Fall 2014

Friends of Menominee Park Shoreland

Committee is the organizing and management

group of the restoration sites, and is comprised

of 10 representatives from throughout the

community, including:

• Janet Wissink, Winnebago Audubon

• Zaiga Freivalds, Wild Ones

• Carol Niendorf, Wild Ones

• Kathy Prop, League of Women Voters of Winnebago County

• Dani Stolley, Growing Oshkosh

• Bill Sturm, advisory, city of Oshkosh Parks

• Paul Van Auken, Menominee South Neighborhood

Association

• Samara Hamze, Oshkosh Sustainability Advisory Board

• Jan Scalpone, Winnebago Lakes Council

• Justin Mitchell, chair

Friends of Menominee Park Shoreland

Photo from first installation day,

taken by Mayor Burk Tower.

The goal of shoreland

restoration is to create a

natural area along the shore

utilizing native species that

help provide a visually

appealing and environmentally

beneficial buffer zone

between land and water.

Goal of Shoreland Restoration

The Wisconsin DNR encourages natural

restoration along Wisconsin’s waterways,

citing numerous benefits including:

• Reduces shoreline erosion caused by wind and

recreational boat traffic

• Acts as an important filter strip to prevent

sediment, lawn fertilizer, pesticides and other

urban runoff from reaching the lake

• Deposits natural debris into water, improving

fish habitat

• Saves money, time and energy needed for

mowing and lawn maintenance

• Creates a biological barrier to deter Canada

geese

• Provides a seasonal array of colors, textures,

aromas and continual wildlife activity

Benefits of Shoreland Restoration 1 of 2

“The Department certainly

supports your efforts to

restore native vegetation

and habitat along the Fox

River and Lake Winnebago.

Thank you for your

continued efforts.”

~ Scott Koehnke,

Water Management Specialist,

Wisconsin DNR

Benefits of Shoreland Restoration 2 of 2

• Serve as an increasingly unique habitat for birds,

helping the city of Oshkosh achieve its

committed goals as a Bird City Wisconsin

community. Native plant life provides seed and

nesting habitat commonly removed by a low-cut

grass or chemically treated shoreland.

• A restoration plot will also serve as host to an

array of butterfly and beneficial insect life,

including the monarch and swallowtail

butterflies, as well as rare and endangered

native species whose historic home has been

along the shore.

• For users of the Menominee Park trail system, the

absence of geese and correlating goose feces is a

welcoming benefit. Due to the slow response

and take off of geese, they will remain in wide-

open, grassy expanses that enable extended

vision. Trails along any shoreland restoration

area will remain fully free from any goose feces.

• Parks Department financial savings – staff time is

not dedicated to mowing or treating.

Native PlantsNative plant root systems are 20-100

times more extensive and deep than the

standard sod cover root systems (sod is

shown on the far left). These root

systems serve as avenues for water

infiltration, which helps prevent

pollutants from entering the lake. The

native plants utilize these nutrients as

food to assist in plant growth and development

Buffer Area

• Per the WDNR, the ideal depth of a

buffer is 30-35 feet, which maximizes

the filtration and absorption impact of

the plants.

• Many of the nutrients, pesticides and

other suspended materials that pollute

the waterway will be captured by the

plant growth, where they will be

broken down and absorbed as food by

the plant roots.

• Dissolved nutrients, such as nitrogen or

phosphorus, are taken up by plants,

thus removing them before they can

enter the lake. For the plants, these

elements are food; for an aquifer, they

are pollution and contribute

significantly to algae and other aquatic

plant growth.

Background Support For Restoration 1 of 3

Onterra Study: The Onterra report recommended a

shoreland restoration project that spanned the frontage

area around Miller’s Bay, citing that the restored

shoreland would improve water quality by filtering

out unwanted pollution and fertilizers.

Vision Oshkosh Report: Respondents overwhelmingly

supported implementing a natural shoreland for the

city’s urban waterfront, prompting the report to

include the following recommendation: "Maintain a

minimum vegetated buffer between all water bodies

and impervious surfaces.”

