200 feet of Lake Champlain shoreline, naturalized.
Owners of 200 ft of Mallets Bay shoreline had been losing 1-2 feet of shoreline per year to ice damage, wave erosion, and runoff. The previous owners had attempted rip-rap with imported stone, which had failed and was now both ugly and continuing to erode. The owners wanted natural-looking restoration that would actually stop the erosion and integrate with the surrounding lakefront aesthetic.
— The brief
What the clients wanted.
Owners of 200 ft of Mallets Bay shoreline had been losing 1-2 feet of shoreline per year to ice damage, wave erosion, and runoff. The previous owners had attempted rip-rap with imported stone, which had failed and was now both ugly and continuing to erode. The owners wanted natural-looking restoration that would actually stop the erosion and integrate with the surrounding lakefront aesthetic.
The challenge.
Vermont state shoreline permits are strict — wetland buffer compliance, ANR review, sometimes Army Corps. The restoration also had to work mechanically: stop ice damage, dissipate wave energy, prevent further erosion, while looking like a natural lake edge.
— Project specs
— What we built
Project elements.
12-week permit process with VT Agency of Natural Resources. Removed failed rip-rap. Re-graded the slope to a 3:1 ratio with engineered fabric and graded local stone. Native shoreline planting — sweet flag, swamp rose, sedge, native willow at the water edge transitioning to upland natives. Cedar dock floating system designed to ride seasonal water level changes. Cedar bench at one end of the dock, oriented toward sunset over the Adirondacks.
Stone
Local schist + granite
Timber
Cedar dock + bench
Location
Colchester (Mallets Bay), VT
Year
2024
Duration
12 months
Scope
Shoreline restoration + Plantings + Cedar
— How it came together
The Cairn & Cedar Method, this project.
Same Method as every project — site visit, design, quote, build.
Site visit
Two-hour walk with the architect. Light, slope, drainage, microclimate measured. We listen, you talk.
Design
Hand-drawn schematic, then full construction documents. Material specs, sections, footing detail.
Quote
Fixed-price proposal, line-itemed by trade. You see the math. Change orders signed before any change.
Build
Our in-house crew on site every working day. Architect at every milestone. Punch list closed before final invoice.
— The outcome
What happened after we finished.
— Project notes
Worth knowing about this project.
What was unique about this site?
Vermont state shoreline permits are strict — wetland buffer compliance, ANR review, sometimes Army Corps. The restoration also had to work mechanically: stop ice damage, dissipate wave energy, prevent further erosion, while looking like a natural lake edge.
What materials were specified?
Stone: Local schist + granite. Timber: Cedar dock + bench. All sourced within 60 miles of the project.
How long did construction take?
12 months from first site visit to final cleanup. Construction phase varied based on the integrated disciplines.
What was the disciplines mix?
Shoreline restoration + Plantings + Cedar
What’s the outcome two seasons later?
The first winter post-installation was a heavy ice year. Shoreline lost zero feet. Plantings establishment was strong by year-one summer. The dock and bench are the family’s primary outdoor gathering point; the natural-looking shoreline reads as ‘always there’ rather than ‘restored’.
Can we visit the project?
Some projects we can arrange property tours by appointment, with the owner’s permission. Ask during the site visit if a similar property is available to walk.