🌊 Lake Errock Community: Loving and Protecting Our Lake 🌿

by Candice Restrick | Jul 7, 2025 | Environmental Stewardship, News & Events

As more of us spend time at the lake, it’s a great reminder of how lucky we are to call this place home. Lake Errock is a treasured part of our community — and it’s up to all of us to keep it healthy, clean, and beautiful for generations to come.

Whether you live year-round or visit on weekends, whether you live on the water or beside the railroad tracks, every choice matters. The site offers some key ways you can be a lake steward this season, drawing on the best practices shared by The Natural Edge, Watersheds Canada, and Love Your Lake.

Lake Errock is part of a vital watershed. Everything we do on land impacts the water — so let’s work together as a community to take care of our lake.

If you’d like to learn more, check out

Love Your Lake Program

Lake Errock Press Release – June 2025

For questions, community involvement, or stewardship initiatives, contact the Lake Errock Community Association (LECA).

Let’s love our lake the way it deserves. 💙

    🐟 Be a Lake-Friendly Landowner

Whether you live year-round or visit on weekends, and live on the water or beside the railroad tracks, every choice matters:

• Don’t use fertilizers or pesticides near the lake — even “organic” products can contribute to nutrient pollution.
• Store firewood and materials away from the waterline to avoid contaminating runoff.
• Inspect boats and gear for invasive species before launching.
• Get involved: Consider having your property assessed by the Love Your Lake It’s a great way to learn about your shoreline and get personalized tips for protecting it.

🚫 What Not to Put Down the Drain or Into the Lake

Our septic systems and stormwater runoff are directly connected to the health of Lake Errock. Here’s how to do your part:

• Use eco-friendly products: Choose phosphate-free soaps and cleaners to reduce nutrient loading, which can lead to harmful algae blooms. Do not use fertilizers of any kind, even eco-friendly ones.
• Avoid flushing:
  • Grease, oils, and fats
  • Harsh chemicals and cleaners
  • Medications or personal care products
  • Non-biodegradable items (e.g. wipes, paper towels, feminine hygiene products)
• Maintain your septic system:
  • Pump out your tank every 3 years (more often if you’re full-time).
  • Avoid driving or parking on your septic field.
  • Keep trees and deep-rooted plants away from the septic area.

🌊 Protect the Shoreline – Natural is Best

Well-meaning changes like retaining walls or large rocks can actually speed up erosion, harm water quality, and disrupt the lake’s natural balance. The better option? Let nature take the lead.

Your shoreline is more than a view — it’s a living buffer that protects water quality and supports wildlife. Gentle, natural transitions between land and water are ideal. Here’s how to protect it:

• Keep it wild: Natural vegetation like native grasses, shrubs, and trees help prevent erosion, filter runoff, and provide critical habitat for birds, turtles, and fish (natural grasses will help keep the geese off your lawn).
• Avoid “cleaning up” too much: Removing all vegetation or adding rocks or a retaining wall does more harm than good (it even enhances erosion).
• Use permeable surfaces: Gravel, wood chips, and natural paths reduce runoff better than concrete or asphalt.
• Create a buffer zone: Leave a strip of at least 3 meters (10 feet) of native plants along the shoreline. Programs like The Natural Edge offer support and plant kits to help you get started.

Let nature do the work — it’s better for the lake and better for you.

🌿 Native Plants

Native plants along the shoreline act as a living buffer — they prevent erosion, filter runoff, discourage geese, and support local wildlife. A buffer of native grasses, shrubs, and trees (ideally 3 meters wide) improves water quality, boosts property value, and reduces maintenance costs. Even small steps make a big difference.

Visit the Plant Database for native plants in Zone 8B in British Columbia.