On Friday. May 16, the Grand Rapids Press ran a front page article entitled "No phosphorous for us." The article was about the efforts of several Michigan counties to ban the use of phosphorus fertilizers on our lawns.

This can have considerable impact on lake communities in that phosphorous is a major ingredient -- along with chlorophyll --in promoting weed growth. Jeannine Lemon, president of the Hess Lake Association, reports that Muskegon and Ottawa counties have banned phosphorous fertilizers, and that officials in Newaygo County are working to do the same.

The article also lists the brand names of phosphorous-free fertilizers and where you can buy them. It is presented in pdf format so that you can utilize the zoom feature if necessary. You can access it by clicking here.

In addition, Outdoor writer Howard Myerson recalled an encounter with a mute swan in one of his recent columns. This occurred several years ago but he uses it as an illustration of how aggressive they can be if they feel that one of their babies is being threatened. You can read this column by clicking here. It illustrates the need to steer clear of our swans and instead admire them from afar.

Grand Rapids Press
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