Executive Residence - Extension Lakes

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Crew 7 - In the News
The Wisconsin Shoreland Restoration Initiative

Wisconsin Lake Leader crew members are asked to make a personal commitment as to how they are going to engage with Wisconsin’s lakes down the road. Each Lake Leader crew, in turn, is asked to choose a team challenge or group project to tackle as a group.

In 2008, Crew 7 took on a project that encompassed the core lessons of each of the three Lake Leader Institute sessions – social, scientific, and political. They chose the shoreline restoration of Wisconsin’s Executive Residence.

Photo by Terry Smith Used without permission under the Fair Use Doctrine

The Executive Residence has served as the official residence of Wisconsin Governors and their families since 1949. It sits on 3.7 acres in Maple Bluff Wisconsin and includes 300 feet of shoreline. (Wisconsin DOA Executive Residence Site)

Working in partnership with the State Capitol and Executive Residence Board, The Department of Administration, The Department of Natural Resources, UW Extension – Lakes, as well as private businesses, consultants and lake organizations, Lake Leader Crew 7 were able to pull together the necessary data, people, and resources to win project approval in December 2011. Planting is to begin in the fall.

Volunteers will use native plants to provide erosion control, runoff filtering and wildlife habitat while providing scenic beauty alongside the ten existing gardens of the Executive Residence.

There are still plenty of opportunities to help with this historical effort. The Rock River Coalition is serving as a clearinghouse for people wanting to chip in. (The Rock River Coalition website)

(Click to view a larger version in pdf)

The design, like the project itself, represents how a partnership can combine and highlight the talents of a diverse group. The final designs were prepared by:

Hope Oostdik of Dutch Designs
Lisa Reas of LJ Reas Environmental Consulting Corp.
UW-Madison landscape architecture and water resources management graduate student, Bradley Vowels
Barb Gajewski, Lake Leader and independent environmental consultant.

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Additional Resources on Shoreline Restoration

Shoreland Restoration: A Growing Solution

This step-by-step instructional video outlines why natural shorelines help protect water quality and wildlife habitat, and introduces how shoreland property owners can restore natural functions to their shorelines.

A Fresh Look at Shoreland Restoration (pdf 471 kb)

Number 1 in the Shoreland Stewardship Series by the UW - Extention. This issue describes options for restoring shoreland habitat.Describes options for restoring shoreland habitat.describes options for restoring shoreland habitat.

Protecting & Restoring Shorelands (pdf 864 kb)

Number 2 in the UWEX Shoreland Stewardship Series . This issue describes options for protecting and restoring shorelands.

Protecting Our Living Shores (pdf 1.2 mb)

Number 3 in the UWEX Shoreland Stewardship Series . This issue describes options for protecting the native plants and wildlife along shorelands..

The Water's Edge: Helping fish and wildlife on your waterfront (pdf 1.7 mb)

This colorful, comprehensive brochure describes the importance of shoreline habitat and good water quality, as well as things waterfront property owners can do to help fish and wildlife..

Shoreland property - a guide to environmentally sound ownership (pdf 1.6 mb)