Ford Estate’s $7 Million Shoreline Project Replaces Concrete with Natural Habitat

The Edsel and Eleanor Ford Estate on Michigan’s Lake St. Clair is undergoing a $7 million ecological overhaul financed by NOAA Fisheries. About 99.9 percent of the lake’s U.S. shoreline has been hardened with concrete, limiting shallow habitats needed by fish and other wildlife; the project will replace a mile of these structures with living shoreline features. Restoration plans call for 5.5 acres of native marsh planting, 8 acres of near-shore water enhanced with underwater shelters, and 4 acres of forested wetland cleared of invasive brush.

Additional measures include wooden “lunkers,” submerged logs, gentle ramps for turtles, and isolated vernal pools on Bird Island to protect frog larvae. Mudpuppy-attracting rock formations are being installed to support the life cycle of an endangered salamander mussel. The estate, a National Historic Landmark, will also see 136 trees removed and 290 native trees planted, with cloned willow saplings preserving historic specimens. A wheelchair-accessible boardwalk and expanded educational spaces are already open, with full completion expected in 2027.