This page includes background information and a description of the Shoreline Revegetation program of the POA. At the bottom of the article is a link for the application form. The purpose of this program is to encourage property owners to restore shorelines to an environment-friendly state through modest financial support as well as provide resources for information about the elements of best practices in shoreline revegetation.
The Big Cedar Lake area is a precious gem. It is a true asset that many have enjoyed for generations upon generations and is watched over by the Wisconsin DNR and the Big Cedar Lake Protection and Rehabilitation District. We also have benefitted from the Cedar Lake Conservation Foundation (CLCF) and Ozaukee Washington County Land Trust’s (OWLT) efforts to preserve the area’s water quality through strategic land purchases and land conservation easements. These forms of land and water protection have been successful when strategic land parcels are for sale, or the owner wishes to place some well-thought-out guidelines for their land’s use that has one of these two overseers in charge and given the authority to watch over these parcels.
While we appreciate and support the efforts of both the CLCF and OWLT, your POA sees there are other opportunities to protect Big Cedar Lake’s water quality by encouraging lakeshore owners to revegetate that critical 50’ of lakeshore on their respective properties to reduce surface water runoff into the lake. So in concert with the efforts of the CLCF and OWLT, your BCL-POA has initiated our own Shoreline Revegetation Initiative.
THE PURPOSE of this initiative is to encourage new revegetation projects along the shoreline that will help protect the lake’s surface water quality and aquatic ecosystems by reducing runoff into our lake.
THE GOALS are:
- Provide permanent land protection
- Provide substantial water quality benefits
- Projects cite NRCS standards
- Aim projects where work is needed and support for implementation is high
- Identify projects that are “shovel-ready” with participants committed to act
Key Elements of Sought-after Projects
- Project to be located within 50’ of the lake’s High-Water Line
- Revegetation to be of native trees and plants that are suited for both soil and environmental conditions
- The density of plantings to deliver (additional) erosion protection
- The focus of the planting design/layout is to be environment improvement, not aesthetics.
- Project initiator to have a full, estimated layout design/plan and a budget for the entire project
- Source(s) of (adequate/full) funding for each project is identified.
Awards Available to Successful Projects
- Successful, pre-approved but the BCL-POA shall be awarded up to 10% of the accepted project plan up to a maximum of $500.
- Both the project and the award are to be published through appropriate (media) channels
The APPLICATION PROCESS to participate in this program starts with your completion of the REVEGETATION APPLICATION. This will be available through; Chet Nielsen the POA program lead, Doug Sturgeon the POA President, or your area BCL-POA representative.
Application for participation is available for all current POA members. The application simply asks for an overview of your proposed project, a description of the current site you wish to address, a list of the activities to be performed and the vegetation to be added within a project budget. Once completed, please give your application form to Chet Nielsen, Doug Sturgeon or your area BCL-POA representative. The program committee will review the application, and respond with notice of approval, or reason for denial.
We are looking forward to working with all POA members who wish to apply for this program.
SHORELINE REVEGETATION APPLICATION
BCL-POA Shoreline Revegetation Project Application 6-20-2022 (2)