In August, the Watershed Conservation Crew finished up a project on Lake Bomoseen.  At the site, they working on encapsulated soil lifts to help rebuild a shoreline. The existing shoreline had been eroding heavily for quite some time and was threatening both the water quality of the lake and the integrity of the road. NorthWoods was brought in to do the installation after receiving an ERP work crew grant that allows us to work on water quality improvement projects throughout the state. We are applying for the same grant for next year.
After installing the four layers of encapsulated soil lifts with shrubs placed between the layers, we planted the top layer with more shrubs. The plants, once established, will provide the structural support for the soil that the Bio-D Blocks provide right now. As the blocks decompose (they are made of coconut fibers), the root systems of the plants will continue to grow deep into the bank, and this should prevent future erosion of the bank and the road.

This project was completed in partnership with the LakeWise program, the Town of Castleton, and Brian Majka of GEI Consultants.