AUBURN – Michael Dixon and Carmen Dufresne are the first area recipients of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection LakeSmart award for excellence in environmentally friendly landscaping. The award was presented at the annual meeting of the Taylor Pond Association on July 18 at the Taylor Pond Yacht Club off Garfield Road.

The award-winning property incorporates a vegetative buffer to filter and absorb polluted storm water runoff before it enters the lake. A vegetated buffer is a landscape that includes large and small trees, shrubs, ground cover plants and natural mulch on the ground.

The LakeSmart program recognizes property owners in lake watersheds who make an effort to landscape and manage their property to protect water quality.

According to Christine Smith, DEP’s lakes education coordinator, “The program’s goal is to establish a new norm for shorefront and watershed development. It spotlights property owners who leave native vegetation or plant vegetation along shorelines and in areas of lawn that are not used for recreation. A large, chemically-managed lawn does not adequately filter runoff, and it frequently is a source of nutrients that turn a lake green.”

Homeowners who would like to be considered for LakeSmart recognition can contact Maine DEP or the local Soil and Water Conservation District for more information.

Free LakeSmart workshops will be held in Auburn on July 31, Nobleboro on Aug. 7 and Augusta on Aug. 28. More information on the program is available on the Web at www.MaineDEP.com (click on LakeSmart).

The Taylor Pond Association celebrated its 30th anniversary this summer. Homeowners on the pond initially created the organization in response to concerns about septic tank pollution. The association continues to monitor water quality and to intervene to maintain the health of the pond.

More information on the association is available on the Web at www.taylorpondassociation.org.