Shoreline Restoration: What It Is and What It Isn't

The term shoreline restoration is used frequently, but it is often misunderstood.

Many people associate shoreline restoration with a cleaner, more manicured shoreline: fewer plants, more open water, expanded beaches, or turfgrass extending to the water's edge. While those changes may improve access or aesthetics, they generally do not restore the natural functions of the shoreline and may reduce habitat value, water quality benefits, and shoreline stability.

Shoreline restoration focuses on restoring and protecting the features that help keep lakes, rivers, and streams healthy. Most restoration projects involve establishing native vegetation along the water's edge, stabilizing eroding shorelines, improving habitat, and reducing the amount of sediment and nutrients entering the water.

Native grasses, wildflowers, sedges, shrubs, and trees are a critical part of a healthy shoreline. Their roots help hold soil in place, reducing erosion and protecting shorelines from wave action and runoff. Shoreline vegetation also helps filter pollutants before they reach the water and provides important habitat for fish, birds, pollinators, amphibians, and other wildlife.

Lake shoreline planted with diverse native vegetation, including wildflowers, grasses, shrubs, and trees. A maintained pathway provides access to the water while extensive shoreline vegetation creates habitat and helps protect water quality and shoreline stability. — **Restored Native Shoreline.** Native grasses, wildflowers, shrubs, and trees help stabilize soil, reduce erosion, filter runoff, support fish and wildlife habitat, and protect water quality. As shown here, a restored shoreline can still provide excellent access to the water while creating an attractive and functional lakeshore.

What Shoreline Restoration Is

Establishing native shoreline vegetation
Stabilizing eroding shorelines
Improving water quality
Protecting fish and wildlife habitat
Reducing sediment and nutrient runoff
Restoring natural shoreline functions

AND...

What Shoreline Restoration Is Not

The following activities may be appropriate in certain situations, but they are not typically considered shoreline restoration:

Expanding or creating beaches
Removing native shoreline vegetation
Mowing turfgrass to the water's edge
Converting diverse shoreline vegetation to a lawn or other monoculture
Shoreline grooming for appearance alone
Removing aquatic vegetation solely to create more open water

Lake shoreline with closely mowed turfgrass extending to the water's edge and a riprap-covered shoreline. The shoreline contains little native vegetation, with scattered trees and open lawn dominating the landscape. — **Shoreline with Reduced Native Vegetation.** Replacing native shoreline vegetation with lawn and rock reduces habitat, limits natural filtration of runoff, and replaces a living shoreline with one that has less capacity to adapt and recover from natural disturbances.

Aquatic Plant Management

Kanabec SWCD strongly supports efforts to prevent, contain, and manage invasive aquatic species. At the same time, native aquatic plants are an essential part of healthy lakes and should not be confused with invasive species.

Native aquatic vegetation provides food, shelter, spawning habitat, and nursery areas for fish and wildlife. Plant beds help improve water quality, stabilize lake bottoms, and dissipate wave energy before it reaches the shoreline. Many of the fish, wildlife, and water quality benefits people value in a lake depend on healthy native aquatic plant communities.

This is why proper plant identification is critical before any management decisions are made. Not all aquatic plants are invasive, and not all aquatic plants should be removed. While invasive species such as Eurasian watermilfoil and curly-leaf pondweed can negatively impact lake ecosystems and recreation, many native species provide substantial ecological benefits.

Because aquatic vegetation plays such an important role in lake health, Minnesota law restricts aquatic plant removal. Excessive removal can damage fish and wildlife habitat, degrade water quality, increase erosion, and create opportunities for invasive species to become established or expand.

Management of invasive aquatic plants is often beneficial and encouraged. In contrast, removing beneficial native vegetation can unintentionally reduce habitat quality and diminish the natural processes that help keep lakes healthy.

Before undertaking aquatic plant management, consider consulting with your local SWCD, the Minnesota DNR, or your lake association. Correct identification and an understanding of a plant's role in the ecosystem are important first steps in determining whether management is appropriate and what options may be available.