Kasota Island Restoration Project Updates

April 26, 2021

Update #23 (04/26/2021):

With the onset of spring, we expect the contractor to mobilize and continue work on the landscaping project in May. Join us for the annual clean up on June 12, 2021 from 9am to noon.

Update #22 (08/21/2020):

The contractor assisting on the landscape project was at the island today doing some plant management. Targeting non-desirable species, they applied herbicide in three areas on the island. Over the next few weeks, you will notice plants turning brown and dying. A targeted species included the native but highly aggressive sassafras. After removing much of it in June along the hillside in the center, we had some re-sprouts, as expected. We will continue to monitor the project. Share with us what you see as you visit Kasota!

Update #21 (06/16/2020):

We had a wonderful volunteer workday over the weekend! About 40 people came out and together we got a lot done. We cleaned up a dozen+ landscape beds, spread TONS of mulch, mowed and spin trimmed, picked up hundreds of sticks, and spread native seed on the south point,

Volunteers restacked the shoreline rocks from winter movement, and cleaned up the goose….stuff.

With additional support from our contractor working on the project, in total we planted over 3,000 plant plugs throughout the island.

Along the eastern edge, we planted 30 shrubs to help stabilize the upper hillside.

On the north and south ends, we planted about 16 native trees. We relocated half a dozen trees on the north end to drier ground on the hill, giving them a better chance at survival. Twenty additional trees will be planted in the spring of 2021.

Much work was done and we appreciate everyone's time and support!

Update #20 (05/20/2020):

Updates from working at the island:

• Dead and dying trees were removed and trimmed—a safety issue. Many of them were sassafras trees that have been strangling the middle section of Kasota. You'll be impressed by the size of the firewood pile.

  

• The aggressive sassafras groves and understory brush was thinned to let other native trees grow. They are shading out the baby oak trees.

Many thanks to Bill Geiger, Todd Rumsey, Jon Zachrich, Marty Zachrich, Chris Baker, Dave Drogos, and the crew from Sevits for their hard work today!

What's next:

• About 60 new native trees and shrubs will be planted over the next few weeks.

• Small trees from the north and south ends will be relocated to drier areas where they will have a better chance at surviving. Some tree species do not like 'wet feet'.

• Additional native plants and grasses will be added on the north and south ends of the Island which are heavily used for recreation.

• Existing memorial beds and trees will remain. Memorial cash donations for landscaping are always welcome but all Kasota plantings are unmarked.

Join us at our next volunteer workday on June 13, 2020 at 9am!

Update #19 (05/11/2020):

It’s now time to address overall landscaping of the Island which was mostly deferred during the shoreline work. Money has been donated and set aside for landscaping. We appreciate the community members who gave input into the Landscape plan, thank you!

Work will be starting soon, as weather permits. When the plan is completed over two growing seasons (2020-2021), Kasota Island will look more cared for and maintained.

Beginning this week:

• Dead and dying trees will be removed and trimmed—a safety issue. Many of them are sassafras trees that are currently strangling the middle section of Kasota.

• The aggressive sassafras groves and understory brush will be thinned to let other native trees grow. They are shading out the baby oak trees.

• About 60 new native trees and shrubs will be planted.

• Small trees from the north and south ends will be relocated to drier areas where they will have a better chance at surviving. Some tree species do not like 'wet feet'.

• Additional native plants and grasses will be added on the north and south ends of the Island which are heavily used for recreation.

• Existing memorial beds and trees will remain. Memorial cash donations for landscaping are always welcome but all Kasota plantings are unmarked.

• Volunteer Work Days welcome community participation. Mark your calendars for June 13, 2020 at 9am!

  

Update #18 (10/17/2019):

Kasota Island Nature Preserve has been owned by the Conservancy since 2008. We understand its place in the affection of many, many people who live, visit and recreate at Clear Lake. We take very seriously our mission to see that it is “protected forever” for future generations.

This is a short update on our shoreline restoration and stewardship activities completed and planned for the Kasota Island Nature Preserve.

