Home > News > FOLKS Create Lake Friendly Landscape Demonstration Project

FOLKS volunteers have begun the conversion of the FOLKS grounds into a lake friendly landscape demonstation. The function of “Lake Friendly Landscaping” is to reduce runoff that reaches the lake from roofs, driveways or the general grounds of a home. The run-off can create erosion and will pick up sediment, nutrients, etc that enter and degrade the lake, particularly the coves . The landscaping will include porous parking areas, paths, and water gardens. These all retain the water to provide for a setting and allow land plants to feed upon and remove the nutrients.

When completed FOLKS will actively invite and provide demonstation tours for the public, homeowners, builders and landscapers. The goal is to create wider acceptance of these lake friendly designs that are compatible with the preservation of Lake Keowee.

Leading this efforts is Bud Search the Chair of Building & Grounds and Renee Byrd, Research Associate at Clemson U. Department of Horticulture. Renee has been responsible for bringing together the best of the ideas that were generated by the horticultural students at Clemson University and creating the final master plan. She will be working on site with Bud to execute this master plan.

Use following links for additional details:

• Master Plan drawings & plant list
• For background on how FOLKS Leadership teamed up with Prof. Mary Haque's Horticulture Class to create the original plans: see webpage Clemson Horticulture Presentation.

Bud on Bobcat, Don Brewer on shovel, Ben Turetsky on camera & shovel