Master Gardeners are helping to protect and restore many bodies of waters within Crow Wing County by assisting with the planting of shoreland buffers and rain gardens.

A shoreland buffer is a simple and direct method of protecting a lake by preserving or restoring a buffer of native vegetation along the shoreline. These buffers slow down and infiltrate the runoff that otherwise might be going straight into the lake.

A rain garden is a shallow depression on the landscape where planted native plants will promote the infiltration of runoff coming from other areas of the landscape. Contrary to shoreland buffers along lakeshores, rain gardens can be planted at properties all throughout the county.

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Rain Garden and Serpent Lake Shoreland Restoration Project in Crosby
In the summer of 2009, the City of Crosby, in cooperation with Crow Wing SWCD, the Serpent Lake Association, MN DNR and several Crow Wing County Master Gardeners installed two rain gardens and a shoreline buffer to treat stormwater runoff from city streets and to protect Serpent Lake from increased sediment and nutrients. There were two rain gardens created, each approximately 1940 sq. ft. in size that will treat the stormwater runoff from the streets adjacent to City Hall. Pavement along the lakeshore was removed to provide a native plant buffer that will also filter any runoff that would run off houses and streets. The total shoreline restored is approximately 9,000 sq. ft. and runs along the lakeshore behind City Hall down to the Beach. Approximately 5,000 plugs of native plants and some seed were used to plant the rain gardens and shoreline buffer zone.

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Shoreland Buffer at Elks Camp on Pelican Lake

Pelican Lake Property Owners Association (PLPOA) and the Minnesota Elks partnered to restore the border shoreline of the Minnesota Elks Camp - 150 feet on each side - to a depth of 30 feet. The restoration will compliment the existing natural landscape of the camp and serve as a very important demonstration site on the lake.

Pelican Lake is a premier vacation lake in the Brainerd Lakes area in Crow Wing County. The sugar sand beaches are a wonderful asset to the lake as well as a recreational attraction. Unfortunately, many of the lake residents till or otherwise maintain a sandy shoreline up to manicured lawn. The lake association has actively promoted shoreline restoration with limited success to the homeowners on the lake. The Elks Camp site will provide a very visible example of a quality shoreline restoration project and demonstrate how native plants can create a nice buffer around a sandy beach area.

For a PDF version of this shoreland buffer project information: Download file

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Rain Gardens by Judicial Center in Brainerd

The University of Minnesota Extension in collaboration with Crow Wing County, Crow Wing Soil and Water Conservation District, the Initiative Foundation and area Master Gardeners, installed three rain gardens near the newly constructed Crow Wing County Judicial Center in Brainerd. While the initial discussions and preparations for this project started back in 2006, the rain gardens were planted May of 2007.

The three rain gardens, which combined take up more than 2,000 square feet, were planted with about 1,500 native grasses, perennials, shrubs and trees.

For a PDF version of the garden information, click here: Judicial Center Rain Garden

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Rain Garden at the Northland Arboretum in Brainerd

A demonstration rain garden was installed in conjunction with a Rain Garden Workshop in June of 2007 at the Northland Arboretum, Brainerd. Students from a local work readiness program, Master Gardeners and citizens worked with staff and volunteers from the Northland Arboretum and University of Minnesota Extension (Regional Center and Crow Wing County), in planning, design and implementation of the rain garden.

The rain garden was constructed west of the arboretum office and classroom building. The eastern edge of the rain garden allows for stormwater drainage from the parking lot for this building. A natural hillside boarders the western side of the rain garden and a berm was added to the south. A future pond is to be installed to the north, and will share the northern berm (which was left unplanted due to construction of the pond).

For a PDF version of the garden information, click here: Northland Arboretum Rain Garden

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Rain Garden at Fairview Office Park in Baxter

What might be the biggest rain garden in central Minnesota was planted in Baxter in May of 2008. The 8,500 sq. ft. rain garden was designed by Westwood Professional Services, Inc. to handle the stormwater runoff from a 4.5 acre, low impact development site - Fairview Office Park.

The rain garden was the practical portion of a "Rain Garden Workshop" presented by Eleanor Burkett, University of Minnesota Extension Educator, and sponsored by the Northland Arboretum in Brainerd. In addition to workshop participants, Crow Wing County Master Gardeners, as well as site developers also assisted with this hands-on portion of the project.

For a PDF version of the garden information, click here: Fairview Office Park Rain Garden

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Crow Wing County Yard Waste Compost Site in Brainerd

Establishing a county compost site was the initiative of two Master Gardeners. In the summer of 2007, a long process started.... meetings with county officials, presenting the concept to county commissioners, finding a suitable location and securing funds for the project.

The grand opening of our County-wide compost facility was held on October 14th, 2008. The compost site was made possible by a grant from Crow Wing County and with the cooperation of CWC Master Gardeners and the Cities of Brainerd and Baxter. The site is for only grass clippings and leaves. This will be a quality service for our communities, and is just one way we are improving our environment. The cured compost should be ready for use sometime in 2009.

Posted by mgweb on August 27, 2008 3:47 AM in Environmental Projects