On Cross Lake, loons make the case for protecting Minnesota's wild shores

Maddi Nistler can speak to the many scientific reasons to keep Minnesota’s lakeshores natural. But as she led a dozen or so people on a pontoon tour across Cross Lake, she pulled out the one argument guaranteed to grab Minnesotans: Loons love wild shorelines.

"If we say that loons are endangered and they're in danger of having their habitat loss and food source loss, that immediately gets people's attention,” she said later. “They think, ‘Oh, we can't lose our state bird.’”

Loons’ eerie calls are a familiar soundtrack on Minnesota lakes each summer. Lake residents often eagerly await the return of nesting pairs in the spring, and some even keep tabs on how many chicks are born.

Tapping into that reverence is a way for conservation advocates to reach people and convey a message of stewardship. When they talk about the connection between lake health and loons, it resonates, said Nistler, a Minnesota GreenCorps member.

Those connections are easy to see on central Minnesota’s Cross Lake, where the nearby National Loon Center hosts “floating classrooms” in the spring and summer. The goal is to show people the kind of habitat loons prefer — and how changes that homeowners make to their lake property can affect the iconic birds.

“We use loons as kind of a symbol for lake health and shoreline health,” Nistler said. “If there is a loon on your lake, that's a pretty good indicator that your lake is pretty healthy.”

Suburbanized lakeshore hurts habitat

Cross Lake, part of the Whitefish Chain of Lakes, still has some natural shorelines that make good nesting spots for loons. Trees and native plants along the water's edge absorb runoff and filter nutrients like phosphorus that fuel algae growth.

Those natural shorelines with lots of reeds and grasses are a good spot for loons to build a nest, where they’ll feel safe and protected, Nistler told the pontoon tour group during their late May outing.

But her boat, called the StewardShip, also cruised by homes with manicured lawns and rock riprap along the shore. Minnesota has already lost nearly half of its natural shorelines to suburban-style development, as small cabins have been replaced by larger homes.

“A lot of people want to have the grass mowed to the edge, and the view,” said Elizabeth Mboutchom, development and education director for the nonprofit Northern Waters Land Trust, which co-hosted the loon workshops. “Certainly, we all understand that wanting the view of the water, but it's not healthy for the lake.”

Along with habitat loss, loons face other threats. Climate change is warming the temperatures of cold water lakes, which affects nutrient-rich fish called tullibee that loons like to eat.

A recent study found reduced water clarity caused by heavier rainfalls makes it more difficult for loons in northern Wisconsin to dive for prey and feed their chicks, affecting their survival rate.

It's not only about loons needing a safe place to nest. Natural shorelines also help keep lakes clean and clear, which is important for loons' ability to find food, Mboutchom said.

“If the water gets murky, if the water gets too warm, if we lose the fish that they like to eat, if they can't see the fish to swim and chase them and hunt for them, then the loons can't survive on the lakes,” she said.

‘We each have a role’

The National Loon Center plans to expand its education and outreach when it breaks ground on a new $18.5 million facility in Crosslake this fall. It's expected to draw 200,000 visitors a year.

As the StewardShip headed across the bay on Cross Lake, Nistler pointed toward a weedy shoreline.

“Right in front of the boat here, we have two loons,” Nistler told the passengers, who peered through binoculars to get a better look. 

One of the loons was swimming near the shore, while the other was nearly hidden in the tall reeds.

“They'll make their nest out of whatever vegetation is available on the natural shoreline,” Nistler tells the passengers. “So in this case, it's the grass and the reeds that are on that island.”

The boat tours are a chance for Nistler and other advocates to share interesting facts about loons that make them unique, including how they can dive 200 feet deep and stay underwater up to five minutes. 

But they're also a way to teach people about where loons live and what they need to survive, Mboutchom said. At the end of the tour, experts shared tips on what people can do to make their own lakeshore more loon friendly.

“By doing that, we can also teach people about the shorelines and the watershed and why all of that is so important,” she said. “We each have a role in that.”

Funding for this series is provided in part by the Four Cedars Environmental Fund of the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation.

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• Unchecked development, lax regulation push Minnesota lakeshores to the edge