Live Stakes
Improving Shorefront Vegetation
What are live stakes?
Live stakes are woody-shrub cuttings from established native plants that, once plugged into the ground, root quickly to help establish buffer vegetation and stabilize hard-to-plant shorelines. Live stakes are planted during the spring or fall, when the plants are dormant. The roots from an established live stake work to hold soil in place, mitigating soil erosion. Live stakes also serve many other purposes, such as providing food and cover for many wildlife and bird species!
A living shoreline solution
Allow your shoreline to become more resilient to erosion and function as a native system by planting live stakes.
What species can be live staked and how do I get them?
There are many different species you can live stake, but generally dogwood and willows species are best because of their strong root systems and ability to grow from cuttings. It’s important to always consider site conditions, such as the amount of sun the area gets, and the soil moisture and acidity to ensure the best possible chance for growth and survival.
Species list
Click on a species to learn more about it!
A meadowsweet live stake beginning to leaf out 3 weeks after being planted along Lovejoy Pond.
Red-twig dogwood live stakes installed along a property’s shoreline on Flying Pond.