The SCLA Education Committee and volunteers worked in the summer of 2024 to restore Picnic Island. The island was transformed into a live laboratory of best practices to restore shoreland with the installment of a rock diversion, 348 native plants and 7 trees.

Storm damage over the past decade felled several large trees which created areas with no vegetation and therefore no root systems to contain the soil. These conditions caused significant erosion – our work will help build a tree and plant root system that will control run-off and contain erosion.

LOTS of pink flags mark native plant areas. SCLA volunteers continue to water plants. Please be careful where you walk. Please park your boat/kayak/canoe on the South side of the island by the picnic table. Please leave the two hoses in place for future waterings.

Several people made donations to the project and over 19 volunteers donated over 120 hours to get DNR approval to restore the island, write (and secure) a Healthy Lakes grant, install rock diversion, plant native plants and provide educational opportunities to learn how you, too, can protect your shoreland. We will continue to assess future needs.