The Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy will host an up-close look at lake-friendly landscaping during a walking tour of Chautauqua Institution’s buffers and rain gardens at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

Jane Conroe, conservancy volunteer and former conservationist, will lead the tour, with assistance from John Jablonski III, conservancy executive director. The two will talk about the benefits of rain gardens and lakeshore buffers in improving the water quality of the watershed and the lake, while answering questions and giving advice on planting lake-friendly landscaping.

The walking tour of the buffers and rain gardens, which are currently in bloom, will commence at 6:30 p.m. at Palestine Park, rain or shine. Entry to the institution is free, and parking will be available on the grounds. The tour is free to conservancy members, with a suggested $5 minimum donation for non-members. Participants are encouraged to wear comfortable shoes for the tour, which should last one hour.

Lakeshore buffers help intercept nutrients and control shoreline erosion, reducing pollution fueling lake plant and algae growth. Buffers provide important habitat for pollinators such as butterflies and native bees as well as for frogs and snakes, and insects that feed on submerged aquatic plants, helping in their control.