North America is endowed with many lakes, and lake-based tourism has been at the root of the economic growth and cottage enjoyment for many in-land lake communities. People are attracted to the clear waters, pristine shorelines, the natural environment, wildlife, recreational opportunities and social values derived from shoreline living, which has drawn many tourists and cottagers to set-up seasonal and permanent residency in these areas. Unfortunately, the increasing desire for development in cottage country has exuded pressures on a finite resource base. Our lakes are now ringed with residential and commercial development, and the very reason why people want to be on the lake could be in jeopardy. People are now realizing that lakes, like all ecosystems, have limits and that if a lake’s capacity is exceeded because of overdevelopment, the combined effects of pollutants and other pressures will cause a degraded environment from both an ecological and aesthetic point of view. [ MORE INFORMATION ]