HEALTHY LAKES SHORELINE, RAIN GARDEN & FISH STICKS PROJECTS

Shoreline Restorations, Rain Gardens, and Fish

Sticks

Copyright LJ Reas Environmental Consulting Corp., 2016

• Before and after photos of projects

• Designs

• Recommendations for applying for the grant

• Recommendations to get projects in the ground

• Tips for creating beautiful & functional plantings

2015&EARLY2016HEALTHYLAKESPROJECTS

WISCONSIN LAKES & RIVERS ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY URBANIZED

~Loss of critical habitat~Increased shoreline and slope erosion~More contaminants carried to lake by runoff

Photo courtesy WI DNR

WHATDOLANDOWNERSWANTTOSEE?THIS……….

Photo courtesy WI DNR

…..ORTHIS?

Photo courtesy WI DNR

HOWABOUTTHIS?

Photo courtesy Green Lake RSVP

ORATLEASTTHIS?

Photo courtesy Green Lake RSVP

WE’RELOVINGOURLAKESTODEATH

What’s Happened to Green Frogsy = 0.0298x2 - 2.1712x + 41.227

R2 = 0.2854

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

0 10 20 30 40Homes per Mile

Frog

s pe

r M

ile

Frogs/milePoly. (Frogs/mile) (Woodford and Meyer, In Press)

24 Lakes

LOSSOFNATIVEVEGETATION

Slide courtesy WI DNR

ROOTINGDEPTHSOFNATIVEPLANTS

Picture courtesy Prairie Nursery

NATIVEVS.CULTIVARS• Native species are adapted to local site conditions

• Native species provide needed habitat = food

• Cultivars and non‐natives creates possible exotic invasives problem

• Annuals and biennials don’t hold up

NATIVEWISCONSINBEEBALM

Copyright by Prairie Nursery, Inc. 2000

Copyright by Prairie Nursery, Inc. 2000

BERGAMOT

BEEBALM

MONARDA

NATIVESVS.EXOTICS

• Purple loosestrife, glossy buckthorn, Japanese honeysuckle, crown vetch, etc.

• Landowners = maintaining a native planting means keeping out exotics.

Oriental bittersweet

Glossy buckthorn

CLOVERLEAFLAKESITESShawano County, WI

FIRSTPLANTINGLATEJULY2015

STEEPSLOPE

SITE#1–MOSTLYUPLANDDRY/SHADY&WETATWATER’SEDGE

Copyright by Prairie Nursery, Inc. 2000

• Herbicidetreatments $50• 4yds 2xprocessedhardwoodmulch $140• 230nativeplants $575• Labor $275• 2shrubs $40• Projectdesign&coordination $100• Totalcost $1,179.98

$3.10persq.ft.

SITE#1COSTS

380Sq.Ft.Planting

SECONDSITEFIRSTWEEKAUGUST2015

LANDOWNERSMULCHEDANDPLANTEDTOO

SITE#2–MOSTLYWETLANDWITHSMALLAREAOFUPLANDDRY/SUNNY

Copyright by Prairie Nursery, Inc.

• Herbicidetreatments $50• 4yds 2xprocessedhardwoodmulch $140• 220nativeplants $550• Labor $175• 2shrubs $40• Projectdesign&coordination $100• Totalcost $1,054.98

$3.01persq.ft.

SITE#2COSTS

350Sq.Ft.Planting

THIRDSITEPLANTED2NDWEEKAUGUST

DEEPROOTINGNATIVESWILLMAKEAHUGEDIFFERENCEFORSTABILITY

SITE#3–MIXOFUPLANDDRY/SHADY&WETATWATER’SEDGE

Copyright by Prairie Nursery, Inc. 2000

• Herbicidetreatments $75• 6yds 2xprocessedhardwoodmulch $180• 350nativeplants $788• Labor $225• 2shrubs $40• Projectdesign&coordination $100• Totalcost $1,417.48

$2.95persq.ft.

