The homeowners association in Seaside Farms has decided to use native plants to slow erosion around their stormwater ponds. These native plants stabilize the shoreline, provide habitat for wildlife and pollinators, and maintain water quality.
Soil Erosion Around Ponds
Thirteen ponds in Seaside Farms store excess stormwater to protect against flooding. These ponds also mainly function to clean the water around the area. James McKee, the president of a homeowners association in Mount Pleasant, says the sequestration of sediment, fertilizer, and other debris at the bottom of the ponds is important because they link to larger waterways. The final stormwater pond drains into the marsh.
Depth assessments of the ponds showed that the edges of the ponds were eroding quickly. If the homeowners association left the erosion unchecked, the dirt around the ponds would slip in. This erosion would force the community to dredge the ponds — an expensive solution to the problem. According to McKee, the former HOA president said the estimate for dredging was $1 million per pond. The HOA does not have enough money to cover the expense.
Native Plants to Save the Rescue
The HOA needed to use environmentally friendly landscaping instead of traditional methods. They would need to use native plants with deep root systems instead of grass. These plants can stabilize the soil, absorb more rainfall, provide habitat for wildlife, and filter pollutants.
The HOA board held workshops with Robinson Design Engineers and provided updates to get the community’s support. Through these efforts, the community’s loudest critics and skeptics have become proponents for the project. The HOA aims to plant 7,000 linear feet of native plants along the pond’s edges over the next 10 years. In 2023, the Shoreline Restoration Group planted 2,600 feet of native plants. They are currently working on another 1,200 feet.
To date, the project has cost $350,000. The HOA is saving money in the long term by spending the money now. Seaside Farms HOA prioritized the most erosive areas first.
From Turf Grass to Gnarly Native Plants
At the beginning of the project, 80% of the 6-mile shoreline was turf grass. They provided a clean-cut aesthetic that many HOAs wanted. However, these turf lawns did not provide any functional benefits to the environment or the homeowners. In contrast, native plants had long, gnarly roots that would hold the soil together.
The HOA stopped mowing the edges of the 13 ponds to allow the native plants to grow. Moreover, they relaxed HOA regulations regarding shrub height on association and homeowner property. The HOA is encouraging homeowners to keep the plants healthy and let them grow.
Meanwhile, other HOAs around the area have rejected native plants because of their “unkempt and messy” aesthetics compared to turf grass.
Increased Biodiversity
According to McKee, only one or two pelicans visit the ponds during spring. They stay for only a short while. However, this spring has brought dozens of pelicans, ducks, dragonflies, egrets, and turtles. He hopes the native plants will attract more wildlife.
According to Joshua Robinson, the owner and an engineer of the Robinson Design Engineers, they are trying to make the ponds act as wetlands lost from landscaping. Seaside Farms has become a proactive HOA that embraces nature-based solutions.
McKee plans to research other ways the HOA can adopt low-impact landscaping, such as floating wetlands and rain gardens, moving forward. He says many neighborhood associations become obstacles to sustainable landscaping, but he hopes other HOAs will catch on.
