Part of an ongoing implementation of Permaculture Design on my wild Upper Penninsula of Michigan land.

After primary function, the road was built on a slight incline to allow rain drainage into the swale, The swale was also dug at a slight incline to drain water away from the bottom of the road. As of now, the water drains down the swale into the swamp, but will one day soon drain into a pond. Hopefully the funds hold out!

The road will be planted with a variety of grasses as an experiment as to which type will thrive in tightly packed high acid clay. The swale and mounds will be planted with Birdsfoot Trefoil. 

Furthur study may change this list of trees and shrubs, but for now I am sticking with those that will easily live through -25 degreeF winter temps, and like moist clay topsoil. These are, Siberian Peashrub, American Plum, American Hazelnut, Sweet Crabapple, Seaberry, Autumnberry, all 18 inches apart staggered planting. Then Black Locust down away from the mound.