SITE#3COSTS

480Sq.Ft.Planting

FOURTHSITEPLANTEDWITHLANDOWNERSMIDSEPTEMBER2015

LIMEISCRITICALINLOWPHAREAS

SITE#4–MOSTLYUPLANDDRY/SHADY&WETATWATER’SEDGE

Copyright by Prairie Nursery, Inc. 2000

• Herbicidetreatments $50• Lime&bonemeal $15• 4yds 2xprocessedhardwoodmulch $140• 220nativeplants $788• Labor(includesbrushcutting) $200• 2shrubs $26• Projectdesign&coordination $100• Totalcost $1,318.48

$3.46persq.ft.

SITE#4COSTS

370Sq.Ft.Planting

FIFTHSITE– NEWRIPRAP

PLANTINGAREADRYANDSHADY

SITE#5–RELATIVELYDRY,MIXEDSUN&SHADE

Copyright by Prairie Nursery, Inc. 2000

• Herbicidetreatments $50• 4.5yds 2xprocessedhardwoodmulch $157.50• 196nativeplants $490• Labor $150• 2shrubs $12• Projectdesign&coordination $100• Totalcost $969.48

$2.76persq.ft.

SITE#5COSTS

350Sq.Ft.Planting

SIXTHSITE– RAINGARDEN

10”+PINENEEDLEDUFFREMOVED

Areawasherbicided weeksprior,tilled,raked,tilled,raked,tilled,

raked…..

Notethe‘speedbumps’inthebasin.C125Coconutfibererosionmattingwasusedtohelpholdsoilin

place.

MULCHCOMPLETELYCOVERSENTIREPLANTINGAREA.

SITE#6– RAINGARDENVERYDRY,MOSTLYSHADE

Copyright by Prairie Nursery, Inc. 2000

• Herbicidetreatments $15• Lime&milorganite $25• 4yds 2xprocessedhardwoodmulch $140• 212nativeplants $530• Erosionnetting $50• Labor(includesbrushcutting) $400• Projectdesign&coordination $100• Totalcost $1,260.00

$3.60persq.ft.

SITE#4COSTS

350Sq.Ft.Planting

SEVENTHSITE‐AUGMENTINGSPARSEGROUNDCOVER

SITE#7–MOSTLYWETLANDWITHSMALLAREAOFUPLANDDRY/SUNNY

Copyright by Prairie Nursery,Inc. 2000

• Herbicidetreatments $50• Lime&bonemeal $20• 1.5yd 2xprocessedhardwoodmulch $52.50• 207nativeplants $517.50• Labor(includesbrushcutting) $225• 2shrubs $40• Projectdesign&coordination $100• Totalcost $1,004.98

$2.87persq.ft.

SITE#7COSTS

350Sq.Ft.Planting

EIGHTHSITE– DRY,SHADYSITEWITHHEAVYDEERBROWSE

MULCHISCRITICALTOHOLDMOISTUREINSOIL

Mainshadetreewaslimbeduptoallowmorelight.

SITE#8–MOSTLYUPLANDDRY/SHADYWITHSMALLAREASOFSUNANDWETALONGWATER’SEDGE

Copyright by Prairie Nursery, Inc. 2000

• Herbicidetreatments $50• Lime&bonemeal $15• 4yds 2xprocessedhardwoodmulch $140• 280nativeplants $630• Topsoil $132• Labor(includesbrushcutting) $300• 2shrubs $40• Projectdesign&coordination $100• Totalcost $1,406.98

$4.02sq.ft.