Background Support For Restoration 2 of 3

Oshkosh Sustainability Plan: The plan, which was adopted

in 2012 by both the common council and the city plan

commission, recommends and advocates for restoration of

the city's shoreland area in multiple sections of the plan,

including:

pg 22. restore native vegetative buffers on city shoreland to

protect against polluted run-off, improve aquatic habitat,

discourage geese and decrease algae growth

pg 24. encourage more native plantings on sites to reduce

irrigation, protect shorelines and provide natural

beautification.

Background Support For Restoration 3 of 3

Comprehensive Plan: The city’s

comprehensive plan, which outlines

the main goals and objectives of the

city, states the following (Ch 8):

Goal A: Protect and preserve

wetlands, shorelands.

Goal B: Protect aquatic and wildlife

habitat when managing

development in proximity to

environmental corridors, riparian

areas, and woodlands.

“In the community survey

conducted as part of the

preparation of this Plan,

respondents identified our

water resources as the most

important asset to the city.

Protection of both the

quantity and quality of

water is critical for health,

business, and recreational

opportunities.”

~ Oshkosh Comprehensive PlanPg 172

Restoring The Shore – Installation 1 of 4

• September 2011, over 50 volunteers

participated in the Phase 1 restoration

project.

• The following groups participated in the

project:

~ Oshkosh North High School

~ UW Oshkosh Students

~ Winnebago Audubon

~ Wild Ones

~ The Mayor & Oshkosh Common Council

~ The Oshkosh Sustainability Board

~ Menominee Park neighbors

~ Growing

~ Winnebago County Land & Water

Conservation Department.

Restoring The Shore Installation 2 of 4

• Extensive seeding of native perennial

shoreland and prairie species was

completed, along with about 200 2-

inch plugs scattered throughout.

• The total installation area was

approximately 10,000 square feet.

• Erosion control matting was placed

over the plantings, and wood chips

paths were installed for fishing and

other recreational use in the park.

• The total cost of the initial installation

was approximately $9500.00, which

was funded through non-municipal

sources.

Restoring The Shore Installation 3 of 4

Before

After

Collaboration Award Recipient

The Oshkosh Parks Department and

Justin Mitchell, on behalf of the

Friends of Menominee Park

Shoreland, were presented with a

community excellence award for

impact collaboration from Dorry

Wilner and the the Winnebago

Collaboration Working Group

(WCWG).

WCWG is comprised of over thirty

organizations from the community

including the United Way, the

Oshkosh Police, Winnebago County,

ADVOCAP, UW Extension, Habitat for

Humanity, and many other community

service groups.

Community Education

• Installed educational sign

providing information on

native plants and shoreland

buffers (image on right).

• Students from Oshkosh

North High School and UW

Oshkosh have participated

in installation and

maintenance days.

• A neighborhood

pre/elementary school

group participated in

plantings.

• Collaboration with Oshkosh

Communities High School

Program.

Maintaining and Enhancing 1 of 3 (2012)

The 2012 season was the first growing

season of the shoreline.

Year 1 entails the establishment of a

plant canopy to prevent erosion and to

eliminate competition from unwanted

“weed” seeds that are present in the

soil.

Because many native plants are slow

growing, an annual cover crop of grasses

was incorporated into the planting.

Year 1 maintenance entailed a spring

and fall weeding by volunteers, with

ragweed largely eliminated from the

bed.

Maintaining and Enhancing 2 of 3 (2013)

The 2013 season saw an excellent

establishment of yellow black-eyed

Susans (Rudbeckia hirta), as well as

the beginnings of many other native

plant species.

Two additional maintenance days

were conducted, with work including

the installation of mulched trails,

the planting of several hundred

perennial plugs (small, 2 inch potted

native plants), and installation of an

educational sign funded by the

Wisconsin Audubon Society.

Maintaining and Enhancing 3 of 3 (2014)

2014 has been a terrific season for the shoreland

site, with an impressive diversity of life present.

Native monarda, milkweeds, vervain, and

rattlesnake master have become established,

joining over 25 other plant species. An array of

butterflies and birds can also be found on site.

