When campers can run down to the shore wherever they want, plants get trampled and we see excessive erosion. A better shoreline will improve the water quality of the Whitefish Chain of Lakes and make for a better waterfront and boating experience at Trout Lake Camps.

So in the past three years Trout has completed three shoreline restoration projects, with another in the works. These projects limit erosion and run-off by restoring native plants and directing campers to the shore at specific places. We installed two large buffer zones in areas where sand and gravel went right up to the water’s edge, minimizing erosion.

We did a 1,800-square-foot buffer near the boat docks and then a 3,000-square-foot buffer between the Fish Cabins and the shore. For our third shoreline restoration project we worked with Crow Wing County to stabilize 100 feet of eroded shoreline using coir logs and native aquatic plants.