Shoreline Restoration is a great way to help improve the water quality of the Fox-Wolf Basin. By restoring and protecting these special places, we are able to reduce erosion, along with the sediment and nutrient pollution heading into our waterways. Shoreline restoration work also provides habitat and food for critters like birds, bees, and butterflies. Check out how Fox-Wolf is working to restore shorelines and how you can get involved!

Calling Shoreline Property Owners!

Are you considering adding a rain garden or native plants to your shoreline? Fox-Wolf is here to help!

A few benefits of shoreline practices:

Bring more wildlife to your yard
Deter geese and reduce erosion
Prevent runoff from entering the lakes and rivers
Help protect lakes and rivers for future generations

We offer site visits, plant suggestions, and assistance in finding cost share. Learn more about what we offer below!

Contact us at Fox-Wolf to learn more →

Not a shoreline property owner? Read on to learn how native plants can help our waterways inland too

You don’t have to be a Shoreline Property Owner to Make a Difference

Everyone can Help

Making our shorelines (and rivers and streambanks) healthier starts with storing more water on the land. By infiltrating and storing the water in our yards, we can help make our shores and banks healthier. Here’s how:

In Your Yard

How to Help

Growing deep-rooted native plants and storing water in your yard is a great way to help! These practices can help filter and/or reduce the amount of runoff water entering our waterways.

A few ways to implement:

A Rain Garden
Rock Infiltration
Rain Barrels
Installing Diversions
Or just a Native Planting

Volunteer

How to Help

Volunteering is a great way to get involved and make an impact!

Check out the details here →

A few ways to get involved:

Winter Sow Workshops: Help us plant and grow native seeds!
Demo Site Weeding Days: Help us maintain our Demo Sites across the Basin!

Winter Sow!

Join in on our volunteer Winter Sow Workshops and grow some native seeds over winter!

Learn More

Shoreline Practices We Use

At Fox-Wolf, we use a wide variety of practices to meet conservation goals. We call these Best Management Practices (BMPs). Depending on the need of the situation, different BMPs may be used.

If you’re a shoreline property owner, you are in a unique position to have a big impact on water quality and habitat. Fox-Wolf works with the Healthy Lakes & Rivers program to promote five simple and inexpensive ways to improve your shoreline. Fox-Wolf can help you find cost-sharing opportunities to make these even more affordable. Learn more here:

219550598_10104058814181333_7920585653081024460_n

Shoreline Plantings

Shoreline Plantings use deep-rooted native grasses and wildflowers, and sometimes, shrubs and trees to help prevent shoreline erosion, while also provide food and habitat for insects and wildlife. We have all sorts of designs to fit your needs – from low-growing and deer resistant to shade tolerant we’ve got you covered! For our program, Shoreline Native Plantings must be at least 350 sqft.

rsz_195881745_10104007081114813_4278422821607793316_n

Rain Gardens

Rain gardens do it all! They filter runoff, improve habitat for wildlife, and provide a beautiful view.

Here’s how they work: runoff water from your driveway, gutters, and lawn are diverted into the garden, where it’s slowly infiltrated into the ground, filtering along the way!

Rock Infiltrations

Often seen below roof drip lines or along driveways, this practice has a minimal impact on your property while being a big help for water quality! Rock Infiltrations are a pit or trench filled with rock that reduces runoff by storing it underground to infiltrate. Pit and trench size and holding capacity are sized based on the area draining to it and the type of soil underneath.

Photo courtesy of Healthy Lakes

Diversions

Diversion practices move water to areas where it can soak into the ground instead of running off into a waterway. Often, diversion practices are paired with additional practices like a rain garden or shoreline planting so the diverted water can soak into the plantings. Depending on your property, multiple diversions may be necessary.

Photo courtesy of Healthy Lakes

Fish Sticks

Fish Sticks do a lot for aquatic life, including providing feeding, breeding, and nesting areas, just to name a few! They can also prevent bank erosion. They’re pretty simple actually – just sunken bundles of trees and branches.

WDNR Riverside Fish Sticks Project – Demo Site

Demo Sites

Thinking about installing a shoreline planting in your yard, but want to see what’s possible? We’ve got you covered!

Visit one of our demo sites located in Columbia Park in Malone, Fond du Lac County or Marble Park in Winneconne, Winnebago County to see shoreline plantings as they grow!

Columbia Park, Malone →

Marble Park, Winneconne →

Local Cost Share Opportunities

Depending on which county you live in, you may have access to different types of cost share. Check out the links below to see if you qualify!

All residents regardless of county may also qualify for Healthy Lakes grants. Individuals may not apply for these grants directly but can work with Fox-Wolf staff to qualify.

Contact Katie Reed at Fox-Wolf to learn more →

Shoreline Resources

Are you an organization or shoreline property owner with a Healthy Lakes & Rivers Grant? Maybe someone who’s interested in volunteer work? We’ve got you covered!

for Healthy Lakes & Rivers Partners

Handy tools for Healthy Lakes & Rivers Partner Organizations

for Everyone!

Anyone can get involved! Learn how below.

The Winnebago Waterways shoreline restoration program aims to coordinate, promote, and partner on projects that implement shoreline protection and restoration best management practices in the Winnebago Waterways Program Recovery Area. The goals of the program are:

Build support to implement shoreline restoration efforts to address shoreline erosion and water quality issues in the Winnebago System.
Provide support, technical guidance, and funding guidance to partners to increase the adoption, installation, and maintenance of shoreline best management practices.
Recognize shoreline property owners that serve as good examples for their shoreline neighbors and have implemented shoreline best management practices.
Engage and promote community involvement by hosting workshops for outreach and education about shoreline restoration issues and projects. Specifically, host native plant workshops to encourage use of native plants on Wisconsin’s landscape to help prevent shoreline erosion and capture storm water.

Contact the Winnebago Waterways Program Coordinator for more information!

Calling Shoreline Property Owners!

You don’t have to be a Shoreline Property Owner to Make a Difference

Everyone can Help

In Your Yard

How to Help

Volunteer

How to Help

Winter Sow!