
Aquatic plants in our lakes and rivers are often referred to as ‘weeds’, and the use of this term shows how they are generally perceived by waterfront property owners – as a nuisance. This is because the vegetation can get tangled in boat motors, tickle the toes of swimming passerby, complicate fishing endeavours, and is just generally seen as an unattractive part of the waterway.
The irony is that every single amenity offered by our lakes and rivers – that is, all the main reasons why we are so drawn to these areas in the first place – are maintained by these so-called ‘weeds’. Aquatic plant communities serve many of the same ecological functions that terrestrial plant communities do and are just as important for the health and proper function of the ecosystem in which they are found (NHDES, 2019). That is why, whether you are a boater, an angler, a swimmer, or a birdwatcher, working to conserve aquatic vegetation will simultaneously help conserve the health of these critically important ecosystems that we enjoy and that our native wildlife rely on.
Read the complete and very informative blog post by Ty Fischer here:The Benefits of Aquatic Vegetation for Wildlife and Freshwater Health – Watersheds Canada – Work, Live & Play in Healthy Lakes and Rivers