Dan’s FAQ

Why do I consider herbicides in Crystal Lake inappropriate?

Several reasons, which simply stated are 1) better to line up with life, 2) poisons cause cancer 3) more community, please.

Lining up

Invasive species show up when human behavior undermines or compromises natural systems. Rather than simply adjusting behavior, impactful intervention often degrades nature further.

Natural systems are complex and tightly integrated, that is to say intelligent. Our culture and civilization is very clever, but we've got a long way to go before we can match the inherent intelligence developed by millions of years of evolution.

Personally, I like making choices that line up with natural systems. The optimal response to environmental degradation is to align ourselves with life, rather than declare war on it.

How do we line up? Practicing deliberate appreciation and deep perception is helpful, but perhaps just recognizing which behaviors are problematic is the easiest starting point. Invasive species in Crystal Lake and the surrounding watershed are supported by excess nutrients and toxins. The obvious sources are agriculture, suburban style lawns and septic systems.

Agriculture

In 2018 I started managing my family's small farm above Crystal Lake. The rainfall on this farm charges aquifers that flow into Crystal Lake and Long Lake. Long before I was born, the farmer we bought the farm from had sprayed his apple and cherry orchard with pesticides containing lead and arsenic. As a result, the soil on this farm is now contaminated. This is true of most legacy orchards around Crystal Lake.

Fortunately, the lead and arsenic are not moving into the aquifer and therefor not getting into Crystal Lake, but I have to take special precautions to be sure they do not.

I have been exploring how to detoxify and regenerate this farm using zero impact methods including bioremediation to remove heavy metals and planting diverse cover crops with no till to build the biology in the soil.

Legacy agriculture is also a problem for Cold Creek in Beulah, which flows through an old celery farm before it reaches Crystal Lake. The Village of Beulah maintains a huge settling pond to keep sediment out. The Village might be shouldering a disproportionate responsibility for protecting Crystal Lake, not only because of this legacy farm but also from buried fuel tanks, residue from railroad infrastructure and other decisions made long ago.

Lawns

Unfortunate choices are not a thing of the past. Vague language can contribute to confusion and problematic decisions.

What is an invasive species? Here's a definition from Wordnik.com

Any species that has been introduced to an environment where it is not native, and that has since become a nuisance through rapid spread and increase in numbers, often to the detriment of native species.

That definition is incomplete because it does not include species beneficial to people. Or more accurately, the species our current culture values. For instance, corn isn't considered an invasive because we cultivate corn for food. Outdoor cats are not invasive because we enjoy them as pets. Both of these species degrade the native ecosystem to some extent, but we don't consider them invasive. Our introduction and support of beneficial species can open the door to invasives.

Many houses right on the shores of Crystal Lake maintain chemically fertilized lawns, often with herbicide and fungicide applications. The runoff of nutrients and toxins degrade the native ecosystem of our wild lake. While Kentucky bluegrass, fescues and ryegrass might not be considered invasive species, their chemical cultivation is a precursor to invasives.

Over the last 20 years, I've allowed my Crystal Lake property to evolve into a wild meadow, with both native and invasive species prevalent. Some might criticize my non-control of invasives, but for sure my property has way more native flora than a well groomed lawn.

Septic

Excellent efforts have been made to replace failed septic systems around Crystal Lake, but even a working septic system contributes nutrients, and very few homeowners are aware of how non-biodegradable household cleaning and personal grooming products can cripple septic system function. Building a municipal sewer system would not only be expensive but would likely trigger over development.

There is another option, rarely discussed - composting toilets. I have decades of composting toilet experience, with zero impact on Crystal Lake, (or complaints from my neighbors). I maintain a fully functional septic system for grey water by using plant based biodegradable soaps exclusively. Someday, I would like to be the first house on Crystal Lake with an above ground grey water wetlands.

Health

Bayer / Monsanto recently paid 10 billion dollars to settle cancer lawsuits for their herbicide Round-Up. Yet since the introduction of Round-Up in 1976, Monsanto and the EPA have asserted that the product was safe when used as directed. Monsanto even touted Round-Up as "environmentally friendly". We might well be skeptical about safety claims for other herbicides like Tryclopyr and 24, D. Why would we begin a program of herbicide application in Crystal Lake that could be a ticking time bomb for future generations?

Community

I consider myself one of Crystal Lakes leading stewards, even if I am not much in the spotlight. I did not hear about the 2020 herbicide plan until a few days before it was scheduled to happen. Many other Crystal Lake property owners I spoke to had no knowledge of the herbicide plan. My conclusion is that any proposed interventions need to be preceded by extensive, persistent and effective outreach to ALL property owners, not just the property owners who have signed off on herbicide application. The lake bottom might be individually owned, but we all share the water.

Unfortunately, there currently isn't an easy way to easily achieve general agreement about Crystal Lake, with 5 separate municipalities and many property owners only here in the summer. How can we inform and get opinions from property owners going forward? That's the premise behind the website www.crystallake.community, launched by myself and several other property owners.