In early summer, a maintenance day was

completed to remove canada thistle and an

undesirable vine from the shore.

In addition, the cup plant, which is a vigorous

native that can exceed 8 feet in height, was cut

back to the ground to remain consistent with the

goal of growing low and medium height plants. A

goal for 2015 is to dig up the cup plants by May

and transplant them to another area of the park

where height is not a concern.

50 additional new native plugs were installed in

areas along the shore.

Addressing Concerns 1 of 5: Geese / Animals

Geese stay away from the

plantings and prefer open grass

areas. The trail along the

restoration is clear and free of

goose waste.

In addition, there have been

no sightings of raccoons or

other urban pests, as

suggested.

In early summer 2014, one

duck was seen nesting. In

addition, the nests of several

small bird species was

identified by Oshkosh Bird

Festival Committee members.

Addressing Concerns 2 of 5: Location

The current site of the

restoration is in an area of the

park that is often filled with

parked cars. This area has the

park’s only north end driveway

and parking area. Across the

driveway is a field with trees,

followed by Menominee Drive.

This area was selected by city

parks staff due to the minimal

impact it would have on lake

view disruption.

All proposed expansions in

the 5 year plan would take

place in areas that have no

residential neighbors,

including areas like Webster

Stanley Elementary and the

Water Treatment Facility.

Addressing Concerns 3 of 5: Height of Plants

Restorations typically include trees

and tall shrubbery, in addition to

native perrenials.

The Menominee Park Shoreland

Restoration site at the base of Ames

Point does not include any newly

planted trees or shrubs (park trees

were present prior to any

restoration work).

In addition, species that are

present that are tall growing are

being removed, as seen in the

photo.

Addressing Concerns 4 of 5: Other

Claim: There won’t be

access for fishing.

Response: The several

hundred feet of restoration

does not have an impact on

fishing accessibility in

Menominee Park, which

boasts over 13,000 feet of

shoreline frontage.

However, in recognition of

the positive benefits a

restoration site can have

for fishing, a mulched trail

was installed near the

shore, allowing access for

fishing, hiking, bird

watching, and other

recreational park uses.

Claim: It will turn into

an unusable wetland.

Response: Unlike much of

the park strip running

along Menominee Drive,

the restoration site will

not have standing water

and will not be wet,

unless the lake rises

significantly.

The ground was not dug

out or lowered during

installation. The root

systems help water

infiltrate, while the

plants absorb water

quickly.

Claim: The site will not

be well cared for.

Response: All gardens

require care, including a

natural native shoreland

planting. And the

Oshkosh community has

responded very positively

with the restoration

project. Since 2011, over

120 volunteers have

together dedicated over

300 hours caring for the

restoration site.

This dedication and

commitment to improving

our city’s parks and water

system is highly

commendable.

Addressing Concerns 5 of 5: Response

The committee has, from the

beginning, completed everything that

the parks staff has requested,

including maintenance, improvements,

planning, and more.

The committee has gone farther,

sponsoring a full-park shoreland

cleanup which included 40 UW Oshkosh

students who picked up trash and

completed maintenance throughout

the zoo.

The committee has been responsive,

transparent, dedicated to improving

the shoreland habitat as recommended

throughout city policy.

Conclusion 1of 3: Next Steps

1. 5 Year Management and Expansion Plan

a. Plan was requested by parks department, and provides comprehensive

details on history of restoration, management expectations, and future

plans.

b. Plan is being presented to community partners such as the Winnebago

Lakes Council, the Sustainability Advisory Board, The Menominee South

Neighborhood Association, Winnebago Audubon, City of Oshkosh Bird

Committee, and others throughout September and the first week of

October 2014.

c. Present plan to Parks Advisory Board in October 2014.

d. Possible presentation to common council in late October 2014.

2. Complete Fall 2014 work day late October, which includes a partnership

with Oshkosh North High School Communities Program, UWO ERIC, and local

elementary school students.

Oshkosh

Sustainability

Advisory Board

Environmental Research

& Innovation Center

Land & Water Conservation

Department

Conclusion 2 of 3: Supporters of Restoration