Grants for restoration?

Did you know that certain state and county government agencies sometimes have grant money available for shoreline restoration projects? These programs can provide funding to organizations, associations, private citizens, or local units of government to:
• help expand the diversity and abundance of native aquatic and shoreline plants;
• improve and protect the quality of shoreline habitat;
• enhance and protect water quality;
• raise awareness of the value of native shoreline and aquatic vegetation.

The experts at Landsburg Landscape Nursery are experienced in designing and creating lakeshore-friendly landscaping. Over the years, they have worked with governmental agencies, facilitating the grant process to help landowners restore—and beautify—their shorelines.

Completed restoration projects included:
1) A residence on Gull Lake's Steamboat Bay utilizing new technology with straw wattles, toe rip-rap, and plant material. The existing shoreline was undermining existing riprap which, in turn, was reducing the size of the property. By understanding the concept of a toe rip rap, the ice heaving that was presented during the winter months can now heave over the rip rap rather than push the existing rip rap into the shoreline. Plant material on the back side of the toe with the straw wattle holds sediment from shoreline and provides a cleaner “filter” to the watershed.
2) A Green Hill Bay townhome project presented a similar problem. Year after year the existing wall of riprap simply had been pushed into the shoreline due to ice heaving. Wildflower seed mix was used to establish a cost-effective native shoreline.
3) At Boyd Lodge on the Whitefish Chain, the shoreline impact zone was deteriorating due to erosion. Deep-rooted grasses such as big bluestem, wild rye, switchgrass, and wheatgrass, and flowering perennials such as bee balm, joe pye weed, and blazing star were utilized on the upland to produce a mature native shoreline planting.

Click here to download a DNR publication that lists native plants suitable for shoreline restoration.

Click here to download a DNR publication that explains shoreline restoration and landscaping.

To learn more about lakeshore restoration, download the Home and Garden Guide, Paradise Restored, featured in the March/April 2010 Lake Country Journal Magazine. And happy planting!