- Natural Shoreline – We removed a damaged dock and restored the shoreline using a hybrid natural and fieldstone solution to protect against erosion and ice push.
Situated on the shores of Long Lake, this project is a comprehensive shoreline restoration and stabilization effort that transformed a steep, challenging bluff into a resilient landscape. We first removed a permanently installed dock that was badly damaged by ice flows due to its proximity to the lakefront. We then installed a hybrid natural and fieldstone/rip-rap shoreline solution to prevent erosion and damage from ice push. This high energy feature will protect the client’s shoreline, the water quality of the lake, and enhance the property’s natural beauty.
Following the shoreline restoration, Inhabitect removed a failing wooden retaining wall and prepared the subgrade to accommodate the homeowner’s new dock. Behind the dock area, our team constructed a mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) retaining wall using geo-bags filled with specialized growing medium. This innovative and highly engineered system will stabilize the slope, prevent erosion, and evolve into a lush, vegetated green wall, combining structural integrity with ecological benefits.
This Long Lake Project has restored a damaged shoreline, stabilized a slope that was nearing total failure, and created a functional, cohesive space that blends native plants with a beautiful lakeside environment.
Inhabitect is a full-service firm dedicated to designing, building, and growing all forms of living architecture. Based in Traverse City, Michigan — and consulting throughout North America — we create green roofs, natural shorelines, and other stormwater management and eco-minded landscape solutions for clients across the state. We’re bringing a new meaning to ‘GREEN.’