Friends of Menominee Park Shoreland: September 2012

Monday, September 10, 2012

Restoration Project Receives Community Award

The Oshkosh Parks Department has been honored with an award from the Oshkosh Collaboration Work Group for the Menominee Park Shoreland Restoration Project.

The award, presented by Dorry Wilner of the Oshkosh Police Department, was given in recognition of the long-range value of the project and the expansive partnerships created in the process of making this project possible.

The Oshkosh Collaboration Work Group started in 1993 as the result of a Collaboration Seminar led by Martin J Blank. The group's mission is to develop a collaborative system to meet the needs of people in Winnebago County in a timely and effective manner. Individuals are respected and resources are shared in order to assure positive outcomes for families.

Read the release here.

Saturday, September 1, 2012

A Shoreland Restoration Begins

We had a great turnout for phase 1 of our restoration project at the end of September 2011. (55 volunteers, 1 city counselor and the mayor, and neighbors of the park). Special thanks to students from Oshkosh North High School and the UW Oshkosh Student Environmental Action Coalition for their great support.

Extensive seeding of native perennial shoreland and prairie plants was completed, with erosion control matting placed over, along with about 200 2-inch plugs scattered throughout. We had to remove loads of rocks, and also placed wood chips to create paths for fishers and park uses.

Creating a natural area along the shores of Miller's Bay utilizing native species that help provide a visually appealing and environmentally beneficial buffer zone between land and water.

Friends of Menominee Park Shoreland provides engaged leadership to assist the community in addressing the concerns cited in the 2010 City of Oshkosh Aquatic Management Plan:

“Miller’s Bay shoreline is incredibly poor and provides no aesthetic, habitat, or buffering value to the bay. Turf maintenance along the bay’s shoreline leads to increased runoff of nutrients, sediments, and other pollutants to Lake Winnebago, while providing appealing loafing grounds to nuisance levels of Canada geese.”