Thanks to a generous shoreline property owner, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance hosted a tour of a shoreline property in Menasha on September 9, 2023.
Tom Mace, longtime supporter of the Winnebago Waterways Program and of Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, generously offered his property for a tour for interested visitors to learn about native shoreline plantings! About 15 visitors attended the tour, seeing the shoreline planting seeded with native plants in fall, with growth seen in the following spring. The property also features an upland prairie planting that is very effective at attracting all sorts of pollinators and visitors enjoyed seeing a deer, lots of bees, and butterflies, including a monarch. The property combines the native plantings with a more formal garden and a few orchard trees. Attendees learned that Tom chalks his success up to site preparation. He used black plastic to smother the existing turf lawn grass, leaving the plastic down for a whole year before pulling it up and seeding with native plant seeds. Attendees also learned about the Healthy Lakes & Rivers Program, which is a grant whereby interested shoreline property owners can install similar shoreline plantings with Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance and recieve a reimbursement up to $1000 if eligible! Visitors had a good time learning about the process of preparing, installing and maintaining these plantings and about the benefits to the property and water quality!
