DENMARK, Maine — While many Mainers are heading "upta camp" this month to squeeze in the last weeks of summer, more and more landowners are becoming more environmentally conscious of the lakes they vacation on thanks to a local program.
LakeSmart, a program through Maine Lakes, looks to educate and encourage landowners to be as environmentally friendly as possible.
Volunteers can assess applicants' properties for things like a healthy septic system, abundant shrubbery to help with runoff, erosion control, and more.
If a home passes, they are given a LakeSmart Award they can display on their property. Applicants can be reassessed multiple times if they do not pass an inspection.
"People see signs on other people's property saying they're LakeSmart so there's a little bit of peer pressure," Lakes Environmental Association Planning and Land Use Manager Lauren Pickford said. "But also they want to make sure they're doing the right thing to protect the thing that they love."
Since it's start in the lakes region, more than 200 homes have been assessed, 100 of which earned an award.
One recipient, Joe Nagy, wanted to set a good example for his lake association on Hancock Pond.
"We've tried to [be environmentally green] but without guidance, it's difficult to know if you're doing the right thing," Nagy said. "It's like a merit badge, I wanted to show that I'm a good steward of the land but I also want to encourage other people on the lake."
Currently, the program runs through the LEA but other lake associations can also apply to run the program.