• The Kasota Shoreline Restoration Project is completed! We expect this multi-year project to slow down the 3-4 inches of annual shore erosion we’ve seen in recent years.
• It’s now time to address overall landscaping of the Island which was mostly deferred during the shoreline work. Money has been donated and set aside for landscaping.
• Many community members gave input into the Landscape plan.
• When the plan is completed over two growing seasons (2020-2021), Kasota Island will look more cared for and maintained.
• Dead and dying trees will be removed and trimmed—a safety issue. Many of them are sassafras trees that are currently strangling the middle section of Kasota. Some tree trimming, especially the highest dead branches, will take place over the winter when heavy equipment can cross the frozen Lake.
• The aggressive sassafras groves and understory brush will be thinned to let other native trees grow. They are shading out the baby oak trees.
• About 60 new native trees and shrubs will be planted.
• Small trees from the north and south ends will be relocated to drier areas where they will have a better chance at surviving. Some tree species do not like 'wet feet'.
• Additional native plants and grasses will be added on the north and south ends of the Island which are heavily used for recreation.
• Existing memorial beds and trees will remain. Memorial cash donations for landscaping are always welcome but all Kasota plantings are unmarked.
• Volunteer Work Days welcome community participation and help lower landscaping costs. Mark your calendars for June 13, 2020 at 9am!

Preserving our beautiful natural environment and ensuring clear, clean water are two of the Conservancy’s ultimate goals. It’s often a complex effort. Thanks for your interest in preserving Kasota Island because it is a community-wide effort.

Update #17 (09/06/2019):

The Kasota Island Shoreline Restoration Project is completed and the work staging area along South Clear Lake Drive all cleaned up. The protective fencing on the East side of Kasota will be removed by early spring as the native water plants gain a foothold. Thank you to Amy Culler for making the staging area available and to the many folks who championed the project. We will measure Project success yearly as we monitor shoreline erosion rates because winds, rains and boat wave action remain significant risk factors.

The Conservancy undertook the Kasota project so that families and individuals can continue to enjoy this beautiful island nature preserve for years to come. Next, we will turn to the planned landscaping phase to freshen up the entire almost two-acre Nature Preserve. Stay tuned. We’ll need your help. In fact, mark your calendars for June 13, 2020 for Kasota Clean-Up Day. We welcome your participation and support.

Click here to see the final report for the shoreline protection project.

Update #16 (06/06/19):

The temporary fence along the N, W, and S shore was removed. We appreciate your project support while the fence was in place. We appreciate your continued support by leaving the glacial stone in place. The seawall will protect the island from shoreline erosion.

Plants were installed on the East shore along with temporary fencing. As the plants get established the roots will help hold the shoreline and rock in place. The encapsulated soil lifts will stabilize the steep slope on the east side.

Broadleaf arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia), pictured below, was planted along the shoreline to provide habitat and breakup wave energy.

The wooden mats will be removed and clean up will be done, in the next few weeks (weather permitting), on the south shore parcel. We appreciate the generous use of this property for access! Both time and money were saved by using the lot. Thank you Amy Culler!

Update #15 (12/12/18):

Phase III of the Shoreline Restoration Project is virtually completed, except for east shore plantings to be made in the Spring of 2019!

The crew had to break ice to remove the barge and boat. Ron Oldsen shared the second photo below of the excavator breaking the ice.

Luckily, before ice formed on the lake, the work was finished. The crew installed the glacial stone seawall along the water's edge and the encapsulated soil lifts or support levels on top.

The encapsulated soil lifts were created with Bio D-blocks, coconut erosion control blankets, wooden stakes, soil and seed. Each lift is like a horizontal taco, where the coconut erosion control blanket is the shell and the filling is the Bio-D block and soil. Each layer is an individual encapsulated soil lift, all held down with wooden stakes and then seeded.

The soil was brought out and stored in a floating container where the excavator scooped it out to fill in the encapsulated soil lifts.

In some areas the lifts are 3 or 4 high on the stone seawall to help support the trees. This combined approach will stop erosion from the wave action and help secure the steep slope along the east side. Plants and temporary fencing will be installed this Spring. We also expect the fencing on the north, west, and south shore will be removed by early Summer.

Over time, the Bio D-blocks and coconut erosion control blankets will break down. During that time, the vegetation will have an opportunity to get established and will become essential in holding the eroding hillside in place. To ensure your safety and the success of this process, we ask that you stay off of the lifts.

Update #14 (11/28/18):

The project continues in this cold, snowy weather. Over the last several days, the contractor removed rock from the donated pile at Point Park.

The rock is being placed along the east side of the island at the base of the hill. They are excavating a shallow trench to lay in the geo-textile fabric followed by the rock.

