May 15, 2008 12:14 pm
—
Staff Report
The Lake and Valley Garden
Club has been honored
as the winner of the 2008
Founders Fund Award presented
by The Garden Club
of America (GCA) for developing
a buffer strip garden in
Lakefront Park.
``It’s a huge honor for the
Lake and Valley Garden
Club,’’ said club president
Elaine Bresee. ``It’s just overwhelming
for us to get this
honor. We all worked very
hard. The Garden Club of
America is all about conservation
and that’s what this is
all about.’’
The buffer was designed
to correct a water run-off
pattern that dumps tons of
debris and soil into the lake
and creates an environment
for invasive marine life and
unwanted aquatic vegetation.
Native species have been
used to demonstrate how
deep rooting plants can be
practical as well as beautiful.
The project, club members
said, could become a national
model for the preservation of
lake and river shorelines.
BOCES students built the
handicapped accessible
boardwalk and grew and
planted some of the species
used in 2007. Technical assistance
was provided by
Cornell University, SUNY
Biological Field Station, Otsego
Lake Association, and
Lynn Marsh. The Boy Scouts
volunteered their time to
help mulch.
According to the club,
Lakefront Park provides a
tremendous educational opportunity,
not only for the
three local townships surrounding
Otsego Lake, but
also for the hundreds of thousands
of visitors from around
the globe who visit Cooperstown
annually.
Applications for this
award were submitted by
member clubs within the
GCA to its headquarters in
New York City.
Three finalists were selected
by the Founders Fund
Committee, and subsequently
each of the 197 member
clubs across the U.S. cast a
vote to determine the winner
and runners-up.
As winner of the Founders
Fund Award, the Lake
and Valley Garden Club will
receive $25,000.
According to club members,
the money will help
fund materials needed to finish
the garden, such as
plants, soil, mulch, more
boardwalk, stone, edging and
benches.
Work will begin on Phase
3 of the project soon.
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