SITE#8COSTS350Sq.Ft.Planting

GREENLAKEFISHSTICKSITESGreen Lake County, WI

HEALTHYLAKESFISHSTICKS

BigGreenLake

UTILIZEDTREESTHATWEREDYING,LEANING,POORFORM,ETC.FIRST

GLSDSTAFFINSTALLEDFISHSTICKSAT2SITES

• Get the word out ASAP….– Present info at your Lake Association Meetings– Put it on your web page– Send out e‐mails

• Get board/committee members involved…– Making landowner contacts– Viewing sites and taking lots of photos – Ensuring landowners fully understand funding and requirements– Getting signed pledge forms– Make contact with your DNR Grants person

• Don’t procrastinate….– Grants are due Feb. 1st….. Thanksgiving to New Years flies by!– Be sure you’ve planned well…. it’s getting competitive

WHERETOSTARTIFYOUWANTTOAPPLYFORHEALTHYLAKESFUNDING

• Get a professional involved….– Coordination– Design– Implementation

• Get board/committee members involved…– Keeping landowners committed– Viewing sites and taking lots of photos – E‐mail reminders of timelines

• Don’t procrastinate….– Professionals need time to meet landowners, design, site prep, etc. before 

planting– Summer goes by fast!

OK….YOU’VEGOTYOURFUNDING,NOWHOWDOYOUMOVEFORWARD?

LacLaBelleProject

LacLaBelleProject

• Determine the size of the area available– Critical to picking plant species– Native plant heights above 3’ need lots of space– The larger the planting, the increased maintenance required

• Determine the soil moisture of the area– Dry prairie – Mesic prairie – Wet edge– Wetland

• Determine the shade characteristics of the area– Full sun– Part sun (Minimum 4 hours)– Shade

TIPSFORGREATPROJECTS

• Determine what colors or species you want the most– Create a list of favorites– Go over list and denote flowing times– Add species that flower in other times   (i.e.‐asters in late fall)

• Remember costs other than plants– Herbicide– Mulch– Hoses– Labor

KNOWTHEAREA

KNOWALITTLEABOUTYOURPALETTE• Mainthingstoknow

– Moistureneeds– Heights– Shade

Copyright by Prairie Nursery, Inc. 2000

• Uplandprairie~oftenvery‘flowery’

• Woodland/semi‐shade~Verycommon

• Wetland/wetmeadow~widevariety

• Emergent~Growinginpopularity

GENERALPLANTINGTYPES

POSSIBLEPLANTINGAREAS

Copyright Lakescaping for Wildlife and Water Quality, MNDNR

ROOTINGDEPTHSOFNATIVEPLANTS

Picture courtesy Prairie Nursery

• DENSE vegetation

• VegetationthatconsistsofmultipleSPECIES(Diversityhelpsmeetsvarioushabitatneeds)

• VegetationconsistingofmultipleCANOPIES

WHATISANEFFECTIVEBUFFER?

• Use borders and paths to define the planting area

• Develop a focal point

• Plant two to four species in broad sweeping masses or drifts that repeat throughout the planting area

• Use a mixture of bold and fine textures

• For larger plantings ‐ Post signs to tell passers‐by that your project is indeed planned

TIPSFORANYNATIVEPLANTING

DESIGNEDFORGARDENAPPEARANCE

Picture courtesy Prairie Nursery

Maintained withoutweed growth

EXAMPLEOFAPRAIRIEBUFFER

Fewgroupingsofspecies,lowmaintenance

Picture courtesy Polk County Land Conservation Department

• Don’t be afraid to start small• You can add more sq. ft. each year

• Plant in fall; less watering for establishment

• Plant trees in spring; nurseries only have certain species prior to June 1st

• Consider a timer and hose with T’s and sprinklers

• Don’t fertilize• If you feel you have poor soil get a soil test• Utilize bone meal in the hole with the plant plugs

PLANNINGAPLANTING

CONSIDERUTILIZINGATREEFALLONYOURSHORELINE

LisaJ.Reas,LJReasEnvironmentalConsultingCorp.

Phone:(920)294‐3116

E‐mail:ljreas@charter.net

Website:www.ljreas.com

Questions?THAT’SIT!