2026 Natural Shoreline Award Winners

Dawn and Jay Jaehnke – Green Lake in Chisago County

When Jay and Dawn Jaehnke purchased their Green Lake property in 2018, they were looking forward to being closer to their children and grandchildren. The couple had moved from La Crosse, Wisconsin, and the beautiful Chisago Chain of Lakes and homes fit the bill.

But the shoreline they inherited presented some challenges. Previous owners had extensively altered the area near the water, including excavating the slope, installing a retaining wall, filling the shoreline and extending it farther into the lake. Turf and riprap completed the picture.

Over time, the lake has began reclaiming some of that altered shoreline, creating a three to four-foot tall berm as waves and ice heaves pushed up the shore. Behind it, however, the lawn remained saturated and swampy.

The Jaehnkes knew they needed a different approach to enjoy their shoreline.

At a 2022 Green Lake association meeting, they learned about an opportunity to work with the Chisago Soil and Water Conservation District and Chisago Lakes Lake Improvement District to improve their shoreline with native plants. They decided to give it a try.

Working with conservation staff, they developed a planting design and hired a contractor to install the plants. Jay says they intentionally chose to hire someone with experience rather than figure it out themselves.

“We knew the plants were going to take time to establish,” Jay explains. “We wanted to give ourselves the best chance of having a fully established buffer after three years rather than spending three years figuring out what we were doing.”

Today, native plants cover around half of their shoreline, with the deeper plant roots helping mitigate the swampy lawn conditions and creating a healthier transition between the lawn and the lake. Jewelweed, blazing star, goldenrod, sneezeweed, butterfly milkweed, false sunflower and Joe-Pye weed are among the plants now growing along the shore.

The transformation has come with maintenance needs over the years. Dawn is regularly down at the shoreline pulling weeds and keeping an eye out for the dreaded invasive purple loosestrife. But along the way, the Jaehnkes have learned a lot about their plants, their shoreline and the wildlife that comes with a more natural landscape.

And they're not finished yet. The Jaehnkes plan to continue expanding their buffer across more of the berm over the next couple of years. Their efforts have already garnered recognition with the Chisago Lakes Lake Improvement District with their “Save our Shorelines (SOS)” program. Plus, they have started transitioning some of their upland gardens to native gardens through a 2025 Lawn to Legumes grant.

Monica Kinny of the Chisago Lakes Lake Improvement District (LID) says the Jaehnkes’ commitment to stewardship stands out. “Jay and Dawn have demonstrated a real dedication to lake stewardship. Their efforts are improving water quality, creating wildlife habitat and protecting their shoreline from wind, waves and ice. They continue to expand both their plantings and their knowledge, setting a wonderful example for fellow lakeshore owners.”

For Jay, the reason to invest in a healthy shoreline goes beyond their own property.

“Our property value largely isn't the house and accessories on it,” Jay says. “It’s reflected in the health of the lake. If the lake isn't healthy, the property values take a hit.”

That perspective has become an important part of the Jaehnkes' shoreline journey. Their goal isn't simply to improve their own property, but to do their part to protect the lake they enjoy and the value it provides to everyone around it.