Update #13 (11/09/18):

The contractor has started moving in equipment to begin work on the east side of the island. Check back for photos and updates!

Update #12 (08/08/18):

Wondering what we planted along the rocks at Kasota Island? Click here for the list.

Update #11 (07/23/18):

The plants are taking root at the island. The fence has been successful in breaking up the wave action and keeping the geese from enjoying a free buffet.

The preserve signs have been posted on the north and south ends to help users understand the guidelines and rules.

The wooden mats will remain in place on the south shore parcel until work resumes in October. We appreciate the generous use of this property for access! Both time and money are saved by using the lot and by keeping the mats in place until the project is wrapped up.

Update #10 (06/18/18):

The plant plugs have been installed around the island in three zones. Plants were installed along the water, within the rock, and along the rock on the land side. Temporary fencing was installed in the water to break up the wave action and along the rock on the land side to keep waterfowl from eating the newly-installed plants. The fencing will stay in place through the spring and summer season to allow the plants to establish. All this work was done for the long-term preservation of Kasota Island and to stop the 4 inches/year of erosion! We thank everyone who came out to help last week!

Restoration on the east side will begin later this fall.

Update #9 (03/28/18):

Under direction from our Lands Committee see full story here, the Board of Directors is looking at the current landscape design of the Kasota Island Nature Preserve and putting a plan together that will identify trees, shrubs, and plantings that are native to the area and will thrive on the island. Our goal is to keep open space and mowed lawn while removing and controlling invasive plants and replacing ornamentals planted as transitional ground cover before the restoration project. Native landscaping will survive with less care, cost, and maintenance and will support Land Trust Best Practices and the long-term conservation goals of the Lands Committee and Conservancy.

Once we have a timeline and a visual of what the changes will be, we will share both with you.

Update #8 (01/24/18):

Planning and grant writing continue for the last phase of this project. We are delighted to share that we have been awarded a grant from the FishAmerica Foundation with partial funding from the Brunswick Public Foundation in support of this work! We hope you enjoy the wintery views below.

Update #7 (12/18/17):

Work at Kasota has finished for the year. Removal of equipment from the landing site, see photo below, has begun and should last a week or so depending on the weather.

Work will begin again next spring when the plants will be planted and the temporary fencing and goose netting will be installed. As part of our financial match for the LARE (Lake & River Enhancement) Grant, volunteers with the Conservancy can install the plant plugs and goose netting. We'll put out a call for help next spring so stay tuned!

We encourage you to reach out to us with any project questions or comments.

Update #6 (12/7/17):

The project continues in this cold, snowy weather. Over the next few days, the contractor will be moving rock from the donated pile at Point Park. We had no way of knowing how much rock was buried around the shoreline. It turns out, more rock was there than expected so only about half of the rock will be needed to finish up the north, west, and south shore. The remaining rock will be stored and used next fall on the east side of the island. We owe a huge thank you to Mike & Pat Franz and Bill & Judy Greffin for allowing us to store the rock for one more year! We really appreciate it!!

As with any project where large equipment is used some visual damage is apparent and that is clear from the photos below. The area will be smoothed and seeded next spring and after the growing season will look much better.

Update #5 (11/30/17):

The installation of the access points has begun. To balance human use and the protection of the new seawall we are installing 8 access points around the most heavily used areas of the island. Tennessee flat stones are used to make steps 2 or 3 steps high, depending on their location. One area has about 5 steps.

Update #4 (11/28/17):

We visited the island today. Below you can see the before, during, and after photos along the west side. Work continues on the north and south shoreline. The donated rocks will be removed from Point Park over the next several days.

Update #3 (11/27/17):

Equipment is on the island and the contractor has begun removing the existing rock to install the geo-textile fabric. This will hold the shoreline in place. The rock will be re-stacked over the fabric along the shore.

Looking through binoculars.

Update #2 (11/01/17):

A contractor has been selected for the project and we expect mobilization to start on November 13.

Update #1 (10/15/17):

Phase II is fully funded! Huge thank you to the many supporters who are making this phase of construction possible! We look forward to saving Kasota Island from further erosion and we thank everyone for their support! Full funding for Phase III has not been secured. Please consider a gift to help us complete this project! Click here for the project design.

With your help Kasota Island will be here for future generations to come!