We are excited to announce the winners of our inaugural Natural Shoreline Awards, sponsored by the East Metro Water Resource Education Program (EMWREP) and Lower St. Croix Watershed Partnership. These awards recognize Minnesotans who are protecting lake, stream, and wetland habitat in Chisago, Isanti, Ramsey and Washington Counties.
See photos and learn about the winners here: https://www.lsc1w1p.org/awards
Jane and Joe Lendway – Big Carnelian Lake in May Township, Washington County (Carnelian-Marine-St. Croix Watershed District)
Wildlife sightings are common at Jane and Joe Lendway’s cabin on Big Carnelian Lake in northern Washington County. “A couple of years ago, we were sitting in the backyard and I heard rustling near the boat,” Joe says. “I looked down and saw this cute little face looking up at me. It was a baby otter!” The Lendways also see turtles along the lakeshore, as well as butterflies and hummingbirds that visit the native blooms in their gardens. “We were one of the first ones to get involved with the Carnelian-Marine-St. Croix Watershed District in 2007 when they first offered grants to help people restore their shorelines,” Joe explains. “Before that, we had a sand beach but it was always eroding when it rained. Now that doesn’t happen anymore – even the wave action doesn’t tear up the shore.”
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Jean and John Schreckeis – Keewahtin Lake in Forest Lake, Washington County (Comfort Lake – Forest Lake Watershed District)
Located five miles outside of downtown Forest Lake, Keewahtin is a quiet and exceptionally clear lake, dappled with white lilies near the shore. Jean and John Schreckeis moved to the lake in 2005 and have spent the past 15 years working to cultivate a vibrant landscape, filled with native plants and trees.
“The motivation for me is that I hate mowing lawn,” laughs John, when we stopped out to visit the couple this week. “I was always into a more natural look,” Jean adds, “and I was also interested in finding ways to keep the geese away.”
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Kim Ury of Oakdale, Washington County (Valley Branch Watershed District)
Kim Ury wasn’t looking for shoreline property when she bought her suburban home in Oakdale six years ago. As it turned out, however, her new house bordered on a large wetland complex with floating bog islands in the middle.
“At first, my only goal was to remove the buckthorn in the backyard,” she says, “But the area was also full of poison sumac, which I had never encountered before. By spring of 2020, I had removed all the female trees and many others, and suddenly I could see the pond. I remember looking out one day during spring migration and seeing nearly 100 ducks, maybe 20 different species, all in my backyard. That moment changed everything.”
Irving & John Anderson County Park in Oxford Township (Isanti County)
If you stand at the edge of Horseleg Lake on an early morning in fall, the only sounds you’ll hear are geese flying overhead and the gentle rustling of wind through the trees.
Irving & John Anderson County Park encompasses 404 acres of undeveloped land in southeastern Isanti County in Oxford Township, including 1.75 miles of undeveloped shoreline along Horseleg and Hoseshoe Lakes. Both Lakes are classified as Natural Environment Lakes, boasting excellent water quality and rare aquatic plants.
About the program
The Natural Shoreline Award Program recognizes beautiful lakeshore, riverfront and streamside properties that incorporate native flowers, shrubs, trees and plants. Award-winning properties can be located in Chisago, Isanti, Ramsey or Washington Counties. The program is co-sponsored by the East Metro Water Education Program (EMWREP) and Lower St. Croix Watershed Partnership.
Recent research by the Natural Shorelines Partnership finds that Minnesota has lost 40-50% of its natural shorelines over the past 100 years, and continues to lose shoreline habitat at a rate of 1-2% per decade. As a result, we are seeing less diversity in wildlife, less aquatic invertebrates, and fewer, smaller fish, even in lakes and rivers with relatively good water quality.
The goal of the Natural Shoreline Award Program is to recognize Minnesotans who are stewarding their lakeshore, riverfront and streamside properties by maintaining existing upland, shoreline and aquatic habitat or replacing rock rip-rap, turf grass, and retaining walls with native flowers, shrubs, trees and plants.
Thank you to this year’s award winners for dedicating your time, money, and effort toward protecting our waters for generations to come!
For questions, contact:
- Angie Hong (EMWREP): angie.hong@mnwcd.org or 651-796-2210
- Barbara Heitkamp (Lower St. Croix): bheitkamp@mnwcd.org or 651-796-2218
East Metro Water 