Loon Friendly Lake Certification Program
What is the loon friendly lake certification program?
The ACLC’s Adirondack Loon Friendly Lake Certification Program (LFLCP) promotes community-based environmental stewardship to better protect loons and their aquatic habitats. Adirondack loons face many threats — some natural, and some caused by humans, including:
Loss of nesting habitat due to shoreline development
Human disturbance of loon nests and families
Injuries due to fishing line entanglement, boating accidents, predation, and territory battles
Flooding of nests due to water level changes
Lead poisoning from accidentally consuming lead fishing tackle
Environmental pollutants, including mercury and flame retardants, that bio-accumulate
Avian diseases and parasites
Working together, Adirondack residents and visitors can help minimize and address many of these challenges to better protect Adirondack loons and the lakes they share with us and other wildlife. This program provides lake associations and other interested groups with supplies, trainings, and project support to help their lakes continue to support breeding loons for years to come.
LFLCP participants hang “Help Protect Loons” signs at Schroon Lake.
Please Note: We request an annual donation of $100 to help continue this program.
A fishing line recycling container at Lake Clear.
Loon-Friendly Lake Certification Projects:
We ask LFLCP participant groups to implement and maintain the following benchmarks each year:
Choose an activity from a suggested list that suits your group/lake situation to engage community members in a volunteer or outreach activity. Activities include things like lake clean ups or lead tackle collection tables, and more.
Provide ACLC brochures and materials to lake residents and rental properties to educate visitors about loon-safe boating and recreation practices
Place “Help Protect Loons” signage at boat launches
Install and/or maintain at least one Fishing Line Recycling Container at your lake
Participate in the annual Loon Census.
Collect and recycle lead fishing tackle for the Lead Tackle Buy Back Program as able.
Participants receive access to three online training sessions to increase understanding of loon natural history and behavior and threats to loon survival, as well as all necessary materials to help conduct projects to protect Adirondack loons and lakes. Those who complete the requirements at the end of each season will be recognized as a Certified Loon Friendly Lake by the ACLC and receive discounts on merchandise at the Adirondack Loon Center .
Small actions make a big difference to the loons on your lake!
check out past Loon Friendly Lakes Certificate recipients
Click on the map or the button below to view an interactive map with each participating lake’s location.
2022 Certified Loon Friendly Lakes:
Augur Lake - Chesterfield, Essex County
Big Moose - Webb/Long Lake, Herkimer/Hamilton Co.
Brant Lake - Horicon, Warren County
Brantingham Lake - Greig, Lewis County
Friends Lake - Chester, Warren County
Loon Lake - Chester, Warren County
Lake Abanakee - Indian Lake, Hamilton County
Lake Clear - Santa Clara, Franklin County
Mt. Arab Lake - Piercefield, St. Lawrence County
Eagle Crag Lake- Piercefield, St. Lawrence County
Rainbow Lake - Brighton, Franklin County
Raquette Lake - Long Lake, Hamilton County
Schroon Lake - Schroon, Essex County
Schroon Lake (East Shore) - Horicon, Warren Co
Sixberry Lake - Theresa, Jefferson County
Trout Lake - Hermon, St. Lawrence County
2023 Certified loon friendly Lakes:
Big Moose Lake - Webb/Long Lake, Herkimer/Hamilton Co.
Garnet Lake - Johnsburg, Warren Co.
Friends Lake - Chestertown, Warren Co.
Lake Abanakee - Indian Lake, Hamilton Co.
Loon Lake - Chester, Warren Co.
Mirror Lake - North Elba, Essex Co.
Rainbow Lake - Brighton, Franklin Co.
Raquette Lake - Long Lake, Hamilton Co.
Schroon Lake (East Shore) - Horicon, Warren Co.
Sixberry Lake - Theresa, Jefferson Co.
Sixth and Seventh Lakes - Inlet, Hamilton Co.
Snowbird Lake - Oneida Co.
Star Lake - Fine, St. Lawrence Co.
Tripp Lake - Chester, Warren Co.
We look forward to continuing to build this program!
We are eager to work with our LFLCP partners to receive feedback and continue to build this program in ways that help increase our impact for protecting Adirondack loons and the ecosystems they depend on.
The Adirondack Loon Friendly Lake Program was developed with support from the Freed Foundation and Northern New York Audubon with a grant from the Joseph and Joan Cullman Conservation Foundation.
This project is funded through grants from the Blake Nuttall Ornithological Fund, Glenn and Carol Pearsall Adirondack Foundation, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service on behalf of the Bouchard Barge 120 Buzzards Bay Oil Spill Trustees.